Fantasy hockey top 50 defenseman rankings
Most valuable options at position for standard leagues for 2025-26 season
© Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Most valuable options at position for standard leagues for 2025-26 season
© Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
NHL.com ranks the top 50 fantasy hockey defensemen in standard leagues for the 2025-26 season. For more coverage, visit NHL.com/Fantasy.
Top 200 ranks | 100 forwards | 25 goalies
Keeper / dynasty top 100 | Top 10 rookies
Marner to VGK | Ehlers to CAR | Dobson to MTL
Peterka to UTA | Zegras to PHI | Toews to WPG
Fantasy categories taken into account for these rankings include goals, assists, power-play points, shots on goal, hits and blocked shots for skaters. Value has been quantified based on factors including but not limited to past production in the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs, defense pairs, power-play usage, injury history or concern, age, contract status and overall upside for the 2025-26 season.
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1. Cale Makar, D, COL
2. Zach Werenski, D, CBJ
3. Quinn Hughes, D, VAN
4. Victor Hedman, D, TBL
5. Moritz Seider, D, DET
6. Evan Bouchard, D, EDM
7. Rasmus Dahlin, D, BUF
8. Lane Hutson, D, MTL
9. Jake Sanderson, D, OTT
10. Roman Josi, D, NSH (update)
11. Thomas Harley, D, DAL
12. MacKenzie Weegar, D, CGY
13. Josh Morrissey, D, WPG
14. Jakob Chychrun, D, WSH
15. Dougie Hamilton, D, NJD
16. Shea Theodore, D, VGK
17. Jackson LaCombe, D, ANA
18. Adam Fox, D, NYR
19. Mikhail Sergachev, D, UTA
20. Noah Dobson, D, MTL
21. Brandon Montour, D, SEA
22. Miro Heiskanen, D, DAL
23. Luke Hughes, D, NJD
24. Erik Karlsson, D, PIT
25. John Carlson, D, WSH
26. Shayne Gostisbehere, D, CAR
27. Neal Pionk, D, WPG
28. Seth Jones, D, FLA
29. Vince Dunn, D, SEA
30. Aaron Ekblad, D, FLA
31. Cam Fowler, D, STL
32. Charlie McAvoy, D, BOS
33. Colton Parayko, D, STL
34. Alexander Nikishin, D, CAR (rookie)
35. Zeev Buium, D, MIN (rookie)
36. Zayne Parekh, D, CGY (rookie)
37. Drew Doughty, D, LAK
38. Mattias Ekholm, D, EDM
39. Jake Walman, D, EDM
40. Devon Toews, D, COL
41. Thomas Chabot, D, OTT
42. Sam Dickinson, D, SJS (rookie)
43. Sam Rinzel, D, CHI (rookie)
44. Rasmus Andersson, D, CGY
45. Justin Faulk, D, STL
46. Jacob Trouba, D, ANA
47. Radko Gudas, D, ANA
48. Filip Hronek, D, VAN
49. Kaiden Guhle, D, MTL
50. Lian Bichsel, D, DAL
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Other defensemen to consider in fantasy:
Philip Broberg, D, STL
Noah Hanifin, D, VGK
Artyom Levshunov, D, CHI (rookie)
Travis Sanheim, D, PHI
Morgan Rielly, D, TOR
Mason Lohrei, D, BOS
Brandt Clarke, D, LAK
Darnell Nurse, D, EDM
Alexander Romanov, D, NYI
Sean Durzi, D, UTA
Brent Burns, D, COL
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Key absences:
Kris Letang, D, PIT (heart surgery)
Alex Pietrangelo, D, VGK (INJ. - out for season)
