*this archive was originally written by Eugene Helfrick
The defense, and what is required from the position, changed dramatically in recent seasons. It used to be to have a great unit, the skaters needed to defend and send the puck up the ice to the forwards to do the scoring. Now, defensemen are essentially asked to do it all.
It’s what makes ranking the defensive units a difficult task. A great unit needs to eliminate opposing offenses, that’s a given. yet, they also must help set up the offense and create rush chances once the puck is turned over. On top of that, they must open things up in the offensive zone. along with the on-ice contributions, the skaters have to both have speed and skill to combat the speed and skill of the opposition but they must also have the toughness needed to deliver a big blow when needed.
How These Rankings Came Together
Because a lot goes into play for a great defensive unit, a lot went into the rankings. The key defense stats, notably defensive point shares and blocked shots are the first to look at. After that, there are the scoring stats to look at, specifically goals and assists. These are based on last season’s numbers.
Then there are some eye test things to consider. How did some defenses hold up from last season? How did they perform in the playoffs? Will new additions to the unit help or hurt? We look at the key skaters who anchor the unit but also if any movement changed the outlook as well.
Related: NHL Awards History: Oldest & Youngest Winners
Considering this article requires a lot of scrolling, let’s stop wasting time and dive right in!
32 – St. Louis Blues
Key Skaters: Nick Leddy, Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk
Big Additions: Ryan Suter, Phillip Broberg
Big Subtractions: Torey Krug (LTIR)
The offer sheet and addition of Phillip Broberg speak volumes about where the St. Louis Blues stand as an organization. They have a lot of aging skaters with difficult contracts to move and instead of trying to find a way to trade or buy out these players, they double down. The Blues signed Ryan Suter this offseason, he’s 39. Broberg is a young option but he’s a later pair option who won’t move the needle. This is an older group that struggled last season and isn’t getting better anytime soon, making it the worst defensive unit in the NHL and possibly the reason this team finishes near the bottom of the standing this season.
31 – Anaheim Ducks
Key Skaters: Cam Fowler, Pavel Mintyukov
Big Additions: Brian Dumoulin
Big Subtractions: N/A
As promising as the Anaheim Ducks rebuild has been, the defense still lacks young talent. Pavel Mintukov is a great player who notably impressed on the offensive end of the ice with four goals and 24 assists while Olen Zellweger will be a regular this season. Otherwise, the group is older and lacks reliable contributors outside of Cam Fowler. The forward unit is starting to take shape so it’s safe to assume this team will start adding defensemen to the farm system in the upcoming drafts.
30 – San Jose Sharks
Key Skaters: Mario Ferraro
Big Additions: Cody Ceci, Jake Walman
Big Subtractions: Ty Emberson
The San Jose Sharks revamped their defense with a few offseason moves. They acquired Jake Walman and then late in the summer, they made a splash by adding Cody Ceci, a veteran who immediately upgraded the unit. Suddenly, the Sharks have three defensemen they can lean on. They’ll still struggle on the offensive end of the ice and the later pairing will let them down throughout the season but this unit will surprise a few people.
29 – Chicago Blackhawks
Key Skaters: Alex Vlasic, Kevin Korchinski, Seth Jones, Connor Murphy
Big Additions: Alec Martinez, T.J. Brodie
Big Subtractions: N/A
The Chicago Blackhawks were one of the busy teams this offseason and adding to the defense was part of that as they acquired both Alec Martinez and T.J. Brodie. While the unit has plenty of veterans, the X-Factor is Kevin Korchinski, the top defensive prospect on the team who can make a big stride in his second full season in the NHL. The new-look defense will be a good one but age can wear it down with four of the primary skaters in their 30s and on the decline.
