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, and they were revealed Sunday in the third of a nine-part series. Here is the list:

NHL Top Players: Top 20 Centers | Top 20 Wings

20. Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights

Theodore's first goal of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and first in 28 games dating to March 7, sparked the Golden Knights to a 5-2 victory against the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, a series they'd win in five games for their first championship since joining the NHL as an expansion team in 2017-18. The 28-year-old finished the playoffs with 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in 21 games after scoring NHL career highs in goals (14), assists (38) and points (52) in 78 regular-season games.

19. Brandon Montour, Florida Panthers

Montour's NHL career reached a new level after he was traded to the Panthers by the Buffalo Sabres on April 10, 2021, for a third-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. The 29-year-old had 37 points in 2021-22 and an NHL career-high 73 last season (16 goals, 57 assists) to go along with 107 penalty minutes in 80 games. Montour's five goals in the 2023 Eastern Conference First Round were the most by a defenseman in a single series since Ed Jovanovski had five for the Vancouver Canucks in the 2003 Western Conference Semifinals against the Minnesota Wild. Montour led defensemen with eight playoff goals last season and was the 10th different player at the position to score at least that many in a single playoff year.

"It's amazing to me how he just burst onto the scene with the opportunity on a really good team with the Florida Panthers," NHL Network analyst E.J. Hradek said. "...Career highs in goals, assists and points for him. ... First defenseman with 70 points and (at least) 100 penalty minutes since Chris Chelios in '95-96 (72 points, 140 penalty minutes with Chicago Blackhawks). ... He is someone that transitioned into defense late in his development...He's found his way now with MacKenzie Weegar out of the picture in Florida, he's stepped in. No problem."

18. Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings

Doughty held his status as the No. 1 defenseman on the Kings with some of the best numbers in his NHL career last season. His 52 points and 43 assists were each the highest since 2017-18 (60 points; 10 goals, 50 assists). The 33-year-old led all skaters in total time on ice (2,124:33) and averaged 26:14 per game, second to Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche (26:23). The two-time Stanley Cup champion (2012, 2014), Doughty is second in total ice time since he entered the NHL in 2009-10 (28,734:53) behind Ryan Suter (29,155:32)

17. Mikhail Sergachev, Tampa Bay Lightning

Sergachev led the Lightning in time on ice (1,881:04) and average ice time (23:49) for the first time in his six seasons since he was acquired in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens on June 15, 2017. The 25-year-old scored tied his NHL career high in goals (10) and had career highs in assists (54), points (64) and power-play points (27) in 79 games. Sergachev won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021.

16. Brent Burns, Carolina Hurricanes

Burns showed no signs of slowing down at 38 years old, playing his first season with the Hurricanes after 11 for the San Jose Sharks. He had 61 points (18 goals, 43 assists) in 82 regular-season games, the highest total since his 83 points (16 goals, 67 assists) in 2018-19. Burns' 255 shots on goal were third among defensemen in the regular season and his 56 shots in the playoffs were second behind Montour (72). Burns averaged 23:13 of ice time last season and led the Hurricanes with 26:00 per game during their run to the Eastern Conference Final, where they were swept by the Panthers. He has not missed a game the past nine seasons and his 761 consecutive regular-season games played rank second among active players behind Phil Kessel (1,064).

"No one's really figured out how to defend (his shot)," NHL Network analyst Thomas Hickey said. "... He can deliver the puck in many ways and I think that's what really separates him. At his age, I don't see him slowing down; I thought he was Carolina's best player in the playoffs last year."

15. Hampus Lindholm, Boston Bruins

Lindholm was an NHL-best plus-49 and had NHL career highs in assists (43) and points (53) to finish fourth in voting for the Norris Trophy given to the best defensemen in the NHL. The 29-year-old averaged a Bruins-high 23:11 of ice time per game and formed a shutdown paring with Brandon Carlo to help Boston set NHL single-season records of 65 wins and 135 points.

14. Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes

Slavin averaged 22:00 per game, third on the Hurricanes behind Burns and Brett Pesce (22:01), and led them at even strength (19:09) and short-handed (2:42). The 29-year-old had 27 points (seven goals, 20 assists) in 76 regular-season games and six points (two goals, four assists) in 15 playoff games while averaging 22:32 of ice time. He won the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play in 2020-21 when he took one minor penalty, and has been in the top-four for the award each of the past four seasons.

"He's old school. He's a defensive defenseman. He's a pure defender," Hickey said. "It's unbelievable how good his stick is and how quickly he surprises some of the best in the world. He clearly studies his game very well."

13. Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche

Toews may be overshadowed by Makar in Denver, but there's no denying his impact on the Avalanche since he was acquired from the New York Islanders on Oct. 12, 2020. His average ice time jumped from 19:26 in 116 regular-season games with the Islanders to 25:06 in 199 games with the Avalanche. Toews led Colorado in short-handed ice time per game (3:07) and ranked second to Makar in total average ice time (25:06). His 43 assists and 50 points in 80 games were also second among Colorado defenseman behind Makar, and he's averaged 0.69 points per game since joining the Avalanche, compared to 0.40 in two seasons with the Islanders. The 29-year-old had 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 20 playoff games in 2022 to help the Avalanche win the Cup.

