Betting research
NHL Defense vs Position 2026-27
Shots on goal, goals and points each NHL team allows per game to opposing centres, wingers and defencemen: hockey's defense-vs-position table for player props and DFS, with how much of it repeats.
Philadelphia Flyers leads NHL teams with 9.45 shots allowed to defencemen per game in 2026-27, 0.55 more than Toronto Maple Leafs.
Most and fewest shots allowed to defencemen per game, 2026-27
Philadelphia Flyers9.4511 GP
Toronto Maple Leafs8.9111 GP
Seattle Kraken8.7010 GP
San Jose Sharks8.6010 GP
Nashville Predators8.388 GP
Vancouver Canucks8.3611 GP
Vegas Golden Knights5.3611 GP
Carolina Hurricanes5.3611 GP
Utah Mammoth5.8010 GP
Anaheim Ducks6.009 GP
Dallas Stars6.119 GP
New York Islanders6.449 GP
Does defense vs position repeat?
Partly. Odd games against even games, 2017-18 to 2025-26: shots allowed to centres r = 0.51, wingers 0.44, defencemen 0.65; points allowed 0.39, 0.43 and 0.47. Season to season: 0.34, 0.28 and 0.55 for shots.
Most of that is the team's total shots and goals allowed. The share that goes to defencemen repeats less (0.46 within a season).
Against the market
We tested defense vs position on 3,231 shots-on-goal props from 196 games in 2025-26 (closing lines, several US books). The opponent's shots allowed to the player's position, before the game, correlated 0.03 with the result against the line. Against the softest matchups overs hit 51.0% with the market at 50.7% (478 props); against the toughest, 46.8% against 50.2% (530). That is within noise of the prices, and smaller than the vig.
The books price the matchup already. Use these tables for context and DFS, not as a bet on their own. Our shots model against the books, live: model vs market.
By position, 2026-27
| Team | GP | Shots on goal allowed / GP | Points allowed / GP | Goals allowed / GP | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | W | D | C | W | D | C | W | D | ||
| Philadelphia Flyers | 11 | 11.09 | 11.73 | 9.45 | 3.18 | 3.27 | 2.27 | 1.45 | 1.00 | 0.73 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 11 | 11.82 | 9.45 | 8.91 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 2.09 | 1.00 | 1.36 | 0.73 |
| Seattle Kraken | 10 | 10.00 | 12.30 | 8.70 | 3.40 | 3.60 | 1.50 | 1.70 | 1.40 | 0.30 |
| San Jose Sharks | 10 | 9.40 | 10.60 | 8.60 | 3.50 | 3.60 | 1.90 | 1.20 | 1.70 | 0.50 |
| Nashville Predators | 8 | 10.25 | 10.50 | 8.38 | 3.13 | 2.75 | 1.50 | 1.38 | 1.13 | 0.25 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 11 | 10.18 | 15.00 | 8.36 | 4.09 | 5.00 | 2.91 | 1.45 | 2.64 | 0.55 |
 Edmonton Oilers | 9 | 7.11 | 11.22 | 8.22 | 3.00 | 3.44 | 1.78 | 1.22 | 1.33 | 0.44 |
 Winnipeg Jets | 9 | 10.11 | 10.78 | 8.22 | 2.56 | 3.11 | 2.33 | 1.33 | 1.11 | 0.44 |
 Detroit Red Wings | 9 | 10.67 | 8.22 | 8.11 | 3.44 | 2.78 | 1.56 | 1.11 | 1.22 | 0.56 |
 Chicago Blackhawks | 9 | 9.78 | 13.00 | 7.78 | 3.44 | 4.22 | 3.33 | 1.22 | 2.44 | 0.33 |
 Minnesota Wild | 10 | 11.40 | 7.00 | 7.70 | 3.20 | 1.70 | 1.80 | 1.20 | 0.70 | 0.60 |
 Florida Panthers | 9 | 7.11 | 9.22 | 7.67 | 2.89 | 2.56 | 1.67 | 1.11 | 1.11 | 0.56 |
 St. Louis Blues | 9 | 10.22 | 9.44 | 7.67 | 4.22 | 2.67 | 2.00 | 1.33 | 1.44 | 0.44 |
 Columbus Blue Jackets | 8 | 8.25 | 11.88 | 7.63 | 3.25 | 4.25 | 2.50 | 1.25 | 2.00 | 0.38 |
 Washington Capitals | 9 | 8.00 | 13.67 | 7.56 | 2.89 | 4.11 | 1.56 | 1.00 | 1.89 | 0.33 |