28 – Washington Capitals
Key Skaters: Jakob Chychrun, John Carlson
Big Additions: Jakob Chychrun, Matt Roy
Big Subtractions: Nick Jensen
The Washington Capitals keep pushing to contend even if a rebuild is inevitable and the best path forward. The defense is a case in point of that philosophy as they added Jakob Chychrun in a big trade while also acquiring Matt Roy this offseason. Chychrun is one of the better two-way defensemen in the game, giving the Capitals a second option at the point to go with John Carlson, while Roy is great in the defensive zone, with 5.6 defensive point shares last season.
The defense is better now than it was last season. The question is if it can do enough with the new additions to get this team back into contention. The Capitals barely made the playoffs and were swept in the 2024 First Round with an average team at best. They can make the playoffs again but how far can this team, and the defense in particular, take them?
27 – Calgary Flames
Key Skaters: MacKenzie Weegar, Rasmus Andersson
Big Additions: Jake Bean, Kevin Bahl
Big Subtractions: Chris Tanev (2024 Trade Deadline), Noah Hanifin (2024 Trade Deadline), Nikita Zadorov (2024 Trade Deadline), Oliver Kylington
The tough part of the teardown that the front office needed to do was parting ways with Chris Tanev, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev, three cornerstones of the defense. It makes this season an adjustment as the Calgary Flames must work with a younger and developing group that is sure to take a step back. The bright spot is that they have MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson leading the unit while Jake Bean and Kevin Bahl will be valuable additions.
26 – Philadelphia Flyers
Key Skaters: Travis Sanheim, Cameron York, Jamie Drysdale
Big Additions: N/A
Big Subtractions: Sean Walker (2024 Trade Deadline)
Early on last season, the Philadelphia Flyers looked like a promising team and most of the optimism came from the defensive unit. Travis Sanheim and Cameron York were a great duo as they combined for 20 goals, 54 assists, and 6.9 defensive point shares. Jamie Drysdale struggled but proved he can be part of the youth movement. Sure the scoring remains an issue outside of Sanheim and York but if Drysdale continues to develop along with Yegor Zamula, that might change early on next season.
25 – Columbus Blue Jackets
Key Skaters: Zach Werenski, Ivan Provorov, Damon Severson, David Jiricek
Big Additions: Jordan Harris, Jack Johnson
Big Subtractions: N/A
The Columbus Blue Jackets are at a crossroads when it comes to their roster. Should they start the prospects or keep making a push with their veterans? With their defense, they have a handful of veteran skaters, specifically, Zach Werenski and Ivan Provorov, taking up big roles and preventing prospects like David Jiricek from finding more ice time. The Jordan Harris addition will help as he’s a younger option who is NHL-ready. Likewise, the head coaching hire of Dean Evason will improve the defense. However, with this team in the middle of a rebuild, this season might be a tough one for the defense where the veterans can limit offenses but only to an extent and it makes the position a glaring weakness.
24 – Detroit Red Wings
Key Skaters: Moritz Seider, Olli Maatta, Ben Chiarot
Big Additions: Erik Gustafsson
Big Subtractions: Jake Walman, Shayne Gostisbehere
When it comes to the Detroit Red Wings, it’s almost like there are two different defenses on one unit. They have the youth with Moritz Seider leading the way while Simon Edvinsson moves up the ranks. Then they have Ben Chairot, Jeff Petry, and Erik Gustafsson, three defensemen well past their prime. Overall, they have a deep unit with three great pairings with the help of Olli Maatta, who is an underrated player who contributed 3.3 defensive point shares last season. The catch this season is if the trio of older skaters can still play at a high level to round out this unit (plus Edvinsson must be ready for the NHL).
23 – Montreal Canadiens
Key Skaters: Arber Xhekaj, Kaiden Guhle, Mike Matheson
Big Additions: N/A
Big Subtractions: Jonathan Kovacevic, Jordan Harris
The Montreal Canadiens have plenty of talented defensemen coming up from the pipeline, they moved on from two of those skaters knowing that reinforcements are on the way. The forward unit might have all the star power but the defense is the Canadiens’ strength. Arber Xhekaj and Kaiden Guhle are staples of the unit with 3.9 defensive point shares last season while Lane Hutson and Cameron Whynot look to join the roster this season (and should be great because, why not?). What the youth movement means for Mike Matheson’s future is something to monitor as he could be traded at some point and similarly, there will be growing pains with the younger skaters adjusting to the NHL. That said, there’s plenty of optimism for this unit.