12. Dougie Hamilton, New Jersey Devils

Hamilton, who signed a seven-year, $63 million contract ($9 million average annual value) with the Devils on July 28, 2021, scored 22 goals in 2022-23 to tie Barry Beck's single-season record (1977-78) for most by a defenseman in one season in Devils/Colorado Rockies/Kansas City Scouts history and ranked second on New Jersey in assists (52) and third in points (74) while averaging a team-high 21:46 of ice time. The 30-year-old led defenseman in game-winning goals (seven), and helped the Devils set team records for wins (52) and points (112). He scored in overtime to give New Jersey a 2-1 win against the New York Rangers in Game 3 of the best-of-7 first-round series, which the Devils would win in seven games.

11. Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets

Though Morrissey was fifth in Norris Trophy voting, "Norrissey" took on a life of its own last season. The 28-year-old had an NHL career-high 76 points (16 goals, 60 assists) in 78 games, trailing only forward Kyle Connor (80 points in 82 games), on the team while leading the Jets with 24:14 of ice time per game. The output more than doubled his previous high of 37 points he had in 2021-22 and set a Jets/Atlanta Thrashers record for the longest point streak by a defenseman (nine games) with two assists in a 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Dec. 18, 2022.

"This is a guy that just really helped drive things for a Winnipeg Jets team that was near the top of their division for the for the first part of the season," Hradek said. "No surprise in the playoffs when they met the Golden Knights when Morrissey got hurt, that was kind of the end of the line (for the Jets)."

10. Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks

Hughes became the fastest defenseman in NHL history with 200 assists by reaching the milestone in 263 games, one fewer than Brian Leetch, in a 4-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 4. His 76 points last season tied Morrissey for second among defensemen (Erik Karlsson, 101) and his 69 assists trailed only Karlsson's 76. Hughes, who had 60 assists in 2021-22, was the first at his position with consecutive 60-assist seasons since Paul Coffey and Ray Bourque in 1993-94. The 23-year-old was fourth in the NHL in average time on ice per game last season (25:40).

"We know the skills. We know the edge work, the passing ability, the way he sees the game," Hradek said. "He doesn't have as much support from a defensive standpoint as guys on teams that are better. … I just think this is guy is going to get better and better and better and I just love him right now."

9. Alex Pietrangelo, Vegas Golden Knights

Pietrangelo was captain of the St. Louis Blues and their 2019 Stanley Cup championship team before signing a seven-year contract with the Golden Knights on Oct. 12, 2020. He had 54 points (11 goals, 43 assists) in 73 regular-season games last season and 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 21 playoff games while leading Vegas in average ice time per game in both the regular season (23:59) and playoffs (23:25). The 33-year-old who won the Cup for the second time last season had 55 blocked shots in the playoffs, two behind Alec Martinez for the Vegas lead.

"When you're building a championship team, you building anything, you need cornerstone pieces," Hradek said. " This is a pillar, this is a cornerstone piece for a team. He's been that kind of player for two different organizations, for the St. Louis Blues in 2019 and the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023. I mean, that to me says so much."

8. Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins

Karlsson, who won the Norris Trophy last season, was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins by the San Jose Sharks in a three-team deal involving the Montreal Canadiens on Aug. 6. He began 2023 by setting a Sharks record 13-game point streak on Jan. 1, one that eventually reached 14 games. Karlsson became the sixth defenseman in NHL history and the first since Leetch (102) in 1991-92 to have a 100-point season by scoring 25 goals and 76 assists playing in all 82 games. The 33-year-old had his first NHL hat trick in a 6-5 shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 1, 2022. On Nov. 27, Karlsson had two assists in a 4-3 win against the Canucks to become the first defenseman in Sharks history to get at least 20 points in a calendar month (five goals, 16 assists). His Norris Trophy win came 11 years after his first with the Ottawa Senators in 2011-12, the longest gap in NHL history.

"I think there's a little more to be desired defensively, but if you're going to put up 100 points, that's undeniable. Do what you want to do," Hickey said. "… I think when he goes to Pittsburgh it's how are you going to fit in. … He's so much fun to watch and I can't wait to see how he fits in Pittsburgh."

7. Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres

The No. 1 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft set NHL career highs in goals (15), assists (58) and points (73) in 78 games last season and finished third in the NHL with an average ice time of 25:48 per game. Dahlin opened 2022-23 by becoming the first defenseman in NHL history to score in each of his first four games. The 23-year-old was the second in Sabres history at the position to reach 70 points in one season after Phil Housley, who did so three times, and was the fourth different Buffalo defenseman to score at least 15 goals in one season.

