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2021-2022 FANTASY DEFENSEMEN RANKINGS

Defensemen in fantasy hockey can be tricky to evaluate. There are a select few that can be counted on to rack up even-strength and powerplay points, but often the success of your fantasy team comes from those defensemen who block shots, rack up the hits and help out those unsexy fantasy categories. Chase the points or not, that is the question?! We have put  4 of our fantasy experts together; Jesse, Victor, Brennan, and yours truly and compiled our pre-season fantasy rankings for defensemen.


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Fantasy Defensemen Notes

Youth is the rage in the NHL, so when preparing for your 2021-22 fantasy season be open to going young and letting go of some of the past. To go young or old is at the heart of who is our highest-rated defenseman, Cale Makar or Victor Hedman? Even though 3 of our experts have Makar in the #1 position, an 8th place ranking by Victor allowed Hedman to squeak to the top with an ever so slightly higher average than Makar. It would be difficult to argue against either of these two players in the top seed. The remaining 3 spots in the top 5 are completed with veterans; Roman Josi at #3, John Carlson at #4, and the New Jersey Devils, Dougie Hamilton at #5. I have to admit, despite having a couple of months to get used to it, Hamilton as a Devil still makes me do a double-take.

While Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox at the #6 position, represents the younger D, we have more veteran defensemen completing the top 10. Positions 7-10 are Jeff Petry, Kris Letang, Shea Theodore, and Tyson Barrie. While all these players have earned their spots, my personal top 10 would include Thomas Chabot(#11), Quinn Hughes  (#12), and Darnell Nurse (#13). For the most part, our panel was not far off each other with their evaluations. Darnell Nurse being the biggest exception. Victor and I had Nurse at #4, while Brennan had him #18 and Jesse at #25.

Outside the top 10, there are few players who should be high on your radar for this season as potential top 10 fantasy players. Jakob Chychrun (#14) and Charlie McAvoy (#17) are examples of two players who continue to improve and now have excellent fantasy value. I can see both of these players continuing to move up the rankings. Also, keep your eye on a few of the vets, who have taken a step back the last year or two. Alex Pietrangelo at #24, Erik Karlsson at #30, and Ryan Ellis at #37 all still have fuel in the tank and are capable of bringing their production back up. Circle these guys as you may be able to get them undervalued.

Sleepers?

While a full article on defensemen that fantasy managers may be sleeping on will be coming soon, I’ll mention one rookie and one vet sleeper prediction here. Let’s ignore the situation in Buffalo as it looks like they will be rebuilding again. Rasmus Dahlin is the real deal. The former #1 overall will make our  #28 ranking come back and bite us. On the rookie side, we have Moritz Seider at #67. While this is a fair ranking for someone who has not played any NHL games, all indications are that Seider will step into a top 4 role with the Red Wings this season. Seider has excellent fantasy upside. As a fantasy manager, this may be your one chance to grab him, before he becomes a perennial keeper.

2021 Fantasy Hockey Defensemen Rankings

For more rankings and analysis, check out our 2021 Fantasy Hockey Draft Kit. New content is added every day.

Cons. RnkPlayerTeamSevereNuñoKlakWhamond
1 Victor HedmanTBL3322
2 Cale MakarCOL1811
3 Roman JosiNSH2196
4 John CarlsonWSH5249
5 Dougie HamiltonNJD4785
6 Adam FoxNYR61153
7 Jeff PetryMTL76714
8 Kris LetangPIT851210
9 Shea TheodoreVGK131637
10 Tyson BarrieEDM9121115
11 Thomas ChabotOTT1681411
12 Quinn HughesVAN122468
13 Darnell NurseEDM254184
14 Jakob ChychrunARI10171312
15 Aaron EkbladFLA11141616
16 Seth JonesCHI21101715
17 Charlie McAvoyBOS28151013
18 Morgan RiellyTOR14202320
19 Zach WerenskiCBJ27211523
19 Drew DoughtyLAK15252125
21 Miro HeiskanenDAL17193021
22Neal PionkWPG22132826
23 MacKenzie WeegarFLA30222517
24 Alex PietrangeloVGK23272619
24 John KlingbergDAL19351922
26 Brent BurnsSJS32232024
27 Torey KrugSTL20283227
28 Rasmus DahlinBUF18403918
29 Ty SmithNJDNR322435
30 Erik KarlssonSJS29343328
31 Ivan ProvorovPHI24303537
32 Jamie DrysdaleANA2639NR30
33 Filip HronekDET34293432
33 Samuel GirardCOL44302233
35Mario FerraroSJSNRNRNR33
36 Mark GiordanoSEA33462934
37 Jared SpurgeonMIN42363729
38 Ryan EllisPHI47393131
41 Vince DunnSEA43434620
42 Alec MartinezVGKNR354736
43 Mathew DumbaMIN3731NR52
44Rasmus SandinTORNRNR41NR
44Shayne GostisbehereARINR41NRNR
46 Mikhail SergachevTBLNR383849
47 Bowen ByramCOLNR44NR40
48 Devon ToewsCOL36473651
49Joshua MorrisseyWPGNRNR4343
49 Mattias EkholmNSH46452754
52 Tony DeAngeloCAR315050NR
54 Jake MuzzinTOR50444044
55 Adam BoqvistCBJ3952NR46
56 Noah DobsonNYINR47NR45
58Ryan PulockNYI40185141
58 Oliver Ekman-LarssonVANNR42NR53
59Rasmus RistolainenPHI4526NR42
59 Brett PesceCARNR454455
59Dmitry OrlovWSHNRNR48NR
59Radko GudasFLANR48NRNR
60Jacob TroubaNYR48315738
61Justin FaulkSTL41375456
62 Justin SchultzWSHNR5642NR
62Nicolas HagueVGKNRNR49NR
64Rasmus AnderssonCGY35495239
64 Matt GrzelcykBOS38515359
65 Erik CernakTBL4954NRNR
66 Jaccob SlavinCARNR535647
66 Colton ParaykoSTLNR46NR58
68 Ryan SuterDALNR57NR48
68Moritz SeiderDETNR55NR50
68Nick LeddyDETNRNR4560
71Evan BouchardEDMNRNR55NR
72Keith YandlePHINRNRNR57

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