Mastering the Fantasy Hockey Draft: Tier Guide for Defensemen
Creating a tier list for your fantasy hockey draft is crucial. The most important thing is that this tool adapts to your preferences. The goal is for you to feel confident and in control as the pressure of the draft progresses.
If you don’t have time to analyze projections or debate each player, don’t worry. You can delve into the process, but with minimal effort, it’s possible to transform a basic ranking list into flexible tiers that fit the draft’s development.
Even dedicating five minutes to drawing dividing lines in a spreadsheet can turn a simple list into a powerful draft tool that will keep you ahead of the competition.
The easiest way to understand this is to analyze a physical list:
Start by reading the names from the top.
Visualize each player’s draft and evaluate your comfort level.
When you have doubts about the next choice, draw a line over their name. That’s a category.
Use the roster positions as a guide (Line No. 1, defense No. 2, etc.).
If a particular player makes you uncomfortable, simply cross them out.
To find out how to let your tier list guide your draft day strategy, check out the forward tiers.
A reminder before we start: these are not the rankings or projections you’ll see in the draft room. These are my own numbers based on a mix of custom projections, not the game’s default list.Note: Points based on ESPN’s standard scoring system.
Draft Defender Tiers
Level 1: A Loner at the Top
1. Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche: (projected: 222.6, last season: 235.2)
Notes: Makar is unmatched when it comes to fantasy production from the blue line. Since 2009-10, Makar has three of the top 11 finishes in total fantasy points by a defenseman, and four of the top 16 finishes in fantasy points per game.
Level 2: Challenge Aspirants
2. MacKenzie Weegar, D, Calgary Flames: (projected: 211.0, last season: 203.0)
3. Zach Werenski, D, Columbus Blue Jackets: (projected: 207.5, last season: 216.2)
4. Rasmus Dahlin, D, Buffalo Sabres: (projected: 203.7, last season: 174.8)
Notes: If anyone can compete with Makar for fantasy production from the blue line, these three are the best candidates. Weegar has been consistently elite in Calgary, Werenski showed what his best level can be last season, and Dahlin has yet to reach his peak.
Level 3: The Harley of Defense
5. Thomas Harley, D, Dallas Stars: (projected: 196.2, last season: 148.9)
6. Moritz Seider, D, Detroit Red Wings: (projected: 191.9, last season: 193.7)
7. Jake Sanderson, D, Ottawa Senators: (projected: 186.9, last season: 190.9)
Notes: Harley looks surprising in fifth place, but the stats are there: After Miro Heiskanen was injured on January 28, Harley was sixth among defensemen in fantasy points per game for the rest of the season. Can he do it while Heiskanen is healthy? Given his ability on the power play, yes.
Level 4: Solid Fantasy Defenders
8. Roman Josi, D, Nashville Predators: (projected: 185.7, last season: 122.2)
9. Quinn Hughes, D, Vancouver Canucks: (projected: 181.7, last season: 160.5)
10. Evan Bouchard, D, Edmonton Oilers: (projected: 180.0, last season: 174.6)
11. Mikhail Sergachev, D, Utah Mammoth: (projected: 178.1, last season: 169.3)
12. Victor Hedman, D, Tampa Bay Lightning: (projected: 176.3, last season: 182.5)
Notes: They are still solid fantasy defenders if Josi can maintain a healthy campaign. There seems to be some risk in that hope, but given his potential, Josi remains a top-10 pick.
Hughes has the offense to keep up with Makar, but his hits and blocked shots, or rather his near total absence of them, hold him back in fantasy.
Level 5: Grand Central Terminal (great base, high potential)
Adam Fox has scored at least 10 goals in four consecutive seasons.13. Josh Morrissey, D, Winnipeg Jets: (projected: 173.7, last season: 165.8)
14. Adam Fox, D, New York Rangers: (projected: 172.5, last season: 153.0)
15. Colton Parayko, D, St. Louis Blues: (projected: 170.4, last season: 149.8)
16. Noah Dobson, D, Montreal Canadiens: (projected: 165.2, last season: 143.7)
Notes: This tier gives me peace of mind if, for some reason, I end up avoiding defense at the beginning of any draft. Although they are ranked from 13 to 16, I feel that three of these four could easily generate elite fantasy stats, with Parayko as the exception, as he is not going to start running a power play.
Dobson is one of the few players for whom I felt the need to manually insert information into the projection process. Even with reduced production in 2024-25, he projects much stronger fantasy results than what has placed him 16th on this list. The Habs’ blue line is complicated this season: Dobson, Mike Matheson, and Lane Hutson could be power-play quarterbacks on their own team, but they will somehow be combined for the Canadiens. It makes it difficult to predict them until we start to see some game action.
Level 6: Physical game on display
17. Kaiden Guhle, D, Montreal Canadiens: (projected: 161.0, last season: 104.0)
18. Jackson LaCombe, D, Anaheim Ducks: (projected: 160.6, last season: 146.8)
19. Jakob Chychrun, D, Washington Capitals: (projected: 160.2, last season: 141.8)
20. Seth Jones, D, Florida Panthers: (projected: 159.9, last season: 131.4)
21. Darnell Nurse, D, Edmonton Oilers: (projected: 159.3, last season: 142.3)
22. Miro Heiskanen, D, Dallas Stars: (projected: 159.1, last season: 88.5)
23. Rasmus Andersson, D, Calgary Flames: (projected: 158.2, last season: 164.4)
24. Jacob Trouba, D, Anaheim Ducks: (projected: 156.7, last season: 146.3)
25. Dougie Hamilton, D, New Jersey Devils: (projected: 155.6, last season: 124.8)
26. Brandon Montour, D, Seattle Kraken: (projected: 155.0, last season: 145.9)
27. John Carlson, D, Washington Capitals: (projected: 153.5, last season: 150.2)
28. Lane Hutson, D, Montreal Canadiens: (projected: 153.2, last season: 158.5)
29. Shea Theodore, D, Vegas Golden Knights: (projected: 152.2, last season: 127.9)
30. Jake Walman, D, Edmonton Oilers: (projected: 151.5, last season: 146.0)
31. Charlie McAvoy, D, Boston Bruins: (projected: 151.1, last season: 91.7)
Notes: At this stage of the draft, players who have fewer points but more physical stats (hits and blocked shots) start to catch up. Guhle, LaCombe, Nurse, and of course Trouba accumulate enough fantasy points from their play without the puck to earn a spot on your team.
