Week 13: Fantasy top 50 defenseman rankings for 2017-18

Each week during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with an overview of the fantasy defenseman landscape. With production trends, injury news and top 50 rankings based on performance and upside in standard Yahoo leagues, fantasy owners should use this information as a basis for roster decision-making.

MORE FANTASY RANKINGS:
Top 100 forwards
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Top 25 goalies

TRENDING UP

Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF: Better late than never, Ristolainen ended 2017 on a high note with one goal and one assist at the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 29. Then, he followed with another multipoint game (one goal, one assist) against the New York Rangers in the 2018 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on Monday. Ristolainen has been the most valuable defenseman in standard leagues over the past week, and, most notably, had two goals and two power-play points in the three-game span. He had no goals and three power-play points over his first 28 games. The first power-play exposure to elite center Jack Eichel and high shot volume (79 shots on goal in 31 games) make Ristolainen a compelling second-half bounce-back candidate.
Colorado Avalanche: Having the sixth-ranked offense (3.17 goals per game) and 14th-ranked power play (19.9 percent) has led to a fantasy resurgence for Colorado skaters after a last-place finish in 2016-17. Tyson Barrie was one of the most valuable fantasy defensemen (14th in NHL.com's rankings) prior to sustaining a hand injury Dec. 23 (out 4-6 weeks), but his absence has led to scoring upticks for Erik Johnson and rookie Samuel Girard. In the five games Barrie has missed, Johnson has four points (two goals, two assists), a plus-4 and 17 SOG in 26:06 per game. Johnson (44 percent owned; 117th overall in Yahoo) is the sixth most-valuable fantasy defenseman in standard leagues over the past 30 days and ranks fourth over the past two weeks. Girard (1 percent), who's playing on the first power-play unit with forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen in Barrie's place, is also scratching the surface with four power-play assists over his past four games.
Cam Fowler, ANA: The Anaheim Ducks' depth has helped them survive a rash of injuries across their lineup. Fowler missed 12 games because of a lower-body injury, but leads Ducks defensemen with 13 points (five goals, eight assists), five PPP and 42 SOG in 23 games since returning Nov. 20. He has five points (three goals, two assists), two PPP and 17 SOG over his past six games and has surpassed Brandon Montour as Anaheim's most valuable fantasy defenseman moving forward. Fowler has seen more power-play time (2:22 per game) than Montour (1:55) since returning, and is playing on a loaded first power-play unit with forwards Ryan Getzlaf, Rickard Rakell, Jakob Silfverberg and Ryan Kesler, who recently returned from a lengthy injury absence.

TRENDING DOWN

Erik Karlsson, OTT: His points-per-game average (0.76; T-4th among 'D') is the lone reason Karlsson is clinging to a spot among the top 10 fantasy defenseman rankings for the rest of the season. His shots-per-game average (2.88) may be tied for 10th at his position, but he has been held to three goals in 33 games with a low PPP total (seven) and the third-worst plus/minus in the NHL (minus-22). His Shot Attempts percentage is actually better (53.83) than last season (49.74), so his poor plus/minus is not necessarily indicative of his play or future potential. That said, fantasy owners' patience with Karlsson is wearing thin; he was drafted on average with the 18th pick but is ranked 303rd in Yahoo. Now is the time to target Karlsson in a fantasy trade at the lowest discount yet.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, ARI: Not many fantasy owners could have envisioned Arizona Coyotes defenseman Alex Goligoski having more points (21 in 42 games) than Ekman-Larsson (19 in 42) past the midway point of the season. Ekman-Larsson has the worst plus/minus (minus-33) in the NHL by a wide margin (Jeff Petry of Montreal Canadiens is second-worst at minus-23). Even Jakob Chychrun (2 percent owned), who made his season debut Dec. 3 after a knee injury, has outscored and outshot Ekman-Larsson with six points (one goal, five assists), one PPP and 38 SOG over the past 13 games; Ekman-Larsson has no goals, one assist, no PPP, 29 SOG in the span. It's always difficult to drop a player like Ekman-Larsson, who has a high ceiling within the scope of his position, but the only hope in holding onto Ekman-Larsson right now is that he could be traded before the NHL Trade Deadline on Feb. 26.
Mattias Ekholm, NSH: The return of defenseman Ryan Ellis from a knee injury means he's back on the top pair with Roman Josi at even strength. Ekholm has remained with Josi (for now) on a power-play unit with forwards Kyle Turris and Kevin Fiala, but Ekholm's fantasy value takes a big hit with this development. Ekholm (129th overall in Yahoo) has 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) and 10 PPP in 40 games, but has been held scoreless over his past nine games. Ellis (58 percent owned) has one goal on four SOG in two games since returning and should be more valuable than Ekholm (66 percent) the rest of the way.
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TOP 50 DEFENSEMAN RANKINGS