 New York Rangers | 11 | 9.64 | 8.64 | 7.45 | 2.27 | 1.82 | 1.45 | 1.00 | 0.64 | 0.55 |
 Calgary Flames | 8 | 11.13 | 11.13 | 7.38 | 4.88 | 4.13 | 3.25 | 1.75 | 1.88 | 1.00 |
 Tampa Bay Lightning | 9 | 7.33 | 9.44 | 7.33 | 2.00 | 2.78 | 1.78 | 1.00 | 1.22 | 0.22 |
 Montreal Canadiens | 9 | 8.44 | 10.78 | 7.11 | 3.67 | 3.78 | 2.78 | 1.78 | 1.44 | 0.56 |
 New Jersey Devils | 9 | 8.67 | 10.33 | 7.00 | 3.11 | 3.33 | 3.00 | 1.33 | 1.56 | 0.44 |
 Pittsburgh Penguins | 10 | 10.60 | 10.20 | 7.00 | 3.90 | 3.90 | 2.20 | 1.10 | 2.10 | 0.50 |
 Colorado Avalanche | 10 | 9.90 | 10.50 | 6.90 | 2.40 | 3.30 | 2.10 | 0.90 | 1.60 | 0.50 |
 Buffalo Sabres | 9 | 7.33 | 11.44 | 6.89 | 3.56 | 4.44 | 2.44 | 1.33 | 2.11 | 0.22 |
 Boston Bruins | 10 | 9.40 | 11.80 | 6.80 | 2.10 | 2.30 | 1.50 | 0.50 | 1.20 | 0.50 |
 Ottawa Senators | 9 | 10.11 | 9.33 | 6.78 | 2.44 | 3.44 | 1.11 | 1.00 | 1.33 | 0.22 |
 Los Angeles Kings | 7 | 12.29 | 8.43 | 6.71 | 4.57 | 3.57 | 2.14 | 1.43 | 2.00 | 0.43 |
| New York Islanders | 9 | 8.11 | 10.78 | 6.44 | 1.67 | 2.78 | 1.67 | 0.78 | 1.33 | 0.00 |
| Dallas Stars | 9 | 10.56 | 5.67 | 6.11 | 2.11 | 1.11 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.56 | 0.00 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 9 | 10.11 | 10.44 | 6.00 | 3.56 | 3.33 | 1.89 | 1.00 | 1.67 | 0.56 |
| Utah Mammoth | 10 | 8.60 | 8.00 | 5.80 | 3.10 | 3.00 | 1.90 | 1.40 | 1.20 | 0.50 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 11 | 7.00 | 10.00 | 5.36 | 2.45 | 2.91 | 1.09 | 0.82 | 1.27 | 0.36 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 11 | 7.27 | 12.36 | 5.36 | 2.00 | 3.00 | 1.82 | 0.91 | 1.55 | 0.27 |
Regular season, from NHL boxscores. Wingers are left and right wings together.
Last 10 games
Ten games is a small window: about a third of the gap between teams here is noise that the season line averages out.
| Team | GP | Shots on goal allowed / GP | Points allowed / GP | Goals allowed / GP | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | W | D | C | W | D | C | W | D | ||
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 10 | 12.50 | 9.20 | 9.10 | 3.20 | 3.00 | 2.00 | 1.10 | 1.30 | 0.70 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 10 | 10.90 | 11.80 | 9.00 | 2.70 | 3.10 | 1.80 | 1.30 | 0.70 | 0.80 |
| Seattle Kraken | 10 | 10.00 | 12.30 | 8.70 | 3.40 | 3.60 | 1.50 | 1.70 | 1.40 | 0.30 |
| San Jose Sharks | 10 | 9.40 | 10.60 | 8.60 | 3.50 | 3.60 | 1.90 | 1.20 | 1.70 | 0.50 |
| Nashville Predators | 8 | 10.25 | 10.50 | 8.38 | 3.13 | 2.75 | 1.50 | 1.38 | 1.13 | 0.25 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 9 | 7.11 | 11.22 | 8.22 | 3.00 | 3.44 | 1.78 | 1.22 | 1.33 | 0.44 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 9 | 10.11 | 10.78 | 8.22 | 2.56 | 3.11 | 2.33 | 1.33 | 1.11 | 0.44 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 9 | 10.67 | 8.22 | 8.11 | 3.44 | 2.78 | 1.56 | 1.11 | 1.22 | 0.56 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 10 | 10.40 | 14.70 | 8.10 | 4.20 | 5.20 | 2.60 | 1.60 | 2.70 | 0.30 |
| New York Rangers | 10 | 9.20 | 9.00 | 7.80 | 2.00 | 1.90 | 1.40 | 0.90 | 0.60 | 0.60 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 9 | 9.78 | 13.00 | 7.78 | 3.44 | 4.22 | 3.33 | 1.22 | 2.44 | 0.33 |
| Minnesota Wild | 10 | 11.40 | 7.00 | 7.70 | 3.20 | 1.70 | 1.80 | 1.20 | 0.70 | 0.60 |