And it’s because of the uncertainty with Dobson, Hutson, and Matheson that Guhle actually ranks ahead of Hutson in my rankings; I’m going to bet on those blocked shots and hits, rather than risk how the Habs will implement their power plays.
Theodore’s injury history holds him back, but note that this could be a breakout year if he stays healthy and Mitch Marner improves the Knights’ power play.
Jones could also have improved performance with a full season as the Panthers’ primary offensive defender.
Level 7: Choose Your Poison
32. Travis Sanheim, D, Philadelphia Flyers: (projected: 148.5, last season: 147.3)
33. Vince Dunn, D, Seattle Kraken: (projected: 148.0, last season: 112.1)
34. Jake Middleton, D, Minnesota Wild: (projected: 146.6, last season: 127.0)
35. Brandt Clarke, D, Los Angeles Kings: (projected: 145.2, last season: 118.3)
36. Thomas Chabot, D, Ottawa Senators: (projected: 145.2, last season: 154.1)
37. Alexander Romanov, D, New York Islanders: (projected: 144.6, last season: 131.6)
38. Morgan Rielly, D, Toronto Maple Leafs: (projected: 144.4, last season: 135.8)
39. Neal Pionk, D, Winnipeg Jets: (projected: 142.9, last season: 129.6)
40. Philip Broberg, D, St. Louis Blues: (projected: 142.6, last season: 103.5)
41. Alexander Nikishin, D, Carolina Hurricanes: (projected: 142.5, last season: N/A)
42. Alex Vlasic, D, Chicago Blackhawks: (projected: 142.5, last season: 135.2)
43. Matt Roy, D, Washington Capitals: (projected: 140.0, last season: 103.3)
44. Erik Karlsson, D, Pittsburgh Penguins: (projected: 138.6, last season: 140.5)
Notes: What do you fancy? A reliable bastion for collecting fantasy points by throwing their body at people and in front of pucks? Consistent power play quarterbacks who, while they get the job done, simply won’t enter the elite threshold? A defender under 21 with massive potential, but competition on the blue line from veterans? This tier has all that and more; we don’t even mention the Norris Trophy winner among them.
Nikishin is a wildcard. He has the talent to be a true fantasy game-changer, but I’ve tried to be conservative with his projection. The Hurricanes still have Shayne Gostisbehere, who, despite all his detractors at five-on-five, is a wizard on the power play.
Clarke is another young player with a wide range of possible outcomes. Depending on how 36-year-old Doughty performs, Clarke may not have the leeway he needs to meet this projection.
Level 8: Filling the template
45. Noah Hanifin, D, Vegas Golden Knights: (projected: 138.3, last season: 125.7)
46. Adam Larsson, D, Seattle Kraken: (projected: 137.8, last season: 130.5)
47. Brayden McNabb, D, Vegas Golden Knights: (projected: 136.6, last season: 132.2)
48. Devon Toews, D, Colorado Avalanche: (projected: 136.1, last season: 124.8)
49. Simon Edvinsson, D, Detroit Red Wings: (projected: 135.9, last season: 127.7)
50. Mike Matheson, D, Montreal Canadiens: (projected: 135.5, last season: 147.3)
51. Justin Faulk, D, St. Louis Blues: (projected: 134.0, last season: 116.2)
52. Andrew Peeke, D, Boston Bruins: (projected: 133.5, last season: 100.5)
53. Cam York, D, Philadelphia Flyers: (projected: 132.9, last season: 96.5)
54. Dante Fabbro, D, Columbus Blue Jackets: (projected: 131.4, last season: 122.1)
55. Sean Durzi, D, Utah Mammoth: (projected: 130.6, last season: 47.4)
56. Ivan Provorov, D, Columbus Blue Jackets: (projected: 129.9, last season: 119.3)
57. K’Andre Miller, D, Carolina Hurricanes: (projected: 129.7, last season: 111.6)
58. Radko Gudas, D, Anaheim Ducks: (projected: 128.7, last season: 140.6)
59. Ryan Pulock, D, New York Islanders: (projected: 128.4, last season: 127.2)
Notes: At this stage, you are ideally adding one or two D to your bench, so the names to choose from extend far beyond this list. However, here are some players who get their fantasy mojo from their teammate: Think Makar for Toews or Werenski for Fabbro. But that’s okay. There’s a reason why it’s them and not another player sharing the blue line with the superstar.
The Islanders are more complicated. Matthew Schaefer didn’t make the cut, but he deserves a mention. In the last 15 years, no defenseman has finished a campaign with 18 years old with more than four games played (Sergachev reached that mark in 2016-17). In addition to Schaefer, the Islanders still have power play specialist Tony DeAngelo and former quarterback Pulock competing for minutes. Someone will emerge,
