Counting stats
NHL Shorthanded Points Leaders: Defensemen
2025-26All situations
Travis Sanheim (PHI), 
Mattias Samuelsson (BUF) and 
K'Andre Miller (CAR) lead NHL defensemen with 3 points in 2025-26, ahead of 
Dylan DeMelo (WPG) (2).
Showing 2025-26 · 2026-27 becomes the default after ~10 games per team2026-27 so far →
Leaders: SH Points: defense, 2025-26
- 1stTravis SanheimPHI · 81 GP3
- 2ndMattias SamuelssonBUF · 78 GP3
- 3rdK'Andre MillerCAR · 72 GP3
- 4thDylan DeMeloWPG · 82 GP2
5thBrady SkjeiNSH · 82 GP2
The full ranked table, with filters, follows.
What SH Points: defense measures
This board ranks NHL defensemen by total points, shorthanded, this season. Players under the minimum sample are hidden, and every row shows the games or minutes behind the number. Total points, 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. Points are goals plus assists, the classic scoring race. Top-line centres and power-play quarterbacks lead it most years. In 2025-26, 68 defensemen qualify for this board; the median is 1 and Travis Sanheim leads at 3.
SH Points: 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 PTS | GP | Pctl | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travis SanheimDPHI | PHI | 3 | 81 | 99 | 65%▼0.6 |
| 2 | Mattias SamuelssonDBUF | BUF | 3 | 78 | 99 | 81%▲4.9 |
| 3 | K'Andre MillerDCAR | CAR | 3 | 72 | 99 | 58%▼1.8 |
| 4 | Dylan DeMeloDWPG | WPG | 2 | 82 | 75 | 5.7% |
| 5 | Brady SkjeiDNSH | NSH | 2 | 82 | 75 | 15%▼1.1 |
| 6 |  Esa LindellDDAL | DAL | 2 | 82 | 75 | 28%▼4.1 |
| 7 |  Adam PelechDNYI | NYI | 2 | 82 | 75 | 4.1%▲0.8 |
| 8 |  Darnell NurseDEDM | EDM | 2 | 82 | 75 | 60%▼2.7 |
| 9 |  Jonas SiegenthalerDNJD | NJD | 2 | 82 | 75 | 0.2%▼3 |
| 10 |  Filip HronekDVAN | VAN | 2 | 82 | 75 | 94% |
| 11 |  Evan BouchardDEDM | EDM | 2 | 82 | 75 | 100% |
| 12 |  Jackson LaCombeDANA | ANA | 2 | 82 | 75 | 97% |
| 13 |  Albert JohanssonDDET | DET | 2 | 82 | 75 | 4.0% |
| 14 |  Sean WalkerDCAR | CAR | 2 | 81 | 75 | 71%▲7.7 |
| 15 |  Owen PowerDBUF | BUF | 2 | 81 | 75 | 75%▲5 |
| 16 |  Parker WotherspoonDPIT | PIT | 2 | 80 | 75 | 13%▼1.6 |
| 17 |  John MarinoDUTA | UTA | 2 | 80 | 75 | 21%▲5 |
| 18 |  Brock FaberDMIN | MIN | 2 | 80 | 75 | 87%▼1.2 |
| 19 |  Nick PerbixDNSH | NSH | 2 | 79 | 75 | 0.1% |
| 20 |  J.J. MoserDTBL | TBL | 2 | 79 | 75 | 16%▼2.5 |
| 21 |  Mike MathesonDMTL | MTL | 2 | 78 | 75 | 72%▼7 |
| 22 |  Mikhail SergachevDUTA | UTA | 2 | 78 | 75 | 100%▲1.4 |
| 23 |  Louis CrevierDCHI | CHI | 2 | 78 | 75 | 14%▼0.8 |
| 24 |  Zach WerenskiDCBJ | CBJ | 2 | 75 | 75 | 100% |
| 25 |  Tyler KlevenDOTT | OTT | 2 | 70 | 75 | 23%▲11 |
Frequently asked questions
Who leads the NHL in SH Points: defense in 2025-26?
Travis Sanheim leads with 3. The median of the 68 qualified defensemen is 1.
How is SH Points: defense calculated?
Total points, shorthanded, this season. Regular season only, from the NHL's official game data.
How reliable is SH Points: 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.