NHL Defensemen Projections for Today
Tonight's projected stats for all NHL defensemen with games scheduled. Defensemen are fantasy gold mines for peripheral stats like blocked shots, hits, and shots on goal. Our D-men projections help you identify which blueliners are primed for multi-category contributions tonight.
Actual results: Points leaders, 2025-26 →
Player Projections
27 playersTop plays: skaters and goalies by Fantasy Points
- 1.Cale MakarCOL · D9.90
- 2.Jakob ChychrunWSH · D8.47
- 3.Lane HutsonMTL · D7.38
- 4.Miro HeiskanenDAL · D6.71
- 5.Cole HutsonWSH · D6.02
- 6.Devon ToewsCOL · D5.90
- 7.Noah DobsonMTL · D5.69
- 8.Thomas HarleyDAL · D5.56
- 9.Sam MalinskiCOL · D5.08
- 10.Brent BurnsCOL · D4.74
Skaters27 of 27
| Player | Team | Pos | Opp | Rost% | G | Anytime% | A | PTS | SOG | HIT | BLK | PIM | PPG† | PPA† | PPP† | SHG† | SHA† | SHP† | GWG† | FOW† | FOL† | TK† | GV† | +/-† | TOI | SFT† | FPTS ↓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cale Makar | COL | D | vs DAL | 100.0% | 0.25 | 22.2% | 0.70 | 0.95 | 2.60 | 0.40 | 1.70 | 0.30 | 0.10 | 0.31 | 0.40 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.40 | 1.27 | 0.37 | 25:00 | 25.89 | 9.90 |
| Jakob Chychrun | WSH | D | vs MTL | 99.0% | 0.31 | 26.8% | 0.50 | 0.71 | 2.50 | 0.70 | 1.50 | 0.80 | 0.10 | 0.16 | 0.26 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.04 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.35 | 1.23 | -0.03 | 25:03 | 22.63 | 8.47 |
| Lane Hutson | MTL | D | @ WSH | 99.0% | 0.16 | 15.1% | 0.70 | 0.86 | 1.74 | 0.40 | 1.30 | 0.40 | 0.06 | 0.26 | 0.32 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.40 | 1.24 | -0.03 | 25:40 | 24.43 | 7.38 |
| Miro Heiskanen | DAL | D | @ COL | 98.1% | 0.14 | 12.6% | 0.60 | 0.74 | 1.93 | 0.30 | 1.40 | 0.40 | 0.04 | 0.22 | 0.26 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.38 | 1.31 | -0.18 | 26:03 | 25.44 | 6.71 |
| Cole Hutson | WSH | D | vs MTL | 87.4% | 0.15 | 14.1% | 0.50 | 0.65 | 1.65 | 1.00 | 0.80 | 0.50 | 0.04 | 0.14 | 0.17 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.26 | 1.00 | -0.02 | 19:28 | 22.96 | 6.02 |
| Devon Toews | COL | D | vs DAL | 72.7% | 0.08 | 7.9% | 0.40 | 0.48 | 1.47 | 0.50 | 1.30 | 0.40 | 0.02 | 0.10 | 0.12 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.43 | 1.20 | 0.38 | 22:58 | 27.94 | 5.90 |
| Noah Dobson | MTL | D | @ WSH | 93.8% | 0.12 | 10.9% | 0.40 | 0.52 | 1.66 | 0.90 | 1.70 | 0.40 | 0.02 | 0.07 | 0.09 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.37 | 1.22 | -0.03 | 20:09 | 27.18 | 5.69 |
| Thomas Harley | DAL | D | @ COL | 83.2% | 0.08 | 7.3% | 0.30 | 0.38 | 1.63 | 0.50 | 1.70 | 0.30 | 0.01 | 0.05 | 0.07 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.41 | 1.23 | -0.18 | 23:51 | 24.98 | 5.56 |
| Sam Malinski | COL | D | vs DAL | 44.2% | 0.08 | 7.6% | 0.20 | 0.28 | 1.65 | 0.50 | 1.30 | 0.30 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.27 | 0.86 | 0.29 | 17:43 | 20.86 | 5.08 |
| Brent Burns | COL | D | vs DAL | 46.7% | 0.11 | 10.2% | 0.30 | 0.31 | 1.69 | 0.20 | 1.10 | 0.40 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.27 | 1.06 | 0.35 | 18:15 | 25.07 | 4.74 |
| Josh Manson | COL | D | vs DAL | 36.0% | 0.07 | 7.0% | 0.30 | 0.27 | 1.31 | 2.00 | 1.40 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.25 | 0.98 | 0.31 | 18:23 | 22.96 | 4.74 |
| Martin Fehervary | WSH | D | vs MTL | 25.1% | 0.06 | 6.1% | 0.20 | 0.26 | 0.93 | 1.60 | 2.20 | 0.40 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.24 | 0.99 | -0.03 | 22:06 | 22.29 | 4.38 |
| Esa Lindell | DAL | D | @ COL | 31.8% | 0.06 | 5.6% | 0.20 | 0.26 | 0.83 | 0.40 | 1.90 | 0.20 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.32 | 1.21 | -0.18 | 20:34 | 24.29 | 4.34 |
| Alexandre Carrier | MTL | D | @ WSH | 13.3% | 0.09 | 8.7% | 0.20 | 0.29 | 0.81 | 0.70 | 1.70 | 0.40 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.30 | 0.96 | -0.03 | 18:18 | 24.60 | 4.15 |
| Kaiden Guhle | MTL | D | @ WSH | 17.9% | 0.05 | 5.2% | 0.20 | 0.25 | 0.99 | 2.00 | 1.50 | 0.70 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.34 | 1.05 | -0.03 | 18:39 | 23.79 | 3.72 |
| Brett Kulak | COL | D | vs DAL | 4.3% | 0.02 | 1.6% | 0.20 | 0.22 | 0.95 | 0.30 | 1.50 | 0.30 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.26 | 0.99 | 0.34 | 18:38 | 23.21 | 3.60 |
