NHL 25 is quickly approaching. Chel players are only a few weeks away from being able to play the new game and see just how different the gameplay feels with all the latest features they have added.
This week, EA Sports will reveal their top-rated players in the game, starting at the winger position on Sept. 16. The players who patrol the blueline follow next in line. And we can assume that cover athlete Quinn Hughes will be amongst the highest-rated defensemen.
Before we do our predictions, here is where the top LD blueliners rank amongst each other in NHL 24:
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Quinn Hughes – 95
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Roman Josi – 94
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Victor Hedman – 93
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Rasmus Dahlin – 91
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Miro Heiskanen – 91
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Josh Morrissey – 89
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Shea Theodore – 89
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Devon Toews – 89
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Morgan Rielly – 88
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Mikhail Sergachev – 88
*Vince Dunn, Adam Pelech, Jaccob Slavin, Zach Werenski, MacKenzie Weegar (Weegar is a right-shot but primarily plays on the left side).
Related: Introducing Next-Gen Characters in NHL 25
Below are our predictions of what NHL 25’s top 10 LD player ratings will be.
1. Quinn Hughes – Vancouver Canucks – 95
We see no reason why the reigning James Norris trophy winner, who led all defensemen in scoring last season with 92 points, would have his overall adjusted from the 95 he finished with in NHL 24. He deserves to be one of the highest-rated defensemen in the game, alongside a certain Colorado Avalanche right-shot defender.
Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
2. Roman Josi – Nashville Predators – 94
Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi received a +1 to his player rating in NHL 24’s last roster update. He should be unveiled as the second-highest-rated LD behind Hughes at 94 overall. Josi led all defensemen in goals in 2023-24 with 23 and his 85 points were the second-most points he’s recorded in a season (scored 96 points in 2021-22)
3. Victor Hedman – Tampa Bay Lightning – 93
In the 2022-23 season, Victor Hedman’s performance declined as he only managed to score 49 points in 76 games. This was his lowest point total in a season with a minimum of 60 games played since 2015-16. The two-time Stanley Cup Champion returned to form last season, recording 70+ points for the third time in his career. He’s still amongst the top five best defensemen in the league.
Related: New to NHL 25: Grudge Match
4. Miro Heiskanen – Dallas Stars – 91
Miro Heiskanen’s production fell off in 2023-24 after he recorded 73 points in the previous season. His 54 points in 71 games are still impressive, but what stood out more was his play in the playoffs, en route to a…