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AIPROPX ReportCBS Sports · 2h ago
Fantasy hockey 2026-2027 defensemen tiers: Cale Makar stands alone at the top, young stars on the rise
Selecting elite fantasy blueliners can go a long way to creating a well-balanced roster. Beyond the cream of the crop, which consists of defensemen proficient enough to produce points on par with upper-level top-six forwards, there are numerous viable options for managers seeking versatility across multiple categories.
While this is not meant to be used as an exact order for drafting, it can serve as a helpful tool to identify groupings of rearguards to choose from, what to expect from them and a rough idea of when they could be targeted.
Makar remains in a class of his own due to his offensive ability. He is capable of making an impact every time he hops onto the ice and has reached the 90-point plateau in two of the past three campaigns. He also racks up power-play points, shots and blocks. Makar remains the lone blueliner worthy of being a top-10 fantasy selection.
Evan Bouchard , Quinn Hughes , Zach Werenski
They are all elite offensive contributors capable of producing points at a point-per-game rate while logging heavy minutes. Bouchard and Hughes see time on excellent power-play units, while Werenski has been the best even-strength producer among all blueliners over the last three regular seasons. Fantasy managers fortunate enough to choose one of them should feel confident their defense is set for the season.
Tier 3 - Elite Multi-Category Building Blocks
Lane Hutson , Rasmus Dahlin , Moritz Seider , Matthew Schaefer , Adam Fox , Jackson LaCombe , Miro Heiskanen
The skaters in this grouping record outstanding offensive statistics while adding solid shot, block and power-play totals. Dahlin and Seider are also great sources of hits. It didn't take long for Hutson and Schaefer to establish themselves as impact fantasy options, while LaCombe still has room to grow following his breakout performance in 2025-26.
Darren Raddysh , Josh Morrissey , Jake Sanderson , Roman Josi , Mikhail Sergachev , Erik Karlsson , Charlie McAvoy , Shayne Gostisbehere , Shea Theodore , Jakob Chychrun , John Carlson , Brock Faber
They all possess superb offensive skills and are likely to see plenty of power-play time in the 2026-27 season. They will also chip in shots, blocks and hits, making them solid options for fantasy managers who are unwilling to invest higher draft capital in a rearguard but still want a reliable primary alternative.
Brandt Clarke , Bowen Byram , Alexander Nikishin , Luke Hughes , Simon Nemec , Philip Broberg
These defenders could provide plenty of bang for the buck if they reach their potential in the 2026-27 campaign. With the exception of Nikishin (unless he is traded), they all should be in line for increased roles and could provide strong category coverage. However, Clarke could be held back by Drew Doughty , while Dougie Hamilton may stunt the progress of Hughes.
Noah Dobson , Thomas Harley , Rasmus Andersson , Dougie Hamilton, Victor Hedman , Seth Jones , Thomas Chabot , Brandon Montour , K'Andre Miller , Noah Hanifin , Neal Pionk , Sean Durzi , Vince Dunn , Filip Hronek , Devon Toews , Ivan Provorov , Mattias Ekholm , Esa Lindell , Morgan Rielly , Aaron Ekblad , Vladislav Gavrikov , Travis Sanheim , Kris Letang , Dmitry Orlov
While several of them have had some recent injury issues, they remain solid depth options for potential fantasy managers. They can supply offense, shots, blocks, hits and power-play points for a decent mix of value. Under the right circumstances, they could surpass the 40-point plateau and push for 50.
Tier 7 - Well-Rounded, but with Concerns
Jacob Trouba , Olen Zellweger , Mattias Samuelsson , MacKenzie Weegar , Darnell Nurse , Simon Edvinsson , Sean Walker , Sam Malinski , Drew Doughty, Cam Fowler , Jamie Drysdale
This grouping isn't far from the previous one, but there are some question marks and their offensive ceiling isn't as high. Nurse, Zellweger and Trouba will be occupying new roles with different teams this season, while Edvinsson, Weegar, Doughty and Fowler regressed in 2025-26. Samuelsson, Walker, Malinski and Drysdale may struggle to repeat their respective breakout efforts from last campaign.
Hutson, Yakemchuk and Cagnoni could be intriguing fantasy options this season if they secure NHL lineup spots, especially if they land prominent power-play time. Buium, Parekh and Mailloux should continue to see their roles expand in 2026-27. The arrival of Byram hurts the potential of Rinzel and Levshunov, but Chicago's young blue line is worth monitoring for all-round upside.
Tier 9 - Physical, Banger-League Possibilities
Nikita Zadorov , Brenden Dillon , Braden Schneider , Ben Chiarot , Jeremy Lauzon , Radko Gudas , Connor Clifton , Jake McCabe , Martin Fehervary , Adam Larsson , Nick Seeler , Matt Roy , Brayden McNabb , Zach Whitecloud , Colton Parayko , Rasmus Ristolainen
Most of the options here won't provide many points, but they can compile 100-plus hits and 100-plus blocks. They will also probably end up with a healthy amount of penalty minutes. Lauzon leads the league in hits over the past three seasons, while Gudas ranks second. McCabe was the league leader in blocked shots in the 2025-26 regular season.
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