Counting stats
NHL Hits Leaders: Defensemen
2017-18All situationsThrough 82 team games
This board ranks defensemen only by hits.
Hits are body checks credited by the off-ice scorer. Physical third-liners and stay-at-home defensemen lead the league, often while their team spends long stretches without the puck. In leagues that split positions, use it to fill your defense slots, and check the per-60 board for defensemen getting more out of fewer minutes.
Leader in 2017-18: Nikita Zadorov (COL), 278 HIT.
- Legacy recording: before 2024-25 turnovers and hits were recorded arena by arena with large scorer bias. Compare players within this season only.
Hits: defense leaderboard
Show
| # | Player | Team | HIT | GP | Per game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nikita ZadorovDCOL | COL | 278 | 77 | 3.61 | 39%▲21 |
| 2 | Michael Del ZottoDVAN | VAN | 244 | 82 | 2.98 | — |
| 3 | Adam LarssonDEDM | EDM | 239 | 63 | 3.79 | 23%▼19 |
| 4 | Robert HaggDPHI | PHI | 238 | 70 | 3.40 | — |
| 5 | Mark BorowieckiDOTT | OTT | 226 | 52 | 4.35 | — |
| 6 | Brayden McNabbDVGK | VGK | 225 | 76 | 2.96 | 24%▲21 |
| 7 | Luke SchennDARI | ARI | 219 | 64 | 3.42 | 7.3%▲6.9 |
| 8 | Brooks OrpikDWSH | WSH | 218 | 81 | 2.69 | — |
| 9 | Rasmus RistolainenDBUF | BUF | 206 | 73 | 2.82 | 8.3%▲7.7 |
| 10 | Stephen JohnsDDAL | DAL | 201 | 75 | 2.68 | — |
| 11 | Brenden DillonDSJS | SJS | 197 | 81 | 2.43 | 9.7%▲9.1 |
| 12 | Alexei EmelinDNSH | NSH | 181 | 76 | 2.38 | — |
| 13 | Josh MansonDANA | ANA | 180 | 80 | 2.25 | 32%▲16 |
| 14 | Jamie OleksiakDPIT | PIT | 174 | 68 | 2.56 | 7.1%▲6.9 |
| 15 | Jake MuzzinDLAK | LAK | 170 | 74 | 2.30 | — |
| 16 | Radko GudasDPHI | PHI | 170 | 70 | 2.43 | 25%▲22 |
| 17 | Jeff PetryDMTL | MTL | 167 | 82 | 2.04 | 0.1% |
| 18 | Christian FolinDLAK | LAK | 167 | 65 | 2.57 | — |
| 19 | Colin MillerDVGK | VGK | 165 | 82 | 2.01 | 0.0% |
| 20 | Kevan MillerDBOS | BOS | 164 | 68 | 2.41 | — |
| 21 | Cody CeciDOTT | OTT | 163 | 82 | 1.99 | 0.3% |
| 22 | Darnell NurseDEDM | EDM | 161 | 82 | 1.96 | 69%▼13 |
| 23 | Dion PhaneufDLAK | LAK | 161 | 79 | 2.04 | — |
| 24 | Oliver Ekman-LarssonDARI | ARI | 160 | 82 | 1.95 | 43%▲32 |
| 25 | Fredrik ClaessonDOTT | OTT | 158 | 64 | 2.47 | — |
| 26 | Alexander EdlerDVAN | VAN | 157 | 70 | 2.24 | — |
| 27 | Greg PaterynDDAL | DAL | 155 | 73 | 2.12 | — |
| 28 | Matt BenningDEDM | EDM | 149 | 73 | 2.04 | — |
| 29 | Ivan ProvorovDPHI | PHI | 148 | 82 | 1.80 | 36%▼27 |
| 30 | Dustin ByfuglienDWPG | WPG | 147 | 69 | 2.13 | — |
| 31 | David SavardDCBJ | CBJ | 144 | 81 | 1.78 | — |
| 32 | Justin BraunDSJS | SJS | 143 | 81 | 1.77 | — |
| 33 | Derek ForbortDLAK | LAK | 142 | 78 | 1.82 | 0.0% |
| 34 | Alexander PetrovicDFLA | FLA | 142 | 67 | 2.12 | 0.1% |
| 35 | Karl AlznerDMTL | MTL | 141 | 82 | 1.72 | — |
| 36 | Zdeno CharaDBOS | BOS | 141 | 73 | 1.93 | — |
| 37 | Josh MorrisseyDWPG | WPG | 139 | 81 | 1.72 | 99%▲3.2 |
| 38 | Victor HedmanDTBL | TBL | 139 | 77 | 1.81 | 93%▲11 |
| 39 | Connor MurphyDCHI | CHI | 138 | 76 | 1.82 | 6.0%▲5.1 |
| 40 | Mathew DumbaDMIN | MIN | 136 | 82 | 1.66 | 0.1% |
| 41 | Nick HoldenDBOS | BOS | 136 | 73 | 1.86 | — |
| 42 | John MooreDNJD | NJD | 135 | 81 | 1.67 | — |
| 43 | Jonathan EricssonDDET | DET | 133 | 81 | 1.64 | — |
| 44 | Dan GirardiDTBL | TBL | 133 | 77 | 1.73 | — |
| 45 | Charlie McAvoyDBOS | BOS | 133 | 63 | 2.11 | 97%▲6.2 |
| 46 | Olli MaattaDPIT | PIT | 131 | 82 | 1.60 | 0.2% |
