2021 NHL Draft: Top 10 defensemen

In the days leading up to the NHL Draft Lottery on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVA, NHLN) , NHL.com will break down the top prospects by position.
Today, the top defensemen available.

Owen Power of the University of Michigan hopes to become the first NCAA player in 21 years to be chosen No. 1 in the NHL Draft.
The defenseman (6-foot-6, 213 pounds), No. 1 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters, scored 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) and had a plus-18 rating in 26 games this season, and was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team.
He also has three assists and is averaging 17:07 of ice time in five games for Canada at the 2021 IIHF World Championship.
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More 2021 NHL Draft Coverage: [Top 10 Forwards | Top 10 Defensemen]
"I've compared [Power] to Chris Pronger in the thinking part of the game," said Craig Button, TSN director of scouting, NHL analyst and a former NHL general manager. "Nobody's ever going to be as nasty, territorial and as mean as Chris Pronger because they just don't come along like that anymore. But Pronger controlled the game. You know who else controlled the game? Nicklas Lidstrom, and it's because of that sense.
"When I watch Owen Power, if he's in trouble, I don't know it. He might sense trouble, somebody might feel that he's in trouble, but the bottom line is he's always on to the next play. I'm blown away watching him at the World Championship."

Power could be the third college player to go No. 1 in the draft, and first since Boston University goalie Rick DiPietro was chosen by the New York Islanders in the 2000 NHL Draft. Michigan State center Joe Murphy went No. 1 to the Detroit Red Wings in the 1986 NHL Draft.
More 2021 NHL Draft Coverage: [Top 10 Forwards | Top 10 Goalies]
There were 61 defensemen taken in the 2020 NHL Draft, including six in the first round. Jake Sanderson was the first defenseman off the board, going to the Ottawa Senators at No. 5.
Here are NHL.com's top 10 defensemen available for the 2021 NHL Draft:
1. Owen Power, Michigan (NCAA)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 1 (North American skaters)
Power is a big presence with good vision and strength and has the look of a top-pair NHL defenseman. The 18-year-old scored two power-play goals and led Michigan with 40 blocked shots.
2. Simon Edvinsson, Frolunda Jr. (SWE-JR)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 2 (International skaters)
Edvinsson (6-4, 198) is a physical, left-shot defenseman with a good set of tools, including mobility, skating and a strong shot. The 18-year-old had one assist and averaged 5:48 of ice time in 10 games with Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League and scored six points (one goal, five assists) in Sweden's junior league. Edvinsson scored four points (one goal, three assists) in seven games for Sweden at the 2021 IIHF Under-18 World Championship.
3. Luke Hughes, USA U-18 (NTDP)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 4 (North American skaters)
Hughes (6-2, 184) is a great skater capable of playing a smart defensive game with good poise and reads. He scored 34 points (six goals, 28 assists), had 68 shots on goal and was plus-11 in 38 games for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team. The 17-year-old has resumed skating after sustaining a lacerated tendon in his foot from a skate cut March 7. He's the younger brother of Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes, and is committed to play at Michigan next season.

4. Brandt Clarke, Barrie (OHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 7 (North American skaters)
Clarke (6-2, 185), the younger brother of New Jersey Devils forward prospect Graeme Clarke, is a mobile, puck-moving right-handed shot considered to be an excellent passer and a playmaker with great vision. The 18-year-old scored 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) and was a plus-6 in 26 games on loan with Nove Zamsky in the Slovak Extraliga, the top professional league in Slovakia. He scored seven points (two goals, five assists) in seven games for first-place Canada at the U-18 World Championship.

5. Carson Lambos, Winnipeg (WHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 11 (North American skaters)
Lambos (6-1, 197) is a two-way defenseman who has showcased good patience in the defensive zone and in transition. He played two games in the Western Hockey League before sustaining a lower-body injury. The 18-year-old scored 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 13 games on loan with JYP in Finland's junior league. He led WHL rookie defensemen with 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists) in 57 games in 2019-20.
6. Corson Ceulemans, Brooks (AJHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 14 (North American skaters)
The 18-year-old right-handed shot (6-2, 198) has the potential to become a top-four NHL defenseman able to play big minutes in all situations. He scored 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in eight games in the Alberta Junior Hockey League and scored eight points (one goals, seven assists) and was a plus-11 in six games for Canada at the U-18 World Championship. He's committed to the University of Wisconsin for the 2022-23 season.
7. Daniil Chayka, CSKA (RUS)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 5 (International skaters)
Chayka (6-3, 187) is a smooth-skating left-shot defenseman with excellent mobility, calmness and poise who likes to play with pace. The 18-year-old scored two points (one goal, one assist) in 11 games on loan with CSKA Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League, and four points (one goal, three assists) in five games in the MHL, Russia's junior league. He had nine shots on goal and averaged 12:39 in ice time in six games for fourth-place Russia at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship. Chayka has experience playing in North America; he scored 34 points (11 goals, 23 assists) in 56 games with Guelph of the Ontario Hockey League last season.

8. Shai Buium, Sioux City (USHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 20 (North American skaters)
Buium's parents are from Israel but he was born in San Diego, California, and moved to Los Angeles to play for the Los Angeles Junior Kings in 2016-17. Buium (6-3, 209) scored 26 points (four goals, 22 assists) and was plus-16 in 50 games for Sioux City after scoring 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in 17 games with Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep in Minnesota. The 18-year-old is committed to the University of Denver for the 2022-23 season.
9. Stanislav Svozil, Brno (CZREP)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 16 (International skaters)
Svozil (6-1, 182) scored three points (one goal, two assists) and averaged 13:28 of ice time in 30 games in the Czech Extraliga, the top professional league in the Czech Republic. The 18-year-old is an excellent skater capable of moving the puck well with good vision. He had one assist and averaged 16:52 of ice time in five games for the Czech Republic at the WJC and one assist in five games for his country at the U-18 World Championship.
10. Evan Nause, Quebec (QMJHL)
NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 22 (North American skaters)
Nause (6-2, 186) led all Quebec Major Junior Hockey League rookie defensemen with 22 points (four goals, 18 assists) in 32 games. The 18-year-old, who is mobile, shows solid agility and edge work, and played in all situations. Nause had been selected by Val-d'Or in the 2019 QMJHL draft but opted to play for Sioux Falls and led United States Hockey League rookie defensemen with 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 44 games last season. Quebec selected him with the No. 5 pick of the 2020 QMJHL draft.
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