Every NHL Franchise's Mount Rushmore of Defensemen Since 1990
In November, we revealed our list of every NHL franchise's Mount Rushmore of Forwards Since 1990. We're continuing the series by looking at each team's Mount Rushmore of Defensemen during the same period.
The rules are simple. We've narrrowed the list to those defensemen since 1990-91 because they will be more familiar to today's NHL fans. It's easier to make those decisions when you've actually seen these blueliners in action during their prime.
Some of the great defensemen on this list will appear on more than one team's Mount Rushmore as they had great careers divided between multiple clubs.
We've also included the performances of defensemen who skated on teams that relocated.
Utah Hockey Club includes those who skated for the Arizona Coyotes and the original Winnipeg Jets. The current Jets have those who played for the Atlanta Thrashers, the Carolina Hurricanes includes the Hartford Whalers, the Colorado Avalanche has former Quebec Nordiques, and the Dallas Stars has former Minnesota North Stars.
Do you agree with our Mount Rushmore of defensemen for your favorite team? Is there a player we skipped who you believe belongs here? Let us know in the app comments below.
Anaheim Ducks: Scott Niedermayer, Cam Fowler, Chris Pronger, Francois Beauchemin
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Scott Niedermayer spent five of his 18 NHL seasons with the Anaheim Ducks. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2007 as the team won its first Stanley Cup.
Niedermayer is second all-time among Ducks defensemen in goals (60), assists (204) and points (264), and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013.
Cam Fowler spent almost 15 seasons with the Ducks until being traded in December 2024 to the St. Louis Blues. He's second all-time in games played (991), fifth with 361 assists and 457 points, and he leads all defensemen with 96 goals.
Chris Pronger spent only three of his 18 NHL seasons with the Ducks, but they were memorable. He helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2007, captained the club in 2007-08 and was a finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2006-07. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.
François Beauchemin spent 10 of his 14 NHL seasons in Anaheim. A big-minute defensive blueliner, he's ninth all-time among the Ducks with 592 games played and fourth all-time among their defensemen with 196 points. He helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2007.
Boston Bruins: Raymond Bourque, Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy, Torey Krug
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Raymond Bourque spent 21 seasons with the Boston Bruins until 1999-2000 and captained them for 15 seasons. He's the franchise leader with 1,518 games played, 1,111 assists and 1,506 points. He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy five times and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004.
Zdeno Chara played 14 of his 24 NHL seasons with the Bruins, sitting third all-time among defensemen in games played (1,023) and points with 481. He captained the Bruins for 14 seasons, led them to the Stanley Cup in 2011 and won the Norris Trophy in 2009. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2025.
Charlie McAvoy is in his eighth season with the Bruins. Named to the NHL's All-Rookie team in 2017-18, the 27-year-old is a big-minute puck-moving defenseman. He's seventh in assists (240), eighth in plus/minus (plus-144) and ninth in points (300) among Bruins defensemen.
Torey Krug spent nine of his 13 NHL campaigns as a Bruin until 2020. A small but gifted puck-moving defenseman, he was named to the 2013-14 NHL All-Rookie team and reached or exceeded 40 points six times during his tenure in Boston. He's fifth among their defensemen with 270 assists and sixth with 337 points.
Buffalo Sabres: Rasmus Dahlin, Tyler Myers, Brian Campbell, Jay McKee
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Rasmus Dahlin was named captain of the Buffalo Sabres this season. The 24-year-old defenseman is in his seventh NHL season. He's already second in assists (261) and points (334) among Sabres blueliners. He was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year in 2018-19.
Tyler Myers won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2009-10, joining Hall of Famers Gilbert Perreault and Tom Barrasso as the only Sabres to be so honored. The 6'8”, 229-pounder spent six seasons in Buffalo, sitting 10th all-time among their defensemen with 45 goals.
Brian Campbell began his 17-season NHL career in Buffalo, spending eight seasons with the Sabres from 1999-2000 to 2007-08. He also co-captained the club in 2007-08. A talented puck-moving defenseman, he exceeded the 40-point plateau three times in Buffalo and is 12th all-time among their blueliners with 176 points.