| Florida Panthers | 9 | 7.11 | 9.22 | 7.67 | 2.89 | 2.56 | 1.67 | 1.11 | 1.11 | 0.56 |
| St. Louis Blues | 9 | 10.22 | 9.44 | 7.67 | 4.22 | 2.67 | 2.00 | 1.33 | 1.44 | 0.44 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 8 | 8.25 | 11.88 | 7.63 | 3.25 | 4.25 | 2.50 | 1.25 | 2.00 | 0.38 |
| Washington Capitals | 9 | 8.00 | 13.67 | 7.56 | 2.89 | 4.11 | 1.56 | 1.00 | 1.89 | 0.33 |
| Calgary Flames | 8 | 11.13 | 11.13 | 7.38 | 4.88 | 4.13 | 3.25 | 1.75 | 1.88 | 1.00 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 9 | 7.33 | 9.44 | 7.33 | 2.00 | 2.78 | 1.78 | 1.00 | 1.22 | 0.22 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 9 | 8.44 | 10.78 | 7.11 | 3.67 | 3.78 | 2.78 | 1.78 | 1.44 | 0.56 |
| New Jersey Devils | 9 | 8.67 | 10.33 | 7.00 | 3.11 | 3.33 | 3.00 | 1.33 | 1.56 | 0.44 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 10 | 10.60 | 10.20 | 7.00 | 3.90 | 3.90 | 2.20 | 1.10 | 2.10 | 0.50 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 10 | 9.90 | 10.50 | 6.90 | 2.40 | 3.30 | 2.10 | 0.90 | 1.60 | 0.50 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 9 | 7.33 | 11.44 | 6.89 | 3.56 | 4.44 | 2.44 | 1.33 | 2.11 | 0.22 |
| Boston Bruins | 10 | 9.40 | 11.80 | 6.80 | 2.10 | 2.30 | 1.50 | 0.50 | 1.20 | 0.50 |
| Ottawa Senators | 9 | 10.11 | 9.33 | 6.78 | 2.44 | 3.44 | 1.11 | 1.00 | 1.33 | 0.22 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 7 | 12.29 | 8.43 | 6.71 | 4.57 | 3.57 | 2.14 | 1.43 | 2.00 | 0.43 |
| New York Islanders | 9 | 8.11 | 10.78 | 6.44 | 1.67 | 2.78 | 1.67 | 0.78 | 1.33 | 0.00 |
| Dallas Stars | 9 | 10.56 | 5.67 | 6.11 | 2.11 | 1.11 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.56 | 0.00 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 9 | 10.11 | 10.44 | 6.00 | 3.56 | 3.33 | 1.89 | 1.00 | 1.67 | 0.56 |
| Utah Mammoth | 10 | 8.60 | 8.00 | 5.80 | 3.10 | 3.00 | 1.90 | 1.40 | 1.20 | 0.50 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 10 | 7.10 | 12.20 | 5.60 | 2.10 | 3.10 | 1.90 | 1.00 | 1.50 | 0.30 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 10 | 6.70 | 10.70 | 5.20 | 2.60 | 3.20 | 1.10 | 0.90 | 1.40 | 0.30 |
What defense vs position measures
Shots on goal, goals and points each team allows to opposing centres, wingers and defencemen, per game. Wingers are left and right wings together. It is the hockey version of football's defense-vs-position tables used for player props and DFS.
Shots allowed by position repeat moderately within a season (odd vs even games: centres 0.51, wingers 0.44, defencemen 0.65), and points allowed less (0.43). Most of it is the team's total shots and goals allowed, re-sorted.
We tested it on 3,231 shots-on-goal props from 196 games in 2025-26. Opponents who allow the most shots to a position barely changed results against the closing line: correlation 0.03. The books already price the matchup, so treat this as context, not an edge.
Frequently asked questions
Which NHL team allows the most shots to defencemen in 2026-27?
Philadelphia Flyers allows 9.45 shots on goal per game to opposing defencemen through Oct 20.
Does defense vs position beat NHL shot props?
Not in our test: across 3,231 2025-26 shots-on-goal props, the opponent's shots allowed to the player's position correlated 0.03 with results against the closing line. Against the toughest third of matchups, overs hit 46.8% (market 50.2%).