Counting stats
NHL Shorthanded Goals Leaders: Defensemen
2025-26All situations
Jake Walman (EDM) leads NHL defensemen with 2 goals in 2025-26, ahead of 
Brady Skjei (NSH) (1).
Showing 2025-26 · 2026-27 becomes the default after ~10 games per team2026-27 so far →
Leaders: SH Goals: defense, 2025-26
- 1stJake WalmanEDM · 53 GP2
- 2ndBrady SkjeiNSH · 82 GP1
3rdAdam PelechNYI · 82 GP1
4thJackson LaCombeANA · 82 GP1
5thAlbert JohanssonDET · 82 GP1
The full ranked table, with filters, follows.
What SH Goals: defense measures
This board ranks NHL defensemen by total goals, shorthanded, this season. Players under the minimum sample are hidden, and every row shows the games or minutes behind the number. Total goals, shorthanded, this season.
Special-teams scoring follows special-teams ice time: a player's share of his team's PP minutes repeats much better than his PP points do.
The shorthanded split shows who scores while killing penalties. Defensemen only. Goals scored this season, every situation including the power play and empty nets. The goal race swings more than the points race, because shooting percentage runs hot and cold. In 2025-26, 18 defensemen qualify for this board; the median is 1 and Jake Walman leads at 2.
SH Goals: defense leaderboard
- Strength comes from the play-by-play skater counts; a few players differ from NHL.com by one goal or point where a penalty expired at the moment of the goal.
| # | Player | Team | SH G | GP | Pctl | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jake WalmanDEDM | EDM | 2 | 53 | 100 | 22%▼2.5 |
| 2 | Brady SkjeiDNSH | NSH | 1 | 82 | 47 | 15%▼1.1 |
| 3 | Adam PelechDNYI | NYI | 1 | 82 | 47 | 4.1%▲0.8 |
| 4 | Jackson LaCombeDANA | ANA | 1 | 82 | 47 | 97% |
| 5 | Albert JohanssonDDET | DET | 1 | 82 | 47 | 4.0% |
| 6 |  Travis SanheimDPHI | PHI | 1 | 81 | 47 | 65%▼0.6 |
| 7 |  Rasmus AnderssonDCGY | CGY | 1 | 81 | 47 | 87%▲1.8 |
| 8 |  Alexander NikishinDCAR | CAR | 1 | 81 | 47 | 57%▼3.7 |
| 9 |  John MarinoDUTA | UTA | 1 | 80 | 47 | 21%▲5 |
| 10 |  Brock FaberDMIN | MIN | 1 | 80 | 47 | 87%▼1.2 |
| 11 |  Mike MathesonDMTL | MTL | 1 | 78 | 47 | 72%▼7 |
| 12 |  Mattias SamuelssonDBUF | BUF | 1 | 78 | 47 | 81%▲4.9 |
| 13 |  Louis CrevierDCHI | CHI | 1 | 78 | 47 | 14%▼0.8 |
| 14 |  Miro HeiskanenDDAL | DAL | 1 | 77 | 47 | 100%▲1.5 |
| 15 |  K'Andre MillerDCAR | CAR | 1 | 72 | 47 | 58%▼1.8 |
| 16 |  Ryker EvansDSEA | SEA | 1 | 67 | 47 | 18%▲2.6 |
| 17 |  Thomas ChabotDOTT | OTT | 1 | 57 | 47 | 87%▼1.3 |
| 18 |  Mike ReillyDCAR | CAR | 1 | 42 | 47 | 3.2% |
Frequently asked questions
Who leads the NHL in SH Goals: defense in 2025-26?
Jake Walman leads with 2. The median of the 18 qualified defensemen is 1.
How is SH Goals: defense calculated?
Total goals, shorthanded, this season. Regular season only, from the NHL's official game data.
How reliable is SH Goals: defense?
Special-teams scoring follows special-teams ice time: a player's share of his team's PP minutes repeats much better than his PP points do.