Jay McKee spent 10 of his 14 NHL campaigns with the Sabres from 1995-96 to 2005-06. A shutdown defenseman, he's seventh among their blueliners with 582 games played.
Calgary Flames: Al MacInnis, Mark Giordano, Gary Suter, Rasmus Andersson
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Al MacInnis spent 13 of his 23 NHL seasons with the Calgary Flames (1981-82 to 1993-94), sitting fifth all-time with 803 games played. The hard-shooting defenseman is their franchise leader with 609 assists, third with 822 points and seventh with 213 goals. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.
Mark Giordano played 15 of his 18 NHL campaigns with the Flames. He's third all-time with 949 games played, sixth with 366 assists and 10th with 509 points. Giordano captained the Flames from 2013-14 to 2020-21. In 2018-19, he became the first Flames defenseman to win the James Norris Memorial Trophy.
Gary Suter spent nine of his 17 NHL seasons with the Flames from 1985-86 to 1993-94. He's fourth all-time with 436 assists and sixth with 564 points, including a 70-point performance in 1990-91 and 81 points in 1992-93.
Rasmus Andersson is in his ninth season with the Flames. A talented all-around defenseman, the 28-year-old Swede is seventh all-time among their blueliners with 510 games played, eighth in assists (177) and ninth in points with 221.
Carolina Hurricanes: Jaccob Slavin, Glen Wesley, Justin Faulk, Bret Hedican
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Jaccob Slavin is in his 10th season with the Carolina Hurricanes. The 30-year-old defenseman won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 2020-21 and 2023-24. He's fifth among their franchise leaders with 721 games played and ninth with 239 assists. He leads all Hurricanes defensemen with 290 career points.
Glen Wesley spent 13 of his 20 NHL seasons (1994-95 to 2007-08) with this franchise, moving with them from Hartford to Carolina. He's second among their all-time leaders with 913 games played and fifth among their defensemen with 155 points. He helped them win their first Stanley Cup in 2005-06.
Justin Faulk began his NHL career with the Hurricanes in 2011-12, spending eight of his 14 NHL seasons with them. He leads all their defensemen with 85 goals, sits second with 258 points and is fourth all-time with 559 games played.
Bret Hedican spent six of his 17 NHL campaigns in Carolina from 2001-02 to 2007-08. He was a solid two-way blueliner who helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2006. He is eighth with 369 games played among Hurricanes defenseman.
Chicago Blackhawks: Duncan Keith, Chris Chelios, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson
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Duncan Keith spent all but one of his 17 NHL seasons with Chicago from 2005-06 to 2020-21. He helped the team win three Stanley Cups (2010, 2013, 2015), won the James Norris Memorial Trophy twice (2010, 2014) and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2015. He's second among its franchise leaders with 1,192 games played.
Chris Chelios played nine of his 26 NHL campaigns in Chicago from 1990-91 to 1998-99. He won two of his three Norris trophies there (1992-93, 1995-96) and was named to the All-Star team in both seasons. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013.
Brent Seabrook spent his entire 15-season career in Chicago from 2005-06 to 2019-20, helping the team win three Stanley Cups. Often paired with Keith, he's fourth all-time among their franchise leaders with 1,114 games played. He's fifth among Chicago's defensemen with 103 goals and sixth with 361 assists and 464 points.
Niklas Hjalmarsson began his career in Chicago in 2007-08, spending 10 of his 14 NHL seasons in the Windy City. A skilled shutdown defenseman, he helped the team win three Stanley Cups. He is 10th among Chicago defensemen with 623 games played and a plus/minus of plus-109.
Colorado Avalanche: Cale Makar, Adam Foote, Rob Blake, Erik Johnson
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Cale Makar is in his sixth season with the Avalanche and is considered among the NHL's elite defensemen. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy (2019-20), the James Norris Memorial Trophy (2021-22), and in 2022 won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup. He leads all Avs defensemen with 399 points.
Adam Foote is the longest-serving defenseman in Colorado Avalanche history, spending 17 of his 20 NHL seasons with them. The shutdown blueliner is third all-time in games played (967) and fifth all-time in plus/minus with plus-129. He won two Stanley Cups with the Avalanche in 1996 and 2001.