"He was a first overall pick. He came into the League, the team has struggled and it's hard, learning that position at the highest level," Hradek said. "And he was on that big stage as a No. 1 pick. He took his bumps and bruises along the way but wow, he is the player that they thought they were getting when they picked him at No. 1"

6. Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins

Though an injury sidelined McAvoy until Nov. 10, he averaged 22:18 of ice time that ranked second on the Bruins and finished with 52 points (seven goals, 45 assists) and a plus-29 rating in 67 games. His 131 blocked shots led Boston skaters and his 19 power-play points ranked third. The 25-year-old helped Boston win the Presidents' Trophy as the top team during the regular season, and was tops on Boston with 25:28 of ice time per game in the playoffs.

5. Roman Josi, Nashville Predators

Josi missed the final 15 games of last season with an upper-body injury, but still led the Predators in assists (41), points (59) and time on ice per game (25:10). He reached 600 NHL points in his 823rd game with two assists in a 5-4 overtime win at the Ducks on March 12, becoming the second-fastest active defenseman to reach the milestone (Karlsson). Josi's six seasons with at least 40 assists are the most in Predators history and he is their all-time points leader (601). The 33-year-old had 96 points (23 goals, 73 assists) in 80 games in 2022-23 to finish second in voting for the Norris behind Makar.

4. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning

Hedman's production dipped to 49 points in 76 games last season (nine goals, 40 assists) from 85 in 82 games the previous season (20 goals, 65 assists), with his nine goals the lowest total since he scored nine in the 56-game 2020-21 season. However, Hedman was second on the Lightning in average ice time per game (23:43), led their defensemen with three short-handed goals and ranked second at the position in even-strength points (32). Hedman won the Norris Trophy in 2017-18 and was a finalist for six straight seasons prior to last season. The 32-year-old won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2020, and is Tampa Bay's all-time leading scorer among defensemen (652).

"Over the last 10 y ears or so, the most dominant defender I've ever seen," Hickey said. "I think, for my money, if I've got a big game and he's rested, which he will be (losing in the first round) after going to three straight Stanley Cup Finals, he's the guy that I want on the ice in that moment when you're trying to defend a lead, he's just that dominant."

3. Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars

Heiskanen's 73 points (11 goals, 62 assists) in 79 games were tied with Dahlin and Montour for fifth among NHL defensemen and he averaged 25:29 of ice time per game, sixth among all skaters. Last season, he became the fourth defenseman in NHL history with 30 playoff assists at age 23 or younger, joining Coffey (50), Makar (45) and Bourque (32). The 24-year-old required the third-fewest games (52) among skaters to reach the mark with the Stars/Minnesota North Stars, behind forwards Bobby Smith (33) and Brad Maxwell (44). Heiskanen had 26 points in 27 games in the 2020 playoffs, the fifth-highest total by a defenseman in a single postseason.

"With the skating ability, he reminds me, and I don't say this very often, he reminds me a lot of Scott Niedermayer, who was one of the very, very best to ever play that position," Hradek said. "I've been very impressed with Miro Heiskanen right from the start and it was only a matter of time before those numbers started to jump up. … I think we're going to be seeing this year in and year out for many years to come."

2. Adam Fox, New York Rangers

Fox earned his third Norris Trophy nomination by finishing eighth among defensemen with 72 points (12 goals, 60 assists) in 82 games last season. He was seventh in power-play points (29), tied for fourth in game-winning goals (five) and tied for 11th in plus-minus (plus-28), and got his 200th NHL point in his 241st game Jan. 1 to become the second-fastest Rangers defenseman to reach the milestone (Leetch, 211). New York was 15-0-0 when Fox had at least two points and he was the only defenseman with at least 70 points and a plus-minus rating of at least plus-25. The 25-year-old, who won the Norris in 2020-21, began the 2023 playoffs with six points (all assists) in his first two games, passing Brad Park for most at the position in the first two games of a postseason in Rangers history.

"I don't put him in the top 19 when we look at this list in skating ability, in speed, in how hard his shot is, he doesn't even really come close and it doesn't make sense, but he's got so many other things," Hickey said. "The subtleties to his game. It's the deception for me that sets him apart. … And he follows up the play better than anyone in the world."

1. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche

Though Makar fell short of winning the Norris Trophy for the second consecutive season, he had 66 points (17 goals, 49 assists) in 60 games and averaged 1.10 points per game, second among defensemen behind Karlsson (1.23). Makar became the first Avalanche skater to lead the NHL in average ice time (26:23), and his six game-winning goals tied Morrissey for second at the position. Makar got his 200th point in his 195th NHL game to become the fastest defenseman in NHL history to reach the mark, surpassing Sergei Zubov (207 games). The 24-year-old won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2022 when he had 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) in 20 games, the fourth-highest single-season total for a defenseman in a single playoffs.

"To me, if he plays 82 games next season, he's your Norris Trophy winner. He's that good. He's above the pack," Hickey said. "It's everything about this game. His skill, his hockey sense. … When you're a defenseman in the League, you're sort of worried about guys that might put you on the highlights in the wrong way. He's come around, he's turned the tables. He makes forwards look silly on the offensive blueline. … I think he's in rarified territory here and it's only going to get better. … It's like Connor McDavid on defense."