Standard Yahoo categories include goals, assists, plus/minus, PIMs, PPP and SOG for skaters. ... Value has been quantified based on factors including but not limited to past production, defense pairs, power-play usage, team's offseason changes, injury history, age, sleeper, bounce-back or breakout potential, anticipated regression, contract status, Yahoo ADP and overall upside for the rest of the season. ... Any players with day-to-day injury concerns (DTD) are noted. NEW - INJ. indicates a player who has returned from injury and rejoined the rankings.
1. Brent Burns, SJS (SAME)
2. Victor Hedman, TBL (+1)
3. Drew Doughty, LAK (+1)
4. John Klingberg, DAL (+2)
5. P.K. Subban, NSH (SAME)
6. Alex Pietrangelo, STL (+1)
7. John Carlson, WSH (+3)
8. Erik Karlsson, OTT (-6)
9. Roman Josi, NSH (-1)
10. Shayne Gostisbehere, PHI (+1)
11. Dustin Byfuglien, WPG (NEW - INJ.)
12. Kris Letang, PIT (-3)
13. Mikhail Sergachev, TBL (-1)
14. Kevin Shattenkirk, NYR (-1)
15. Morgan Rielly, TOR (+2)
16. Torey Krug, BOS (-1)
17. Zach Werenski, CBJ (-1)
18. Nick Leddy, NYI (-4)
19. Duncan Keith, CHI (+1)
20. Colton Parayko, STL (+3)
21. Charlie McAvoy, BOS (+3)
22. Mark Giordano, CGY (+3)
23. Seth Jones, CBJ (+3)
24. Jake Muzzin, LAK (+6)
25. Dougie Hamilton, CGY (-6)
26. Will Butcher, NJD (-8)
27. Shea Theodore, VGK (+7)
28. Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF (+9)
29. Cam Fowler, ANA (+12)
30. Ryan Suter, MIN (-2)
31. Erik Johnson, COL (+16)
32. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, ARI (-11)
33. Aaron Ekblad, FLA (-4)
34. Brandon Montour, ANA (-7)
35. Tyler Myers, WPG (-4)
36. Justin Faulk, CAR (-3)
37. Ryan Ellis, NSH (NEW - INJ.)
38. Keith Yandle, FLA (-3)
39. Mike Green, DET (-1)
40. Ivan Provorov, PHI (+4)
41. Mattias Ekholm, NSH (-5)
42. Ryan McDonagh, NYR (-6)
43. Colin Miller, VGK (-3)
44. Justin Schultz, PIT (NEW - INJ.)
45. Esa Lindell, DAL (-2)
46. Matt Niskanen, WSH (DTD)
47. Mathew Dumba, MIN (+2)
48. Anton Stralman, TBL (NEW)
49. Jared Spurgeon, MIN (NEW)
50. Oscar Klefbom, EDM (NEW - INJ.)
Dropped out: Jacob Trouba, WPG; Darnell Nurse, EDM; Jake Gardiner, TOR; Jeff Petry, MTL; Noah Hanifin, CAR
Key injuries: Tyson Barrie, COL; Shea Weber, MTL (dropped out)
READ: Last week's Top 50 defenseman rankings