Week 15: Fantasy defenseman top 50 rankings for 2018-19

NHL.com's fantasy hockey defenseman top 50 rankings are based on past production and expectations for the rest of the season in standard Yahoo leagues. For more fantasy hockey coverage, visit NHL.com/Fantasy.

#

MORE FANTASY COVERAGE:
Top 200
|
100 'F'
|
25 'G'
|
Lines
|
Tracker
Toronto Maple Leafs: They acquired defenseman Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings on Monday, significantly boosting his fantasy value. Muzzin (70 percent owned in Yahoo), 22nd among defensemen prior to the trade based on standard category performance, is a must-add player in all fantasy formats.
Muzzin goes from the Kings, who have scored the fewest goals per game in the NHL (2.26) and have the sixth worst power play (15.3 percent), to the Maple Leafs, who rank fourth in goals per game (3.55) and ninth with the man-advantage (22.1). Toronto has four elite skaters in centers Auston Matthews, John Tavares, right wing Mitchell Marner and defenseman Morgan Rielly. Muzzin could make his Maple Leafs debut against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday.
More:
Fantasy spin on Muzzin trade to Maple Leafs

TOP 50 DEFENSEMAN RANKINGS

Standard Yahoo categories include goals, assists, plus/minus, power-play points, shots on goal and now hits for skaters. ... Value has been quantified based on factors including but not limited to past production, defense pairs, power-play usage, injury history, sleeper, bounce-back or breakout potential, anticipated regression, age and contract status (potential 2019 UFA: \; RFA: \\). DTD indicates players with day-to-day injury concerns.
1. Brent Burns, SJS (SAME)
2. Erik Karlsson, SJS\ (SAME)
3. John Carlson, WSH (SAME)
4. Morgan Rielly, TOR (SAME)
5. Mark Giordano, CGY (SAME)
6. Victor Hedman, TBL (SAME)
7. Seth Jones, CBJ (SAME)
8. Kris Letang, PIT (SAME)
9. John Klingberg, DAL (SAME)
10. Torey Krug, BOS (SAME)
11. Tyson Barrie, COL (SAME)
12. Roman Josi, NSH (SAME)
13. Thomas Chabot, OTT (+1)
14. P.K. Subban, NSH (-1)
15. Shea Weber, MTL (SAME)
16. Mattias Ekholm, NSH (SAME)
17. Rasmus Ristolainen, BUF (+1)
18. Zach Werenski, CBJ\\ (-1)
19. Keith Yandle, FLA (SAME)
20. Ryan Ellis, NSH (SAME)
21. Drew Doughty, LAK (SAME)
22. Rasmus Dahlin, BUF (+2)
23. Jeff Petry, MTL (+2)
24. Ryan Suter, MIN (+3)
25. Jake Muzzin, TOR (+12)
26. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, ARI (DTD)
27. Alexander Edler, VAN* (-1)
28. Mike Green, DET (+1)
29. Aaron Ekblad, FLA (+4)
30. Alex Pietrangelo, STL (-8)
31. Charlie McAvoy, BOS\\ (-8)
32. Jake Gardiner, TOR* (DTD)
33. Jared Spurgeon, MIN (+2)
34. Darnell Nurse, EDM (SAME)
35. Dougie Hamilton, CAR (+9)
36. Jacob Trouba, WPG\\ (+5)
37. Erik Gustafsson, CHI (+6)
38. Shayne Gostisbehere, PHI (DTD)
39. TJ Brodie, CGY (+9)
40. Ryan McDonagh, TBL (SAME)
41. Oscar Klefbom, EDM (NEW - INJ.)
42. Mikhail Sergachev, TBL (+3)
43. Jaccob Slavin, CAR (+7)
44. Shea Theodore, VGK (-2)
45. Josh Morrissey, WPG (-15)
46. Miro Heiskanen, DAL (-14)
47. Ryan Pulock, NYI (-8)
48. Brandon Montour, ANA (-10)
49. Nick Leddy, NYI (-3)
50. Colin Miller, VGK (-1)
Dropped out: Nate Schmidt, VGK
Key injuries: Dustin Byfuglien, WPG; Matt Dumba, MIN; Justin Schultz, PIT
Just missed: Jordan Oesterle, ARI\; Ivan Provorov, PHI\\; Filip Hronek, DET; Marcus Pettersson, PIT; Vince Dunn, STL; Carl Gunnarsson, STL; Mike Matheson, FLA
READ: Last week's Top 50 defenseman rankings

Subscribe now to NHL Fantasy on Ice, a twice-per-week fantasy hockey podcast with Pete Jensen and Rob Reese.*