Rob Blake spent five of his 20 NHL seasons with the Avalanche from 2000-01 to 2005-06. He helped them win the Cup in 2001 and was a finalist for the Norris Trophy in 2001-02. Despite his short tenure with the Avs, he's ninth all-time among their defensemen with 208 points.
Erik Johnson played 13 of his 17 NHL campaigns in an Avalanche jersey. He's eighth all-time in games played (717) and fifth among their blueliners with 246 points. He helped them win the Cup in 2022.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Zach Werenski, Seth Jones, David Savard, Fedor Tyutin
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Zach Werenski is in his ninth season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 27-year-old defenseman is second all-time with 254 assists, fourth in points (361), and eighth in games played (541) played and goals with 107. He was named to the NHL's All-Rookie team in 2016-17.
Seth Jones spent six of his 12 NHL seasons with the Blue Jackets from 2015-16 to 2020-21. The big-minute blueliner sits sixth among their franchise leaders with 173 assists and 10th with 223 points.
David Savard began his 14-year NHL career in Columbus, spending 10 seasons with the Blues Jackets from 2011-12 to 2020-21. He sits fifth all-time with 597 games played, leading all Jackets defensemen in that category. Savard is fourth among their blueliners with 166 points.
Fedor Tyutin spent eight of his 13 seasons with the Blue Jackets. He's sixth all-time in games played (553) and third in points among their defensemen with 185.
Dallas Stars: Sergei Zubov, Derian Hatcher, Miro Heiskanen, Darryl Sydor
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Sergei Zubov played 12 of his 16 NHL seasons with the Dallas Stars. He's fourth all-time with 438 assists, fifth in games played (839), and eighth with 549 points. A finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2005-06, he helped the Stars win the Stanley Cup in 1999 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019.
Derian Hatcher spent 12 of his 16 seasons with the Stars. He captained the club from 1994-95 to 2002-03, leading them to the Stanley Cup in 1998-99. A rugged stay-at-home defenseman, he's seventh all-time with 827 games played and was a finalist for the Norris Trophy in 2002-03.
Miro Heiskanen began his NHL career with the Stars and is in his seventh season with the franchise. He was named to the All-Rookie Team in 2018-19 and led all defensemen with 26 points during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 25-year-old Heiskanen sits fourth all-time among Stars defensemen with 283 points.
Darryl Sydor spent 10 of his 18 NHL campaigns in Dallas. Along with Zubov and Hatcher, he was part of a deep defense corps that carried the Stars to the Stanley Cup in 1999. Sydor is fourth among Stars defensemen with 714 games played and third in points with 334.
Detroit Red Wings: Lidstrom, Chelios, Kronwall, Konstantinov
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Nicklas Lidström spent his entire 20-year career with the Detroit Red Wings, winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy seven times, named to the First All-Star Team eight times, winning the Stanley Cup four times and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2002. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014.
Chris Chelios spent 10 of his 26-season NHL career with the Red Wings. He helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2002 and in 2008, and was a finalist for the Norris Trophy in 2002. Chelios is third all-time among Wings defensemen in plus/minus (plus-158) and eighth in games played with 578.
Niklas Kronwall spent his entire 15-season career with Detroit. A heavy-hitting defenseman, he's tied with Pavel Datsyuk for ninth in games played with 953, sitting third among their blueliners in that category and in points with 432 points.
Vladimir Konstantinov spent only six seasons with the Wings before his playing career was tragically cut short following their 1997 Stanley Cup victory. He was named to the All-Rookie Team in 1991-92. Konstantinov is second among their defensemen in plus/minus (185) and 10th in points with 175.
Edmonton Oilers: Darnell Nurse, Evan Bouchard, Kevin Lowe, Jason Smith
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Darnell Nurse is in his 11th season with the Edmonton Oilers. An all-around defenseman, he's third all-time among their blueliners with 80 goals and 692 games played and is fourth with 289 points.
