Ranking the NHL’s five-best defensemen ahead of 2023-24 season
As the New NHL season dawns, I’m running through my list of the best players in the NHL based upon position. We’ve covered the centres and wings; now we turn our attention to the blue line and list the five best defensemen in the NHL.
As much as I do miss Scott Stevens eviscerating anyone foolish enough to skate with their head down in the neutral zone, today’s league is so much more about position and puck retention than sheer physical dominance. It’s about eliminating threats before they start and then turning that into a counterattacking opportunity. The depth of outstanding two-way blueliners is such that I could have listed a top 20 and still excluded elite talents.
This list is based on current production, though where I was conflicted, both historic and potential future production was taken into consideration.
5. Erik Karlsson – Pittsburgh Penguins
Let’s address the elephant in the room: Yes, Karlsson is a liability in his own zone. He’s kind of slight for a D-man and is certainly lacking in brute strength. His skating ability and anticipation, though, should make him at least passable in his own zone, right? Maybe if he actually applied himself that would be the case, but Karlsson simply doesn’t work hard enough at that end. Defense is optional to him.
Going the other way, though? God almighty!
Karlsson is one of the most frightening offensive defensemen in the league. He’s been a consistent weapon in both San Jose and Ottawa but last season was, by the longest way, a career year for the veteran Swede.
With 25 goals, 76 assists and 101 points – all career highs – Karlsson fully leaned into his best self, earning his 2nd Norris trophy in the process. He was the first defenseman to break the 100-point threshold since Brian Leetch 31 years prior.
Karlsson has moved to the Penguins as the final piece of the Dad’s Army championship puzzle in Pittsburgh, proving that last season wasn’t an outlier will be vital to the Pens’ push for the cup.
4. Victor Hedman – Tampa Bay Lightning
Whilst Karlsson enjoyed a career year in his age-32 season, his compatriot Hedman, also 32-years-old, suffered a significant downturn in production.
The Lightning monolith dropped precipitously from 85 points to just 49 last season, his points-per-60-minutes falling to their lowest levels in a decade. That said, he’s still one of the very best at his primary job: Defending the net. He’s still a workhorse, too, logging over 23 minutes of ice time a night last season.
Hopefully, this isn’t the beginning of the downhill part of a truly great player’s career.
3. Roman Josi – Nashville Predators
Like Hedman, Josi is another long-time two-way superstar who experienced a drop in offensive production this season, dropping from 96 points to 59. Frankly, you could copy and paste Hedman’s entry, change the names and be 100 percent on the money.
Josi is still a wonderful reader of the play with a Lidstromesque ability to put out fires when they’re still a mere spark.
The hope here is that Josi, who still led his team in scoring, was simply a victim of the Predators’ poor campaign. If their record improves, expect Josi’s production to recover along with it.
2. Adam Fox – New York Rangers
Arguably the most cerebral defender in the NHL, Fox has only gotten better since winning the 2021 Norris Trophy at age-22 and in only his 2nd year in the league.
Fox’s stick handling when racing up the ice is second-to-none, and when combined with his extraordinary patience and vision, sees him gift wrap chances to his forwards.
Fox is deadly on the power play, where the extra space is eaten up by his speed and playmaking. Fox’s 29 power play points ranked 7th in the NHL whilst his 60 assists overall came in 5th in the league.
Stylistically there is more than a hint of Larry Murphy (only a whole lot better) to Fox’s game; a mixture of speed, vision and playmaking mixed with perfect defensive positioning.
1. Cale Makar – Colorado Avalanche
Despite playing through injury for most of the 2023 campaign Makar still racked up 66 points in just 60 games, 2nd only to Karlsson in points per game amongst defensemen.
Makar’s ridiculous speed and agility on the ice make him a nightmare to check, even before he goes through the gears. Once he crosses the blueline he simply overwhelms you. He is by some distance the most gifted offensive blueliner in the game today.
Whilst he’s not quite as defensively astute as the other players on this list (Karlsson the clear exception) he is diligent and works hard at that end of the ice. His speed often helps him clean up messes of his own making. Still just 24-years-old, Makar will get better in his own zone.
Whilst Fox can make a very viable claim to being the best defenseman in the sport, Makar holds the top spot for this season at least.
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