22 – Tampa Bay Lightning
Key Skaters: Victor Hedman, Erik Cernak, Nicklaus Perbix
Big Additions: Ryan McDonagh
Big Subtractions: Mikhail Sergachev
Victor Hedman is the motor of the blue line and playing at a high level. The problem is that he’s 33 and only going to be the top defenseman for the Tampa Bay Lightning for so long. The other issue is replacing Mikhail Sergechev, who missed most of last season with injuries but was an integral part of the Stanley Cup title-winning teams. If Hedman keeps playing at a high level and the trio of Erik Cernak, Nicklaus Perbix, and Ryan McDonagh round out the unit, the Lightning will be fine. That’s a big if. So, expect a regression for a team that is starting to decline.
21 – Pittsburgh Penguins
Key Skaters: Kris Letang, Marcus Pettersson, Erik Karlsson
Big Additions: Sebastian Aho
Big Subtractions: N/A
The Pittsburgh Penguins are an aging team without a lot of depth. That couldn’t be more true about the defense. Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson are great but in their 30s and on the decline. Then there’s Marcus Petterson and Ryan Graves, two great stay-at-home defensemen who contributed 9.0 defensive point shares and 301 blocked shots last season. After that, the unit drops off. the Sebastian Aho addition can round out the unit but the lack of depth looks to once again doom the Penguins.
20 – Arizona Coyotes
Key Skaters: Mikhail Sergachev, Sean Durzi, John Marino, Juuso Valimaki
Big Additions: Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino, Ian Cole
Big Subtractions: J.J. Moser, Mathew Dumba (2024 Trade Deadline)
Utah has a promising young forward group with a lot of elite prospects. So, what better way to help that group out than with a defense built to compete now? Sergachev was the big addition and alongside Sean Durzi, he gives the team a great top pairing. Along with the Sergachev trade, they also added John Marino and Ian Cole to round things out. The unknown is seeing how all the new players fit together but this defense is revamped and poised to improve.
19 – Los Angeles Kings
Key Skaters: Michael Anderson, Drew Doughty, Vladislav Gavrikov
Big Additions: N/A
Big Subtractions: Matt Roy
Drew Doughty is putting the finishing touches on a Hall of Fame career and is doing so on a defensive unit with a few reliable pairings. Yes, losing Roy will be tough as he was a valuable contributor, especially on the defensive end of the ice. That said, the top two pairings are good enough with Doughty and Michael Anderson leading the way. Inevitably, this unit will lead the Los Angeles Kings back to the playoffs where they can get trounced in the First Round by the Edmonton Oilers.
18 – Ottawa Senators
Key Skaters: Thomas Chabot, Artem Zub, Jake Sanderson
Big Additions: Nick Jensen
Big Subtractions: Jakob Chychrun
After making a big splash to get Chychrun at the 2023 trade deadline, the Ottawa Senators traded him away this offseason. To replace him, they added Nick Jensen who plays a defense-first style. It’s a step down but overall, the Senators should still have a respectable defense this season. Thomas Chabot is the workhorse of the unit who averages over 23 minutes of ice time while Jake Sanderson is coming into his own as a young skater. If Jenson and Artem Zub step up in the middle pairings, this group can be great this season.
17 – Toronto Maple Leafs
Key Skaters: Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe, Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Big Additions: Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Big Subtractions: T.J. Brodie
The Toronto Maple Leafs made big moves to turn the defense into a strength both in the regular season and for a playoff run. Oliver Ekman-Larsson was an underrated defenseman last season, contributing 4.0 defensive point shares to a Florida Panthers team that won the Cup while Chris Tanev was transformative with the Dallas Stars after the trade deadline.
