Defensemen
Artem Duda
Offensive-minded defenseman with size and skill. Efficient as a power-play quarterback and a great decision-maker with the puck. Defending backwards is a work in progress, but could crack a top-four.
Tarin Smith
Intelligent two-way defenceman with a budding offensive game. Improvements in his skating could see him become a reliable second-pairing blue-liner.
Tyson Hinds
A big defenseman who is mobile and likes to push the pace, he sees the ice well and could be a top four, second power play quarterback.
Stian Solberg
Big, physical defenseman who plays an in-your-face off-puck game. Offensive tools lack pop, but has #4-5 D upside.
Matthew Mania
Mania is a composed defenseman with playmaking upside, but he remains quite raw and will need a handful of years to reach his potential.
Brent Johnson
Johnson may wind up being a more valuable player in real life than fantasy but should provide some points-only value as well, but it will take time
Aram Minnetian
Minnetian is a very mobile playmaking defenseman who will need to work on his composure and defensive activity rate to unlock second-pairing potential.
Daniil Pylenkov
A physical defenseman who is solid on his end, a good puck mover, and has some offensive upside. He must move to North America from the KHL to get on the fantasy radar.
Hunter Brzustewicz
A mobile and intelligent defender who moves the puck efficiently. He excels at transitioning the puck and finding open teammates for long passes. However, consistency is a concern.
Jérémie Poirier
Skilled, puck moving defender who skates well with the puck. His hockey IQ makes him dangerous in the offensive zone and effective in the defensive zone. Poirier does an excellent job seeing the ice and being proactive in the play.