We’re in an age of offensive defensemen. Since the start of the NHL, there have been just 30 examples of a blueliner finishing a season with at least 90 points. Five of those times have come in the past three seasons alone. However, when we move past the best of the best, things can start to blur together a bit.
This tier list is designed to help you sort through the defensive corps by putting them into different groupings for fantasy hockey. Below, I’ll also help to explain the differences between the tiers while also highlighting some defensemen of particular note, especially those who some might argue deserve to be placed higher than I’ve done.
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Tier 1 – Makar vs. Hughes
While there are other defensemen who have reached the heights of Makar and Hughes in recent years, there aren’t any other blueliners who are as close to a sure thing for 70-plus points as these two. Hughes has recorded at least 76 points in each of the past three campaigns, while Makar has exceeded the 85-point mark in three of the last four seasons, with the lone exception being in 2022-23 when an injury limited him to 66 points in 60 regular-season outings.
Makar and Hughes also rank first (334 points) and second (312), respectively, in terms of total points among defensemen over the past four seasons. I do recommend taking Makar before Hughes, primarily because Makar helps more in terms of goals — he scored a career-high 30 in 2024-25 while Hughes has never hit 20 — but you can’t go wrong with either of them.
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Tier 2 – The Next Best
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Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets
After Makar and Hughes are gone, your best bet is to turn your attention to the handful of defensemen who are reasonable bets to finish with 60-70 points. Some of them might exceed that mark; Werenski did so last year, and Bouchard in 2023-24, but you probably shouldn’t count on that happening. While all these blueliners fall more into the offensive defensemen camp, some of them do play with a bit of physicality. Dahlin has recorded over 100 hits and 50 PIM in each of the past four seasons, so you can count versatility among his strengths. Hedman spent just 30 minutes in the sin bin last year, but he had 76 PIM in 2023-24, so he might make a meaningful contribution in that category as well.
Tier 3 – Elite Alternatives
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Mikhail Sergachev, Mammoth
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Shea Theodore, Golden Knights
None of these blueliners are expected to compete for top-scoring defenseman or rank among the top-five fantasy defensemen, but…