*this archive was originally written by Eugene Helfrick
Defense wins championships. It’s a saying as old as hockey itself, but there is truth to this wisdom. A stout defense can both limit the opponent’s scoring chances while place additional pressure on them in the offensive zone. When a defense is playing near perfection, it also helps ease some of the burdens on both the goaltender and forwards, which can turn the tide of a game or a playoff series.
It’s not easy to build an elite defense, of course. It can take years of drafting and developing defensemen before they eventually reach their full potential. Even then, a team will still need to dip into free agency and the trade market to get enough talent to build a core of players capable of winning the Stanley Cup.
Related: The Best NHL Defensemen Ever
For the best defensive units in the NHL, it took years to assemble this talented core. However, these teams are now reaping the rewards of their hard work, and there’s a reason why all five of these teams will have an eye towards the Stanley Cup throughout the 2025-26 season.
5) Vegas Golden Knights
Noah Hanifin – Shea Theodore
Brayden McNabb – Zach Whitecloud
Jeremy Lauzon – Kaedan Korczak
ANALYSIS:
The Golden Knights are a team that isn’t afraid to take chances, and they have shown that since their first season in the NHL. As they head into the 2025-26 season, their biggest addition was the sign-and-trade of Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, on the blue line, they took a huge hit. Alex Pietrangelo’s career is essentially over, and they haven’t really addressed that hole. Plus, they traded Nic Hague to the Nashville Predators for Lauzon because his new contract would have been too much for them to afford. Vegas has added a scoring threat who can play well defensively up front but failed to address the loss of Pietrangelo.
That’s why they’ve moved down from No. 1 to No. 5 on this list. They are a great team, and with their cut-throat approach to running a hockey team, they will be involved in just about any big-name player on the market. But that doesn’t help them to start the season. Other teams improved their defense cores, while Vegas’ took a hit. This season will be an interesting one for them, not just to see how they perform but also how they address any issues that arise with little-to-no cap space.
4) Colorado Avalanche
Devon Toews – Cale Makar
Samuel Girard – Josh Manson
Sam Malinski – Brent Burns
ANALYSIS:
There really isn’t much that needs to be said about the Colorado Avalanche’s defensive greatness. Makar is a generational player who is redefining what a modern defenseman can be and Toews is the perfect partner to let him be his best. Girard is an unsung hero who plays a smart defensive game, while Manson rounds out this unit with needed grit. Finally, you can’t underrate the solid add of veteran Burns, who although he is past his prime, can still chip in 30-40 points from the blue line.
Say what you will, but this is a special defensive corps that may soon be discussed as one of the all-time greats if they are all able to reach their potential this season. If not for injuries and terrible goaltending behind them, this unit could have even more dominant numbers. However, as they stand, they’re still a unit you can’t sleep on, especially given the greatness in their top four.
3) Florida Panthers
Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones
Dmitry Kulikov – Jeff Petry
ANALYSIS:
The Panthers are two-time defending champions for a reason. Their defensive core is among the league’s best. They run like a well-oiled machine, much like their forward group, they wear you down and make life extremely tough on you in front of the net. Aside from the Maple Leafs, which gave them the hardest challenge in the 2025 Playoffs, the Panthers’ blue line shut down some of the league’s best players.
To top it all off, they managed to bring back Ekblad, who looked to be on his way out of Florida as a UFA. They were also able to find a new player to take the “Nate Schmidt deal.” When Schmidt signed with the Utah Mammoth, the Panthers quickly signed Petry to a one-year $775,000 deal to replace him. Petry will end the year on a league minimum contract and become a steal for the organization. It’s very hard not to have the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs on this list.
2) Carolina Hurricanes
Jaccob Slavin – K’Andre Miller
Shayne Gostisbehere – Sean Walker
Alexander Nikishin – Jalen Chatfield
ANALYSIS:
In recent years, I’ve learned to never bet against the Carolina Hurricanes. Whenever they come up short of their ultimate goals, they double down (again) on what makes them great by going out and signing big names on defense during free agency.
After the departure of Brent Burns, they were able to add one of the biggest RFA targets in Miller in a sign-and-trade, which will make a big impact. On top of that, they still have Slavin, who is arguably the best defensive defenseman in the NHL. The pairing of Gostisbehere and Walker will be a good offensive pairing and then adding the youngster Nikishin to the mix, the Hurricanes will be a very good defensive team.
They may lack a Norris-caliber player, but they do everything at an elite level. Especially when you add in their forward group, and I find it hard to bet against their potential.
1) Winnipeg Jets
Josh Morrissey – Dylan DeMelo
Dylan Samberg – Neal Pionk
Logan Stanley – Luke Schenn
Colin Miller
ANALYSIS:
When you’re discussing the top defensive units in the NHL, you can’t look past the Winnipeg Jets this season. This unit has been a surprising engine for the franchise, as they chip in countless points in the offensive zone while playing a sound structure in front of Connor Hellebuyck to limit chances.
This combines to give you a unit with the fourth-highest-scoring defender in the NHL (Josh Morrissey), the third-fewest goals against, and a record-setting stretch of play to start the season. Plus, they were able to add Schenn last season, which gives them a huge physical presence on the blue line. But also, as we’ve seen in his time in Toronto and Nashville, a veteran who can help a young partner like Stanley.
The NHL Features Many Great Defenses
Whenever you create a ranked list like this, there will always be teams that are left off that just barely missed the cut. In terms of defense, a few teams to keep an eye on are the Dallas Stars, Vancouver Canucks, and the New Jersey Devils as these franchises feature elite defensemen who could be in the Norris discussion by the end of the season along with incredible depth.
Plus, in the coming months, there will be those unexpected teams that find breakout candidates who shore up their blue line while pushing them into an elite unit. When that happens, they could make the case to earn a spot on this list and force one of the former top teams off it.