| 47 | Roman PolakDTOR | TOR | 131 | 54 | 2.43 | — |
| 48 | Dmitry OrlovDWSH | WSH | 128 | 82 | 1.56 | 35%▲21 |
| 49 | Justin FaulkDCAR | CAR | 128 | 76 | 1.68 | 55%▼22 |
| 50 | Drew DoughtyDLAK | LAK | 127 | 82 | 1.55 | 22%▲12 |
| 51 | Brady SkjeiDNYR | NYR | 127 | 82 | 1.55 | 18%▼31 |
| 52 | Deryk EngellandDVGK | VGK | 126 | 79 | 1.59 | — |
| 53 | Erik GudbransonDVAN | VAN | 126 | 52 | 2.42 | 0.1% |
| 54 | Alex BiegaDVAN | VAN | 126 | 44 | 2.86 | — |
| 55 | Robert BortuzzoDSTL | STL | 121 | 72 | 1.68 | — |
| 56 | Andreas BorgmanDTOR | TOR | 121 | 48 | 2.52 | — |
| 57 | Justin FalkDBUF | BUF | 121 | 46 | 2.63 | — |
| 58 | Colton ParaykoDSTL | STL | 120 | 82 | 1.46 | 37%▼42 |
| 59 | Matt NiskanenDWSH | WSH | 117 | 68 | 1.72 | — |
| 60 | Kevin ConnautonDARI | ARI | 116 | 73 | 1.59 | — |
| 61 | Joel EdmundsonDSTL | STL | 116 | 69 | 1.68 | 4.0%▲3.9 |
| 62 | Kevin BieksaDANA | ANA | 116 | 59 | 1.97 | — |
| 63 | Alex GoligoskiDARI | ARI | 114 | 78 | 1.46 | — |
| 64 | Erik JohnsonDCOL | COL | 114 | 62 | 1.84 | — |
| 65 | Johnny BoychukDNYI | NYI | 114 | 58 | 1.97 | — |
| 66 | Ryan PulockDNYI | NYI | 113 | 68 | 1.66 | 10%▼1.4 |
| 67 | Brandon ManningDPHI | PHI | 113 | 65 | 1.74 | — |
| 68 | Nikita ZaitsevDTOR | TOR | 113 | 60 | 1.88 | — |
| 69 | Steven SantiniDNJD | NJD | 113 | 36 | 3.14 | 0.0% |
| 70 | P.K. SubbanDNSH | NSH | 111 | 82 | 1.35 | — |
| 71 | Troy StecherDVAN | VAN | 111 | 68 | 1.63 | 0.2% |
| 72 | Jake McCabeDBUF | BUF | 110 | 53 | 2.08 | 34%▼15 |
| 73 | Kris LetangDPIT | PIT | 109 | 79 | 1.38 | 47%▼16 |
| 74 | MacKenzie WeegarDFLA | FLA | 108 | 60 | 1.80 | 93%▼7.2 |
| 75 | Damon SeversonDNJD | NJD | 107 | 76 | 1.41 | 9.4%▲6.2 |
| 76 | Michael StoneDCGY | CGY | 106 | 82 | 1.29 | — |
| 77 | Ben ChiarotDWPG | WPG | 105 | 57 | 1.84 | 13%▲11 |
| 78 | Brandon DavidsonDNYI | NYI | 105 | 51 | 2.06 | — |
| 79 | Anton StralmanDTBL | TBL | 104 | 80 | 1.30 | — |
| 80 | Mark PysykDFLA | FLA | 102 | 82 | 1.24 | — |
| 81 | Francois BeaucheminDANA | ANA | 102 | 67 | 1.52 | — |
| 82 | Brian DumoulinDPIT | PIT | 101 | 80 | 1.26 | 0.4% |
| 83 | Jack JohnsonDCBJ | CBJ | 101 | 77 | 1.31 | — |
| 84 | Adam PelechDNYI | NYI | 100 | 78 | 1.28 | 3.2%▲3 |
| 85 | Alec MartinezDLAK | LAK | 100 | 77 | 1.30 | — |
| 86 | Anton LindholmDCOL | COL | 99 | 48 | 2.06 | — |
| 87 | Kris RussellDEDM | EDM | 97 | 78 | 1.24 | — |
| 88 | Brandon MontourDANA | ANA | 96 | 80 | 1.20 | 83%▲10 |
| 89 | Nick LeddyDNYI | NYI | 95 | 80 | 1.19 | 0.0% |
| 90 | Ian ColeDCBJ | CBJ | 95 | 67 | 1.42 | 4.9%▲4.3 |
| 91 | Jake DotchinDTBL | TBL | 95 | 48 | 1.98 | — |
| 92 | Mark GiordanoDCGY | CGY | 93 | 82 | 1.13 | — |
| 93 | Hampus LindholmDANA | ANA | 93 | 69 | 1.35 | 17%▲15 |
| 94 | Esa LindellDDAL | DAL | 92 | 80 | 1.15 | 37%▼31 |
| 95 | Seth JonesDCBJ | CBJ | 92 | 78 | 1.18 | 80%▲32 |
| 96 | Sami VatanenDNJD | NJD | 92 | 72 | 1.28 | — |
| 97 | Marco ScandellaDBUF | BUF | 91 | 82 | 1.11 | — |
| 98 | Ron HainseyDTOR | TOR | 91 | 80 | 1.14 | — |
| 99 | Mikhail SergachevDTBL | TBL | 90 | 79 | 1.14 | 98%▲5.2 |
| 100 | Jordie BennDMTL | MTL | 90 | 77 | 1.17 | — |
How to read it
Total hits this season, all situations.
How reliable is it?
Totals reward games and ice time. Hit counts also depend on the arena's scorer, so a home-heavy schedule can inflate them.
About our data sources →Projected next
Our fantasy projections for hits: who should lead the coming games.