Posted August 19th at 5:00pm.

Here are the top 10 defensemen in NHL 17! This list features multiple Stanley Cup Champions and Norris Trophy winners.



There are six categories when determining rating attributes: Puck Skills, Senses, Shooting, Defense, Skating, and Physicality.

10. Dustin Byfuglien – 91 overall At 6’5 and 260 lbs, Dustin Byfuglien lives up to the nickname of Big Buff. He skates very well for a man of his size and uses his Strength (95) and Balance (95) so outmuscle opponents in the offensive and defensive zone. He also has a bomb from the point, with a (93) Slap Shot Power rating.

9. P.K. Subban – 91 overall The newly acquired Nashville Predator is one of the most dynamic offensive talents in the NHL. Subban is able to create scoring opportunities thanks in large part to his 5-star skating ability and heavy (91) Slap Shot Power rating. He also has the ability to land devastating hits with a (89) Body Checking rating.

8. Marc-Edouard Vlasic – 91 overall The 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs helped establish Marc-Edouard Vlasic as one of the best defensive defenseman in the league. He isn’t flashy, but his (93) Stick Checking, (90) Shot Blocking and (93) Defensive Awareness ratings are invaluable for teams looking to hold onto a tight lead.

7. Victor Hedman – 92 overall Still only 25 years old, the big Swede is just entering his prime and is already an elite two-way defenseman. He possesses excellent shutdown skills with a (91) Stick Checking and (91) Shot Blocking rating to go along with high-end pucks skills, including a (89) Passing and (89) Puck Control rating.

6. Brent Burns – 92 overall Burns is coming off the best season of his career which saw him put up 27 goals, 48 assists and 75 points in 82 games. He is one of the most complete defenders in NHL 17, with 5-star puck skills, shooting, defense and physical ability.

5. Erik Karlsson – 92 overall Over the past five seasons, Erik Karlsson has been the league’s most prolific offensive defenseman. He leads all NHL 17 defenseman with a (94) Agility/Acceleration rating and (95) Passing/Puck Control rating. The only thing keeping him from being our top rated defenseman is his physical game which comes in at 3 out of 5 stars.

4. Ryan Suter – 93 overall Suter is a workhorse on the backend with a (90) Endurance rating as he always finishes near the top of the league for time-on-ice. He impacts all areas of the ice and has 5-star puck skills, skating, senses and defense.

3. Duncan Keith – 93 overall At 33 years old, Keith is still ranks in the top 3 for defenseman in NHL 17. The three-time Stanley Cup Champion and two-time Norris Trophy winner will be a sure fire Hall of Famer when his career is all said and done.

2. Shea Weber – 94 overall With 5-star senses, defense and physical ability, Shea Weber strikes fear into his opponent’s every time he steps onto the ice. He can overpower players in front of the net with his (93) Strength and (92) Body Checking rating. In the offensive zone, he possesses the heaviest shot in NHL 17, with a (95) Slap Shot Power rating.