They join Morgan Rielly and Jake McCabe to form two great defensive pairings. The Tanev signing might hurt the Maple Leafs in the long run as the 34-year-old is tied to a six-year contract but it’s not like the front office is thinking about that now. It’s the Stanley Cup or nothing for this team.
16 – Minnesota Wild
Key Skaters: Brock Faber, Jacob Middleton, Jonas Brodin
Big Additions: N/A
Big Subtractions: N/A
The Minnesota Wild kept the band together on the defense and there’s a possibility this group is one of the best in the league. Why? It all starts with Brock Faber who in his rookie season, scored eight goals, and 39 assists while contributing 4.2 defensive point share and 150 blocked shots. He not only was a Calder Trophy finalist, but he also made his mark as one of the best defensemen in the league. The later pairings might let the Wild down but if the veterans, specifically, Jonas Brodin and Jacob Middleton, step up, this unit will be exciting and a much-improved one as well.
15 – Vegas Golden Knights
Key Skaters: Alex Pietrangelo, Noah Hanifin, Shea Theodore
Big Additions: N/A
Big Subtractions: Alec Martinez
The Vegas Golden Knights always seem to have a great defense from the top down. Alex Pietrangelo is a great two-way player while Shea Theodore is the secondary scorer on the unit with five goals and 37 assists last season. Losing Martinez will hurt as he was a consistent shot blocker and a core part of the championship team. However, the Noah Hanifin addition makes up for it as he is another exceptional two-way player who will play an integral role on the defense. Expect the Golden Knights to have their defense lead them throughout the season, especially since the depth is lacking elsewhere on the roster.
14 – Nashville Predators
Key Skaters: Roman Josi, Dante Fabbro, Brady Skjei
Big Additions: Brady Skjei
Big Subtractions: Ryan McDonagh
Pas the of the spending spree for the Nashville Predators was signing Brady Skjei. He brings a lot to the defense and more importantly, is another star to pair with Roman Josi who is a perennial Norris Trophy finalist. Losing McDonagh is a tough blow but they more than make up for it by adding Skjei, who scored 13 goals, 34 assists, and contributed 5.2 defensive point shares last season. If the second and third pair hold up, this defense will be something special with Josi’s great two-way play leading them.
13 – Florida Panthers
Key Skaters: Gustav Forsling, Aaron Ekblad
Big Additions: Nate Schmidt
Big Subtractions: Brandon Montour, Oliver Ekman-Larsson
The Florida Panthers had the ideal defense for a playoff run. The unit not only got them to the Cup Final, it led them to the title, highlighted by a great performance in Game 7 to secure things. The problem is that the unit is losing two core defensemen from that team. Ekman-Larsson was great with the Panthers and Brandon Montour was one of the best two-way players on the team and both skaters will be tough to replace.
The good news is that Gustav Forsling and his 8.0 defensive point shares from a season ago are back and with that, the Panthers have one of the best defensive defensemen in the league. As a bonus, they also will have Aaron Ekblad back for a full season. Otherwise, the Panthers must be on Nate Schmidt to step in and along with Niko Mikkola and Dmitry Kulikov, fill the void that Montour and Ekman-Larsson left.
12 – New Jersey Devils
Key Skaters: Dougie Hamilton, Luke Hughes
Big Additions: Brett Pesce, Jonathan Kovacevic, Brenden Dillon
Big Subtractions: Kevin Bahl (2024 Trade Deadline), John Marino
The New Jersey Devils overhauled their defense and the hope is that the new pieces fit in well with an already strong group that is in place. They brought in defensemen who will upgrade the unit with Brett Pesce, Jonathan Kovacevic, and Brenden Dillon proving that they are great stay-at-home defensemen. The movement should upgrade the unit but ultimately, what will make or break them is if Dougie Hamilton can stay in the lineup. If he plays the full season, this unit will be incredible.
