The panel has spoken: here are the 20 best defensemen in the NHL
The NHL Network has listed the current top 20 defensemen in the league.
At the top of the list is Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar. Last season, he recorded 92 points in 80 games with 30 goals and 62 assists, winning the defensemen’s scoring title and finishing ninth in the overall NHL scoring race. Makar won his second Norris Trophy at the end of last season.
Joining Makar in the top three are Vancouver Canucks’ Quinn Hughes and Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski. Hughes had 76 points in 68 games last season with 16 goals and 60 assists. Werenski, on the other hand, scored 82 points in 81 games with 23 goals and 59 assists.
Among the Finnish players on the list is Dallas Stars’ Miro Heiskanen, who was ranked fourth. Heiskanen played 50 games last season with 25 points, scoring 5 goals and 20 assists. Heiskanen suffered a knee injury last season that kept him out of action for a long time.
NHL Network’s TOP 20 Defensemen:
- Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
- Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
- Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
- Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
- Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
- Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
- Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
- Roman Josi, Nashville Predators
- Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers
- Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
- Gustav Forsling, Florida Panthers
- Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators
- Thomas Harley, Dallas Stars
- Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights
- Adam Fox, New York Rangers
- Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche
- Mikhail Sergatchev, Utah Mammoth
- Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens
- Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild
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