As the 2025-26 NHL fantasy hockey season kicks off, The Hockey News is ranking the top 10 players at each position.

The criteria is goals, assists, shots, power-play points, hits and blocks, with an emphasis on scoring as those are the most difficult categories.

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It’s one of the more volatile positions in fantasy hockey and league-specific depending on which peripheral categories, such as hits and blocks, are included.

However, there should be no surprise Cale Makar ranks at the top. He could become just the third defensemen in history since Paul Coffey and Bobby Orr to score at least 90 points in three consecutive seasons.

Check out the rest of the list below.

1. Cale Makar, Avalanche

The only defenseman to score at least 90 points in consecutive seasons in the cap era and the first to do so since Paul Coffey (’89, ’90, ’91) and Al MacInnis (’90, ’91), Makar is the undisputed champion. He’s also the only other defenseman to score at least 30 goals in a single season in the cap era since Mike Green, and only the ninth defensemen in the modern era to reach that milestone.

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2. Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets

Werenski fell just two shots shy of becoming just the third defenseman in the cap era after Brent Burns and Dustin Byfuglien to record 300 shots in a single season. He set career highs across the board with 23 goals and 82 points, and played 82 games for the first time since 2018-19.

3. Quinin Hughes, Canucks

Hughes missed 14 games and still led his team in scoring and finished third in Norris Trophy, and over the past two seasons trails only Makar in points and power-play points. Per NHL Public relations, Hughes has a chance to record his fifth straight 60-assist season, and he could join Coffey, Orr and Ray Bourque as the only defensemen to do so. Hughes’ fantasy value has jumped up significantly ever since his shot volume increased beginning in the 2023-24 season, but often has to drag his underperforming teammates with him.

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4. Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres

Arguably the best all-round defenseman on this list, Dahlin does everything you want in an elite defenseman – 68 points, 200 shots, 98 blocks and 101 hits in 73 games last season – but unfortunately is mired on a constantly underachieving team. The Sabres captain led his team with 24:14 TOI/GP and was plus-11 despite the team’s minus-20 goal differential.

5. Evan Bouchard, Oilers

Sharing the ice with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the power play is the key to Bouchard’s fantasy value. The hard-shooting defenseman ranks eighth in goals, ninth in power-play points and fourth in shots since his first full season in 2021-22. What he lacks in hits and blocks is made up with big upside in points.

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6. Victor Hedman, Lightning

Age ain’t nothin’ but a number for the Lightning captain, who turns 35 in December. Hedman has been consistently in the top 10 for over a decade. Over the past 10 seasons, Hedman leads all defensemen in points (612) and power-play points (250), and he has never finished a season with less than 45 points. The Lightning might be in the twilight of their golden era but Hedman’s production has not even begun to fade.

7. Moritz Seider, Red Wings

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Add 50-point potential with a lot of power-play points to Seider’s 200-block, 200-hit potential and he’s a stud in multi-category leagues. He’s as steady as they come, scoring between 42 to 50 points, and at least 15 on the power play, in each of his four seasons. If the Red Wings can put it all together, Seider has the potential to jump up at least a few spots.

8. Mac Weegar, Flames

A diet version of Seider, Weegar has also been a model of consistency but doesn’t come with as much upside because he’s seven years older. The numbers are very comparable in points (Weegar’s 99 to Seider’s 88), blocks (392 to 394) and hits (417 to 423), and Weegar’s spot as the Flames’ top defenseman is likewise undisputed.

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9. Thomas Harley, Stars

Harley scored at least 40 points for the second straight season, and with a permanent role as the Stars’ top power play quarterback, Harley’s fantasy value will continue to climb. Over the past two seasons, Harley ranks eighth in goals, 15th in points and 19th in shots even though he gets comparatively less ice time on the power play than his peers.

10. Jake Sanderson, Senators

Sanderson is as smooth and steady as anyone in the league and last finished trailed only Makar in power-play points. He broke out in a big way not only with his 57-point campaign, but also played key minutes for Team USA at 4 Nations. The only reason Sanderson doesn’t rank higher is because he’s one of the lighter hitting defensemen in the league, registered just 38 hits last season.

Honorable mention:

Lane Hutson, Canadiens
Adam Fox, Rangers
Roman Josi, Predators
Josh Morrissey, Jets