11 – Colorado Avalanche
Key Skaters: Cale Makar, Devon Toews
Big Additions: Oliver Kylington
Big Subtractions: Bowen Byram (2024 Trade Deadline)
The Colorado Avalanche are truly testing out how far top-end talent, without much else, can take a team. Their defense, and roster altogether, is a flawed one and possibly one of the worst in the league. It didn’t matter last season with their star power bailing them out. Cale Makar is the best defenseman in the league, someone who can win the Norris Trophy every season with his great play across the board. Likewise, Devon Toews is one of the best two-way defensemen in the game, who often goes unnoticed because of the brilliance of Makar. The question is if they can make up for the depth which unless Oliver Kylington steps up, is non-existent.
10 – New York Islanders
Key Skaters: Noah Dobson, Alexander Romanov
Big Additions: N/A
Big Subtractions: N/A
Last season was the first one in a while where the New York Islanders weren’t carried by their defense. The unit struggled for the majority of the season and the lack of structure in the first half was ultimately what led to head coach Lane Lambert’s firing. Even with the issues last season, there’s still plenty to look forward to with this defense. Noah Dobson has established himself as one of the best two-way defensemen in the league while Alexander Romanov is the hard-hitter who has matured into a great player on the defensive end of the ice. Scott Mayfield had a disastrous 2023-24 and hopes to bounce back but with the trio of Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock, and Mike Reilly adding depth to the defense, this group looks to be a formidable one this season.
9 – Dallas Stars
Key Skaters: Miro Heiskanen, Esa Lindell, Thomas Harley
Big Additions: Mathew Dumba
Big Subtractions: Ryan Suter
The defense might be the weakest unit that the Stars have and the one area they must improve. That said, they still have a great unit. Miro Heiskanen has already made his mark as a top two-way defenseman while Thomas Harley emerged last season with 15 goals and 32 assists and at 23, he’ll be great for years to come. They must replace Suter, a reliable veteran on the defense, and Tanev was a great trade deadline addition who left in the offseason. Otherwise, the Stars once again have the pieces to have a great defense.
8 – Seattle Kraken
Key Skaters: Vince Dunn, Brandon Montour, Jamie Oleksiak, Adam Larsson
Big Additions: Brandon Montour
Big Subtractions: Brian Dumoulin
This defense, with the Montour addition, might be one of the great ones in the league. The Seattle Kraken have everything in their unit that a modern defense needs. Montour and Vince Dunn are the two-way players who combined for 19 goals and 60 assists last season. Adam Larsson is the bigger-bodied skater who had 151 blocked shots and 162 hits last season. The Kraken were led by their defensive unit last season and the group is only getting stronger.
7 – Buffalo Sabres
Key Skaters: Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Owen Power
Big Additions: Bowen Byram (2024 Trade Deadline)
Big Subtractions: N/A
The Bowen Byram addition makes this unit one of the most interesting heading into the new season. He fit in perfectly with the Buffalo Sabres after he was acquired during the 2024 trade deadline and he looked like the missing piece for a group that already has a lot of star power. Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Matias Samuelsson have already established themselves as great two-way defensemen and the Byram addition gives this team two great pairings. So, this defense might be something special and help the Sabres snap the longest playoff drought in the NHL.
6 – Edmonton Oilers
Key Skaters: Evan Bouchard, Mattias Ekholm
Big Additions: Troy Stecher
Big Subtractions: Cody Ceci, Philip Broberg
Last season and the playoff run proved that the Edmonton Oilers are more than just Connor McDavid. They have a great defense and were noticeably better once Kris Knoblauch was hired. He made them a structured team that would limit the shots on the net and they did just that. Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm are the leaders of the group but the Oilers also saw Darnell Nurse and the depth skaters step up. Losing Ceci and Broberg is tough but considering the way Bouchard is developing and turning into a star from the point, this unit looks to remain a great one.
