The difference one defenseman can make for an NHL team is often quite large.
If a squad has a weak link, it can be exposed because even the bottom pair generally plays around 15 minutes a night.
In the NHL draft, defensemen are often the most interesting case studies. Since 2003, a defenseman has been drafted in the top five every year.
What teams value on the blueline is always quite interesting, as they traditionally lean into drafting big, defensively focused defensemen. That said, the best blueliners in the world right now are all mobile puck-movers, and their physical stature is often not a major part of their game.
Let's see which blueliners are the cream of the crop ahead of this year's NHL draft.
Top 10 defensemen in the 2026 NHL Draft
North Dakota (NCAA) defenseman Keaton Verhoeff
The most well-rounded defender in the class, Verhoeff's improvement this season makes him an easy choice as the top blueliner. He has good size, excellent fluidity on his feet and some of the best passing skills of any blueliner in the class. Verhoeff understands how to make smart plays at both ends of the ice, which allows him to win most of his shifts. He looks like a top-five pick.
Jukurit (Finland) defenseman Alberts Smits
Smits is the ultimate ball of clay that NHL teams can mold into an effective defenseman. His baseline is quite high as a big, mobile, defensive-minded player who can shut opponents down. His upside is incredible with the kind of run-and-gun offensive skill and fluidity that makes the best defenders in the world what they are. If he can continue to refine his offensive game, he could be a top-pair stud.
HV71 (Sweden) defenseman Malte Gustafsson
Malte Gustafsson has impressed in the Swedish League, and his overall control of the game makes him one of the most interesting defenders in the draft. There isn't an area of the game you can point to as a weakness. Gustafsson has become more physical at the men's level while continuing to showcase his mobility and puck-moving on the breakout. He's become a true two-way presence and should be taken inside the top 10.
Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL) defenseman Xavier Villeneuve
Villeneuve is one of the most dynamic puck-moving blueliners in the class. He is a true difference-maker on offense, with incredible shiftiness and passing. His defensive game is better than he gets credit for, using his feet to defend and turn the play around. He's a wild card, however, because he's 5-foot-11 and 162 pounds. Villeneuve could be taken in the top half of the first round, or he could fall because of his size.
Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) defenseman Chase Reid
Reid is possibly the most divisive defenseman at the top of the class. He can carry the puck through the neutral zone and create off the rush. His passing is inconsistent, but when it's on, it's quite dangerous in the attacking end. Reid shows the tools needed to be effective defensively, but that's a work in progress. He's being discussed as a top-10 pick, but he could fall outside that range.
Lulea (Sweden) defenseman William Hakansson
One of the premier defensive blueliners, Hakansson is a stopper in the simplest terms. He has excellent size, uses his length well to defend in transition and gets into the corners to recover pucks effectively. Hakansson has a physical edge to his game as well. If a team wants a defender who can put up a wall in their own zone, you could see Hakansson go around the mid-first round.
Tappara (Finland) defenseman Juho Piiparinen
Piiparinen is a steady, do-it-all defenseman who limits mistakes and knows when to make the right play. He won't blow your mind when you watch him, but he can do just about everything asked of him. He can shut down plays, recover dump-ins and move the puck up ice reliably. A mid-to-late first-round pick seems appropriate for a player you don't have to worry about too often.
Prince George (WHL) defenseman Carson Carels
After getting some hype at the World Junior Championship, Carels has shot up many draft boards. His playmaking and steady all-around game have made him a very solid prospect. Carels can play just about any role adequately, but he just needs to find his specialty and really lean into it. He really could go anywhere in the first round since draft experts have him ranked all over the place.
Vancouver (WHL) defenseman Ryan Lin
Although he's injured, Lin builds off his mobility in all areas of the game. His game is a bit inconsistent overall, but when he is on his A-game, he could be one of the top five defenders in the draft class. His ability to handle the puck, work along the blueline and set up teammates is impressive. He skates forward to defend, attempting to cut off play in the neutral zone. He could go anywhere in the mid-to-late first round.
Dukla Trencin (Slovakia) defenseman Adam Goljer
A shutdown defender who is on the younger side of the draft class, Goljer is still a bit raw, but his potential as a top-four play-killer could be quite intriguing. The Slovak blueliner doesn't dangle his opponents on the breakout or at the offensive blueline – he punishes them. Goljer isn't quite as refined as some of the guys ahead of him, but he's got the upside you want to see from a no-nonsense defenseman.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NCAA freshman Keaton Verhoeff leads top 10 NHL draft defense prospects