Evan Bouchard is in his sixth season with the Oilers. Since 2021-22, he's had four straight 40-plus point performances, including a career-best 82 points last season. He is already fifth all-time among their defensemen with 50 goals and is sixth with 215 points.
Kevin Lowe spent 15 of his 19 seasons with the Oilers from 1979-80 to 1991-92, returning to play his final two seasons in 1996-97 to 1997-98. He's the franchise leader with 1,037 games played. He won five Stanley Cups with Edmonton, the last in 1989-90, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2021.
Jason Smith played eight of his 15 seasons with Edmonton. He was their captain from 2001-02 to 2006-07, leading the underdog Oilers to the 2006 Stanley Cup Final. A stay-at-home defenseman, he is fifth among their blueliners with 542 games played.
Florida Panthers: Aaron Ekblad, Gustav Forsling, Jay Bouwmeester, Robert Svehla
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Chosen first overall in the 2014 draft, Aaron Ekblad is in his 11th season with the Florida Panthers. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2014-15, and is second among the franchise leaders with 725 games played, third in assists (255), and fifth in points (373). He helped them win the Stanley Cup last season.
Gustav Forsling is in his fifth season with the Panthers. A solid all-around defenseman, he leads their blueliners with a plus/minus of plus-163. He's also fourth with 46 goals, seventh in points with 155, and eighth in assists with 109. He also helped them win the Cup last season.
Drafted third overall by the Panthers in 2002, Jay Bouwmeester spent six of his 17 NHL seasons in Florida. He's third all-time among their defensemen with 53 goals, fourth in assists (150) and points (203) and fifth in games played with 471.
Róbert Švehla spent eight of his nine NHL campaigns in Florida from 1994-95 to 2001-02, helping the underdog Panthers reach the Stanley Cup Final in 1995-96. He's seventh all-time in games played (573), sixth in assists (229) and 10th in points with 290.
Los Angeles Kings: Drew Doughty, Rob Blake, Mattias Norstrom, Alec Martinez
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Drew Doughty is in his 16th season with the Los Angeles Kings. The 35-year-old defenseman sits third in franchise history with 1,183 games played, sixth with 514 assists, and eighth with 670 points. He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2015-16 and helped the Kings win the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014.
Rob Blake spent 14 of his 20 NHL campaigns with the Kings. He's seventh all-time with 805 games played and 10th with 333 assists and 494 points. He won the Norris Trophy in 1997-98 and helped the Kings reach the 1993 Cup Final.
Mattias Norström was a shutdown defenseman who spent 11 of his 14 NHL seasons in Los Angeles from 1995-96 to 2006-07. He's ninth all-time in games played (780) and sits 13th among Kings blueliners with 128 assists and 14th with 142 points.
Alec Martinez is in his 16th NHL season and spent 11 with the Kings from 2009-10 to 2019-20. He's sixth all-time among their defensemen with 597 games played and ninth in points with 198. He helped the Kings win two Cups, scoring the Cup-winning goal in 2014.
Minnesota Wild: Jared Spurgeon, Ryan Suter, Jonas Brodin, Nick Schultz
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Jared Spurgeon is in his 15th season with the Minnesota Wild and has captained the club since 2020-21. He's the franchise leader in plus/minus (plus-121), and sits second all-time with 908 games played, third in assists (288) and points (404) and eighth with 116 goals.
Ryan Suter is currently in his 20th NHL season and spent nine with Minnesota. He sits second all-time in assists (314), fifth all-time in games played (656) and sixth in points with 369. He was a finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2012-13.
Jonas Brodin is in his 13th season with the Wild. Named to the league's All-Rookie Team in 2012-13, he's second in plus/minus (plus-104), third all-time in games played (837) and 10th in assists with 200.
Nick Schultz began his NHL career with the Wild in 2001-02, spending 10 of his 15 seasons in Minnesota. He's fourth all-time with 743 games played, sitting third among all Wild blueliners in that category. He co-captained the club in 2007-08 and sits seventh among their defenders with 128 points.