5 – Winnipeg Jets
Key Skaters: Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo, Neal Pionk
Big Additions: N/A
Big Subtractions: Brenden Dillon
The Winnipeg Jets were led by a great defense and better goaltending last season. The stretch from Dec. 2 until Jan. 20 was one where nobody could score on them as they allowed only 36 goals in 22 games. They might have lost a Dillon but they still have enough Dylans to make up for it in Dylan DeMelo, Dylan Samberg, and Dylan Coghlan (DeMelo particularly came on the scene with 6.9 defensive point shares. On top of that, Josh Morrissey is a great two-way defenseman who takes this unit to the next level. Connor Hellebuyck compensates for a lot of the defenses errors but this group remains one of the best units in the league.
4 – Carolina Hurricanes
Key Skaters: Jaccob Slavin, Brent Burns
Big Additions: Sean Walker, Shayne Gostisbehere
Big Subtractions: Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce
The defense remains one of the best in the league despite the turnover from last season. The Carolina Hurricanes lost Skjei and Pesce, two cornerstones of the unit, but still have Jaccob Slavin and the ageless wonder, Brent Burns. Slavin is one of the best defensive defensemen in the game while Burns opens up the offense with his playmaking from the point. The Sean Walker and Shayne Gostisbehere additions will also have this defense continuously playing at a high level. Don’t expect a dropoff from the Hurricanes anytime soon.
3 – Vancouver Canucks
Key Skaters: Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek
Big Additions: Derek Forbort
Big Subtractions: Ian Cole
The Vancouver Canucks made one of the biggest jumps from last season. Their defense was good nothing special. Now, it’s one of the best in the NHL. It starts with Quinn Hughes, who refined his game to become the reigning Norris Trophy winner. There’s also Filip Hronek, who proved why it’s vital to add a great secondary defenseman who makes up for all the shortcomings of the top player. The Hughes-Hronek tandem is great but what makes this defense one of the best in the league is the depth with Tyler Myers, Carson Soucy, and offseason addition Derek Forbort playing on the other two lines. Everything went right for the Canucks last season and expect them to show that it wasn’t a fluke this season as this incredible unit is here to stay.
2 – New York Rangers
Key Skaters: Adam Fox, Ryan Lindgren, K’Andre Miller
Big Additions: N/A
Big Subtractions: Erik Gustafsson
Jacob Trouba might not be on the New York Rangers by the start of the season considering how the team tried to trade him this offseason and the relationship between the player and the team has deteriorated fast. Likewise, the unit will have a tough time replacing Gustafsson, who was a great addition last season. Otherwise, expect this defense to remain one of the best in the NHL.
For starters, Adam Fox is one of the best in the game, someone who consistently scores 10 goals or more, adds 50 assists or more, blocks at least 120 shots, and contributes 5.0 defensive point shares. Then there’s Ryan Lindgren and K’Andre Miller who give this team two great pairings. The Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy last season in part because of how their defense played and look for it to lead the way this season as well.
1 – Boston Bruins
Key Skaters: Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, Brandon Carlo, Nikita Zadorov
Big Additions: Nikita Zadorov, Andrew Peeke
Big Subtractions: Derek Forbort
The league’s best defensive unit only gets better in the offseason. The Boston Bruins already had a great trio with Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, and Brandon Carlo leading the way (a trio that combined for 13.8 defensive point shares and 399 blocked shots last season). Then they added Nikita Zadorov to the top pair and Andrew Peeke to the depth. They won’t blow a lot of teams away on the offensive end of the ice but the way they defend makes the job for any goaltender easy.
What Do You Think?
The best thing about ranking defensive units is that everyone has their own way of evaluating the position. Some prefer to have a unit that creates more offense while others want one that is great on the defensive end with everything else being extra. Likewise, there are plenty of defenses that are preferred because they have the speed and puck-moving ability suited for the modern game while other defenses are a throwback because they have size and deliver big hits that have the crowd jumping.
All this is to say that these rankings are sure to leave some readers annoyed and eager to submit their own rankings. Do you think these rankings are accurate? Let us know in the comments section below!
Statistics were obtained from Hockey Reference and rosters were available courtesy of PuckPedia because CapFriendly was a sellout (boo).
