NHL Top Players: Top 20 Defensemen

Whether it's breaking up a big play, setting up a goal or scoring on the power play, some defensemen can do it all. NHL Network producers and analysts chose the top 20 defensemen in the League right now, which were revealed Wednesday in the fourth of a nine-part series. Here is the list:

20. Moritz Seider, Detroit Red Wings

Seider has not missed a game in his three NHL seasons, which included 42 points last season (nine goals, 33 assists), 17 power-play points, while leading Detroit in ice time per game (22:22) for the third straight season. The 23-year-old was also the only player to have at least 200 hits (211) and 200 blocks (212) last season. Seider won the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 2021-22.

19. Dougie Hamilton, New Jersey Devils

Hamilton was limited to 20 games last season (16 points) due to injury but was coming off a career-best season in 2022-23 when he had 22 goals, 52 assists, 74 points, 28 power-play points, eight power-play goals, seven game-winners and 275 shots on goal -- all career highs. The 31-year-old has scored at least 10 goals eight times and at least 40 points seven times.

18. Noah Hanifin, Vegas Golden Knights

The 27-year-old split time with the Golden Knights and Calgary Flames last season, scoring a career-high 13 goals to go along with 34 assists and 47 points. His five power-play goals and 23:37 of ice time per game were also personal bests. On the defensive side, Hanifin had 121 blocked shots and 59 takeaways while averaging 2:22 of short-handed ice time per game.

17. Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings

Since entering the NHL in 2008-09, Doughty ranks first among defensemen in power-play points (297), second in games (1,177), tied for sixth in goals (156) and seventh in assists (513) and points (669). Last season, the 34-year-old had 50 points (15 goals, 35 assists) in 82 games. His 25:48 of ice time per game last season ranked second in the NHL behind John Carlson of the Washington Capitals (25:54), and he has ranked in the top five in the category every season since 2014-15. Doughty is also a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Kings (2012, 2014).

16. Mattias Ekholm, Edmonton Oilers

Ekholm had NHL career highs in goals (11), points (45) and shots on goal (177) last season while averaging 21:03 of ice time per game. He led the Oilers and was third in the NHL last season with a plus-44 rating, and had 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 25 Stanley Cup Playoff games to help Edmonton reach the Cup Final. The 34-year-old also ranked tied for ninth in the NHL in SAT percentage during the regular season, with the Oilers controlling 60.0 percent of shot attempts at 5-on-5 when he was on the ice.

15. Noah Dobson, New York Islanders

The 24-year-old was one of the big surprises in the NHL last season, his fifth in the League. He had 70 points (10 goals, 60 assists), ranking seventh among defensemen. He was also second on the Islanders in power-play points with 24, one behind forward Mathew Barzal. Dobson led New York in ice time per game (24:31), was second in power-play ice time per game (2:59) and was 13th in the League with 180 blocked shots. He finished eighth in voting for the Norris Trophy as the top defenseman in the NHL.

14. Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets

Werenski had 57 points (11 goals, 46 assists) in 70 games last season, one year after he was limited to 13 games due to injury. The 27-year-old led Columbus with 24:27 of ice time per game and had a career-high 130 blocked shots. He has scored at least 10 goals six times and at least 40 points five times.

13. Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes

Slavin has been one of the most effective defensemen in the NHL since entering the League while staying out of the penalty box. The 30-year-old won the Lady Byng Trophy last season for gentlemanly conduct for the second time in four seasons. He was third on the Hurricanes in ice time per game (20:56) and first in short-handed time per game (2:38), playing heavy minutes against the opposition's top lines. Slavin had 37 points (six goals, 31 assists) in 81 games and took just four minor penalties.

12. Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets

Morrissey followed up his 2022-23 season in which he had 76 points (16 goals, 60 assists) in 78 games by scoring 69 points (10 goals, 59 assists) in 81 games to finish seventh in Norris voting. He was eighth among defenseman in scoring, third with 50 even-strength points and had a plus-34 rating averaging 24:11 of ice time. The 29-year-old was a big reason Winnipeg allowed the fewest goals in the NHL last season (199, including shootout-deciding goals), and tied for the team lead with forward Mark Scheifele with 45 takeaways.

11. Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres

Dahlin scored a career-high 20 goals while leading Buffalo in ice time per game (25:25) for the third straight season and finishing fifth in the NHL in the category. He was tied for the team lead in points (59) with forward Alex Tuch and was one of 12 players in the NHL with at least 150 hits (195) and 150 blocked shots (154). The 24-year-old, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, has 73 power-play points over the past three seasons.

10. Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche

Playing on a team with Cale Makar could make one overlooked, but Toews has proven he's one of the best defensemen in the League over the past few seasons. He had 50 points (12 goals, 38 assists) in 2023-24 for the second straight season to go along with a plus-28 rating and 23:26 of ice time per game while playing in all 82 games. The 30-year-old led Colorado in short-handed ice time per game (2:50) and his 110 blocked shots were second on the team behind Makar (148). Since joining the Avalanche prior to the 2020-21 season, his plus-148 rating leads the NHL. He also won the Stanley Cup with them in 2022.

9. Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers

Bouchard's 82 points last season were almost double his previous best (43 in 2021-22), and he set career highs in every offensive category including goals (18), assists (64), plus-minus (plus-34), power-play goals (eight), power-play points (35), game-winning goals (seven), shots on goal (220) and ice time per game (23:00). The 24-year-old finished fifth in Norris voting last season and his 32 points (six goals, 26 assists) in the playoffs were the third most by a defenseman in a single postseason behind Brian Leetch of the New York Rangers in 1993-94 (34 points) and Paul Coffey of the Edmonton Oilers in 1984-85 (37 points).

8. Adam Fox, New York Rangers

Fox finished sixth among defensemen with 73 points (17 goals, 56 assists) in 72 games last season and was tied for fourth with 33 power-play points while averaging 23:27 of ice time per game. The 26-year-old led Rangers defensemen with 137 shots on goal and five game-winning goals, was second on the team with a plus-21 rating behind Ryan Lindgren (plus-22) and third with 123 blocked shots. Fox finished fourth in Norris voting last season and is a two-time finalist, having won the award in 2020-21.

7. Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins

McAvoy had 47 points (12 goals, 35 assists) and led Boston with 24:51 of average ice time in 74 games last season. The 26-year-old also set NHL career highs in hits (159) and blocked shots (159), averaged 3:19 in power-play time and 2:13 in short-handed time per game, one of 11 players in the NHL with at least 3:00 of power-play and 2:00 short-handed time per game.

6. Gustav Forsling, Florida Panthers

The 28-year-old was one of the most surprising players in the NHL last season. He had 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) in 79 games while leading the NHL with a plus-56 rating during the regular season. Forsling was second on the Panthers in ice time per game (22:09), leading them with 3:25 of short-handed ice time per game and was third on the team with a 58.3 SAT percentage. In the playoffs, he had 13 points (four goals, nine assists) and a plus-nine rating, helping to keep some of the top scorers in the League in check on the way to winning the Stanley Cup.

5. Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars

Heiskanen had 54 points (nine goals, 45 assists) in 71 games, one season after he had 73 points (11 goals, 62 assists) in 79 games. Last season, the 25-year-old led Dallas with 24:32 of ice time per game and his 21 power-play points tied for third. Heiskanen had 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 19 playoff games last season, and had 26 points in 27 games in the 2020 playoffs, the fifth-highest total by a defenseman in a single postseason.

4. Roman Josi, Nashville Predators

Josi led the Predators in assists (62), power-play points (33), blocked shots (151) and time on ice (24:38) last season. His 23 goals led all defensemen and his 85 points ranked third. The 34-year-old won the Norris Trophy in 2019-20 and has been a finalist three of the past five seasons. Over the past three seasons, he ranks second in goals (64) and points (240), tied for third in assists (176) and first in shots on goal (818) among all defensemen.

3. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning

Hedman quietly had 76 points (13 goals, 63 assists) in 78 games last season while finishing eighth in the NHL in ice time per game (24:48), proving that he is still one of the game's elite at age 33. This came one season after he had 49 points in 76 games. Hedman won the Norris Trophy in 2017-18 and was a finalist six straight seasons from 2016-22. During that stretch, he was named to the NHL First All-Star team once and the Second All-Star team five times. He is the Lightning's all-time leader among defensemen in games (1,052), goals (156), assists (572) and points (728), and was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP in 2020 when he helped them win the Stanley Cup for the second straight season.

2. Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks

In his first season as captain of the Canucks, Hughes led NHL defensemen in points with 92 (17 goals, 75 assists) and primary power-play assists with 17. He had the most even-strength points (54), second-most power-play points (38) and was fourth in plus/minus (plus-38) among defensemen. Hughes was tied for 10th in the NHL in ice time per game (24:41) and led the Canucks in SAT percentage (56.4). He had nine games with at least three assists, something only two others at the position have done in a single season, Hall of Famers Bobby Orr (four times) and Ray Bourque (once).

1. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche

No. 1 on this list for the second year in a row, Makar finished second in points (90), goals (21) and assists (69) among defensemen and was first in points per game (1.17), playing 77 games. The 25-year-old was also first in power-play points (39) at the position, tied for first with four short-handed points and third in shots on goal (231). Makar led the Avalanche and was ninth in the NHL averaging 24:46 of ice time per game and was first for Colorado in blocked shots (148) and takeaways (70). He was a Norris finalist each of the past four seasons, winning the award in 2021-22, the same season he helped Colorado win the Stanley Cup while taking home the Conn Smythe Trophy.