Sanderson, Hutson among top 10 defensemen under 25 entering this season

As part of the celebration of NHL Young Stars Week, NHL.com has looked at the crop of players either recently joining the League or on the cusp to find the true difference-makers in the next few seasons. Today, we look at the Top 10 defensemen in NHL organizations who have yet to reach their 25th birthday.

1. Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators

Prediction: The 23-year-old will win the Norris Trophy within the next three seasons. As good as Sanderson is offensively, his game is defined by his defensive prowess. He excels at shutting down the opposition and breaking up plays, is a top shot blocker and big contributor on the penalty kill. As an elite skater possessing high hockey IQ, Sanderson can contribute to the power play and in creating offensive chances in key situations. Sanderson established NHL career high totals in goals (11), assists (46), points (57), power-play goals (five) and short-handed points (four) in 80 games in 2024-25. He led the team in blocked shots (163) and average ice time (24:27).

2. Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild

The 22-year-old offers a well-rounded game and is effective at retrieving pucks for a quick transition and has become a model of consistency for the Wild. He led Minnesota in average ice time (25:32) in 78 games last season and led all United States skaters in ice time (23:20) at the 4 Nations Face-Off. The right-handed shot had 29 points and an NHL career high 10 goals. Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round (No. 45) of the 2020 NHL Draft, Faber was acquired by Minnesota, along with a first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft (forward Liam Ohgren), for forward Kevin Fiala on June 29, 2022. He is fourth in blocked shots (274) for the Wild and sixth in hits (101) among Minnesota defensemen since entering the League in 2022-23 (when he played just two games).

3. Moritz Seider, Detroit Red Wings

The native of Zell, Germany was an absolute workhorse on defense in 2024-25, averaging 25:04 of ice time in his fourth season. The 24-year-old has continued to elevate his level of play, becoming more confident not only in transition but his ability as a two-way force. He's become more physically engaged; ranking third in blocked shots (744) and eighth in hits (781) among NHL defensemen since entering the League in 2021-22, when he was awarded the Calder Trophy. Seider, who hasn't missed a game in four NHL seasons (328 games), had 46 points (eight goals, 38 assists) and was fifth in hits (212) and seventh in blocked shots (181) among defensemen in 82 games in 2024-25.

4. Thomas Harley, Dallas Stars

Since entering the League in 2021-22, the 23-year-old native of Syracuse, New York, who has dual citizenship and plays internationally for Canada, has 103 points (32 goals, 71 assists) and has averaged 20:34 of ice time in 197 NHL games. Harley possesses a quiet confidence and never seems overwhelmed. He was regarded as the go-to player along the blue line when Miro Heiskanen sustained a knee injury midway through last season and was given more responsibility on the power play and matching up against the opposition's best players. He finished with NHL career highs in goals (16), assists (34), points (50) and power-play points (15) in 78 games in 2024-25.

5. Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens

The 21-year-old defied the odds as a player with too small a frame (5-foot-9, 162 pounds) to make major contributions as a rookie at the NHL level. He won the Calder Trophy as the NHL rookie of the year last season after finishing tied for second among all NHL defensemen with 60 assists, tied for sixth with 66 points, ranked third in takeaways (56), and proved his competitive verve by finishing first among first-year defensemen in blocked shots (123) in 82 games. A second-round pick (No. 62) in the 2022 NHL Draft, Hutson averaged 22:44 of ice time and finished in the 97th percentile in skating distance by NHL players at 277.70 miles, per NHL EDGE statistics.

6. Luke Hughes, New Jersey Devils

Chosen No. 4 in the 2021 NHL Draft, the youngest of the Hughes-playing brothers has learned how to balance his elite transitional and offensive abilities with the in-game reads and positional play required to take the game away from the opposition. Injuries have limited him, so he needs to be on the ice more to earn an opportunity to move up this list. Expected to take on an even bigger role in his third full season in 2025-26 after averaging 21:09 of ice time last season, Hughes will turn 22 on Sept. 9. He's good at driving play and forcing the opposition to react, and his heavy shot and mobility along the blue line make him an ideal candidate to quarterback the power play when needed. He recorded 44 points (seven goals, 37 assists), and 16 power-play points (all assists) in 71 games in 2024-25.

7. Owen Power, Buffalo Sabres

The 22-year-old Power took another positive step last season when he had an NHL career high 40 points (seven goals, 33 assists) in 79 games. He is one of the best playmakers for the Sabres along the blue line and perhaps this is the season when he's able to find the back of the net with more regularity. His 34 even-strength points ranked 17th among NHL defensemen last season. He did miss the final three games of the regular season due to a lower-body injury, but he did not need surgery and should be ready to go for training camp.

8. Simon Edvinsson, Detroit Red Wings

The 22-year-old (6-6, 209) recorded 31 points (seven goals, 24 assists) in 78 games in 2024-25, his first full season in the NHL. Selected No. 6 in the 2021 NHL Draft, Edvinsson ranked second last season among Detroit defensemen in blocked shots (144) and was third in hits (86) while averaging 21:07 of ice time. He possesses a solid combination of size, skating and puck-handling skills, and stands out for his ability on transition. He'll look to establish himself as a top-pairing defenseman this season.

9. Alexander Nikishin, Carolina Hurricanes

The 'A-Train' is coming full-time in 2025-26. Nikishin (6-4, 216) had 46 points (17 goals, 29 assists) in 61 games with SKA St. Petersburg (Kontinental Hockey League) last season as team captain. He had three points (two goals, one assist) in four KHL playoff games and had one assist in four games of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Hurricanes. The 23-year-old, a third-round pick (No. 69) in the 2020 NHL Draft, is SKA's all-time leader in scoring by a defenseman with 177 points (54 goals, 123 assists) in 288 games. He set a KHL record for scoring by a Russian-born defenseman with 55 points (11 goals, 44 assists) in 65 games in 2022-23 and broke his own record the next season with 56 points (17 goals, 39 assists) in 67 games. He was twice selected as the best defenseman by general managers during his six seasons in the KHL.

10. Lian Bichsel, Dallas Stars

The 21-year-old (6-7, 231) had nine points (four goals, five assists) in 38 games for the Stars in 2024-25, but what was most valued and appreciated was his physical presence, something the club has desperately needed on the back end and in front of their goaltenders. He led all Dallas players in hits (155) and averaged 14:53 of ice time. He is aggressive in battles around the net, hard to play against and takes up a lot of space. In many ways, he's a bit of a throwback because his physicality comes naturally and at the appropriate times.