Fantasy hockey defenseman point projections

NHL.com has projected the defenseman point totals for fantasy hockey in the 2024-25 season. For more coverage, visit NHL.com/Fantasy.

MORE PROJECTIONS: Forward points

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NOTES: These point projections (for 82-game season) have been quantified based on factors including but not limited to past performance in the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs, projected defense pairs, power-play usage, injury history or concern, sleeper upside, anticipated regression or bounce-back candidacy, age, contract status and overall upside for this season. The below totals are safe point estimates, do not indicate each player's ceiling or floor and should be used as a basis for decision-making in all fantasy leagues, especially points-only formats.

The order of projected point totals (highest to lowest) differs from NHL.com's fantasy rankings because the latter list takes standard peripheral categories into account. Injuries could affect whether a player meets or comes close to his point projection. These projections are a collaborative effort by Pete Jensen and Anna Dua.

Cale Makar, D, COL: 95
Evan Bouchard, D, EDM: 90
Quinn Hughes, D, VAN: 89
Roman Josi, D, NSH: 82
Victor Hedman, D, TBL: 79
Noah Dobson, D, NYI: 77
Rasmus Dahlin, D, BUF: 75
Josh Morrissey, D, WPG: 75
Adam Fox, D, NYR: 72
Dougie Hamilton, D, NJD: 67
Morgan Rielly, D, TOR: 67
Zach Werenski, D, CBJ: 65
Mikhail Sergachev, D, UTA: 63
Brandon Montour, D, SEA: 62
Miro Heiskanen, D, DAL: 60
Vince Dunn, D, SEA: 60
Charlie McAvoy, D, BOS: 56
Brock Faber, D, MIN: 56
MacKenzie Weegar, D, CGY: 55
Erik Karlsson, D, PIT: 55
Kris Letang, D, PIT: 55
Devon Toews, D, COL: 54
Mike Matheson, D, MTL: 54
Shea Theodore, D, VGK: 54
John Carlson, D, WSH: 54
Alex Pietrangelo, D, VGK: 51
Moritz Seider, D, DET: 50
Noah Hanifin, D, VGK: 50
Seth Jones, D, CHI: 50
Bowen Byram, D, BUF: 49
Thomas Harley, D, DAL: 49
Mattias Ekholm, D, EDM: 49
Gustav Forsling, D, FLA: 49
Thomas Chabot, D, OTT: 49
Shayne Gostisbehere, D, CAR: 48
Travis Sanheim, D, PHI: 47
Brady Skjei, D, NSH: 46
K’Andre Miller, D, NYR: 46
Jake Sanderson, D, OTT: 46
Justin Faulk, D, STL: 46
Filip Hronek, D, VAN: 46
Luke Hughes, D, NJD (INJ.): 45
Brent Burns, D, CAR: 45
Jake Walman, D, SJS: 45
Jakob Chychrun, D, WSH: 45
Sean Durzi, D, UTA (INJ.): 44
Adam Boqvist, D, FLA: 43
Owen Power, D, BUF: 43
Neal Pionk, D, WPG: 43
Brandt Clarke, D, LAK: 42
Rasmus Andersson, D, CGY: 42
Aaron Ekblad, D, FLA: 42
Pavel Mintyukov, D, ANA: 40
Simon Nemec, D, NJD: 40
J.J. Moser, D, TBL: 40
Hampus Lindholm, D, BOS: 39
Jamie Drysdale, D, PHI: 39
Lane Hutson, D, MTL: 38
Scott Perunovich, D, STL: 38
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D, TOR: 38
Philip Broberg, D, STL: 36
Artyom Levshunov, D, CHI (INJ.): 35
Mike Reilly, D, NYI: 35
Jared Spurgeon, D, MIN: 34
Dmitry Orlov, D, CAR: 33
Sam Girard, D, COL: 33
Jonas Brodin, D, MIN: 33
Olen Zellweger, D, ANA: 32
Zac Jones, D, NYR: 32
Cam Fowler, D, ANA: 31
Sean Walker, D, CAR: 30
Josh Manson, D, COL: 30
Simon Edvinsson, D, DET: 30
Ryan Pulock, D, NYI: 30

Key injury:

Drew Doughty, D, LAK