| Timothy Liljegren | WSH | D | vs MTL | 4.8% | 0.05 | 4.9% | 0.20 | 0.25 | 0.94 | 0.90 | 1.80 | 0.40 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.26 | 1.01 | -0.03 | 18:37 | 23.17 | 3.30 |
| Nils Lundkvist | DAL | D | @ COL | 5.6% | 0.05 | 5.0% | 0.20 | 0.25 | 0.92 | 0.50 | 0.80 | 0.40 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.19 | 0.80 | -0.12 | 16:57 | 18.95 | 3.21 |
| Vincent Desharnais | WSH | D | vs MTL | 4.2% | 0.03 | 2.5% | 0.10 | 0.13 | 0.73 | 1.90 | 1.60 | 0.80 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.22 | 0.94 | -0.02 | 19:10 | 20.65 | 3.05 |
| Tyler Myers | DAL | D | @ COL | 3.3% | 0.02 | 1.5% | 0.10 | 0.22 | 0.90 | 1.10 | 1.40 | 0.70 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.27 | 1.02 | -0.16 | 14:50 | 24.06 | 2.79 |
| Adam Engstrom | MTL | D | @ WSH | 6.4% | 0.02 | 1.9% | 0.10 | 0.12 | 0.79 | 0.50 | 0.60 | 0.30 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.26 | 0.99 | -0.02 | 12:08 | 25.39 | 2.32 |
| Justin Holl | WSH | D | vs MTL | 0.1% | 0.00 | 0.0% | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.60 | 1.10 | 1.30 | 0.40 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.22 | 0.77 | -0.02 | 14:54 | 18.13 | 2.30 |
| Noah JuulsenNew team · 4 GP with COL | COL | D | vs DAL | 0.1% | 0.02 | 2.2% | 0.10 | 0.12 | 0.56 | 2.00 | 1.30 | 0.50 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.23 | 0.79 | 0.25 | 13:18 | 21.26 | 2.24 |
| Lian Bichsel | DAL | D | @ COL | 20.2% | 0.06 | 6.1% | 0.10 | 0.06 | 0.68 | 2.80 | 0.80 | 0.80 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.21 | 0.76 | -0.12 | 15:42 | 18.12 | 1.88 |
| Kyle Capobianco | DAL | D | @ COL | 0.1% | 0.01 | 1.3% | 0.10 | 0.11 | 0.44 | 0.30 | 0.70 | 0.20 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.18 | 0.63 | -0.10 | 8:02 | 14.72 | 1.88 |
| Arber Xhekaj | MTL | D | @ WSH | 8.6% | 0.02 | 1.9% | 0.10 | 0.12 | 0.52 | 2.40 | 0.60 | 1.30 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.17 | 0.65 | -0.02 | 9:54 | 15.63 | 1.41 |
| Dylan McIlrath | WSH | D | vs MTL | 0.1% | 0.01 | 1.4% | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.40 | 1.80 | 0.30 | 0.70 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.13 | 0.47 | -0.01 | 9:12 | 12.63 | 0.49 |
† Edgehalla model: derived from LineupExperts' goals, assists and ice-time projection plus NHL history. +/-, shorthanded goals, assists and points are high-variance: the projections are small expected values ranked mostly by ice-time role, and actual totals swing a lot. How the model works
Why defensemen matter
NHL defensemen provide unique fantasy value through peripheral stats that forwards rarely accumulate. Elite D-men combine offensive upside with category-filling blocks and hits.
Defensemen archetypes
- Offensive D: PP1 quarterbacks who rack up assists and shots (Makar, Fox, Hughes) - Shutdown D: Physical players with high blocks, hits, and PIM (Zadorov, Gudas) - Two-way D: Balanced contributors across multiple categories (Hedman, Josi)
Key stats to watch
Points (PTS), Shots on Goal (SOG), Blocked Shots (BLK), Hits (HIT), Power Play Points (PPP)
Best D-Men for Blocks Tonight
Need blocked shots? Sort by projected blocks to find defensemen facing high-volume shooting teams. Shutdown pairs on underdog teams often rack up blocks.
Blocked Shots ProjectionsPP1 Defensemen Tonight
Power play points drive elite D-man value. Cross-reference with line combinations to confirm which defensemen are quarterbacking PP1 units tonight.
Line CombinationsPhysical D-Men Projections
Looking for hits and PIM? Filter for shutdown defensemen in rivalry or playoff-race games where physicality increases.
Hits ProjectionsRelated Projections
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Frequently Asked Questions
Projections by Category
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By Position
All players at each positionScoring Projections
Goals, assists, and points leaders
Peripheral Stats
SOG, hits, blocks, ice time, giveaways and shifts
Special Teams
Power-play and shorthanded goals, assists and points
Faceoff & Physical
Faceoffs won, lost and FO%, PIM, takeaways and +/-
Goalie Projections
Starts, wins, losses, saves, SV% and GAA
Fantasy Points
Standard, DraftKings, and FanDuel
NHL Team Projections
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