Montreal Canadiens: Andrei Markov, Shea Weber, P.K. Subban, Sheldon Souray
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Andrei Markov played his entire 16-season NHL career with the Montréal Canadiens. He was the anchor of their defense corps for most of those years, sitting sixth all-time with 990 games played. Markov is second among all Canadiens defensemen with 453 assists and third with 119 goals and 572 points.
Shea Weber spent the final five seasons of his 16-season NHL career with the Canadiens. He made a positive impression during his tenure from 2016-17 to 2020-21, captaining them for three seasons and leading them to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. Weber was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2024.
P.K. Subban spent seven of his 13-season NHL career in Montréal. The charismatic crowd favorite was named to the All-Rookie Team in 2010-11, won the James Norris Memorial Trophy and was named to the First All-Star Team in 2012-13. Subban is 10th in scoring among Habs defensemen with 278 points.
Sheldon Souray spent six of his 13 NHL campaigns with the Canadiens from 1999-2000 to 2006-07. The hard-shooting defenseman enjoyed his best seasons in Montreal, including a career-high 26 goals and 38 assists for 64 points in 2006-07.
Nashville Predators: Roman Josi, Shea Weber, Kimmo Timonen, Mattias Ekholm
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Roman Josi is in his 14th NHL season, all with the Nashville Predators. He's the franchise leader with 959 games played, 533 assists and 723 points. He's the first Predators defenseman to win the James Norris Memorial Trophy (2019-20) and was named to that season's First All-Star Team.
Shea Weber began his NHL career with the Predators, spending 11 of his 16 seasons in Nashville. He is third all-time with 673 games played, fourth in goals with 166, and fifth in assists (277) and points (443). He became the first player drafted by the Predators to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Kimmo Timonen spent the first eight years of his 16-season NHL career with the Predators from 1998-99 to 2006-07. A productive defenseman, he sits seventh all-time among their scoring leaders with 222 assists and eighth with 301 points.
Mattias Ekholm spent 12 of his 15 NHL campaigns with the Predators until traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 2022-23. A reliable all-around defenseman, he's sixth all-time with 719 games played, eighth in assists with 206 and 10th in points with 268.
New Jersey Devils: Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, Ken Daneyko, Brian Rafalski
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Captain of the New Jersey Devils for 12 seasons (1992-93 to 2003-04), Scott Stevens led them to three Stanley Cups in 1994-95, 1999-2000 and 2002-03. He leads the Devils in plus/minus (plus-282) and is second among their blueliners with 93 goals, 337 assists and 430 points. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.
Scott Niedermayer spent 13 of 18 seasons with the Devils. He won three Stanley Cups and is second among their all-time scorers with 364 assists. Niedermayer won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2003-24 and leading their defensemen with 112 goals and 476 points. He was indicated into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013.
The franchise leader with 1,283 games played, Ken Daneyko played his entire 20-season NHL career with the Devils. A rugged shutdown defenseman, he's also the franchise leader with 2,516 penalty minutes. Daneyko was a key part of the Devils' three Stanley Cup championships.
Brian Rafalski began his NHL career with the Devils in 1999-2000, spending seven of his 11 seasons with them. A skilled puck-moving defenseman, he was named to the All-Rookie Team and finished fourth among their blueliners with 267 assists and 311 points, helping the Devils win two Stanley Cups.
New York Islanders: Kenny Jonsson, Nick Leddy, Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock
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Kenny Jonsson spent nine of his 11 NHL seasons with the New York Islanders, joining them midway through 1995-96 through 2003-04. A mobile puckhandling defenseman, Jonsson is third all-time among Isles blueliners with 57 goals and fifth with 175 assists and 232 points.
Now in his 15th NHL campaign, Nick Leddy spent seven productive seasons with the Islanders from 2014-15 to 2020-21, helping them reach the Eastern Conference Final in 2020 and the semifinals during the COVID-shortened 2021 season. He's fourth among their defensemen with 198 assists and 243 points.
Adam Pelech is in his 10th season with the Islanders. A solid all-around defenseman, he was named to the 2021-22 All-Star Game. Pelech is ninth all-time among their blueliners with a plus/minus of plus-79 and sits 11th with 154 points.
Ryan Pulock is also playing his 10th season with the Islanders. The puck-moving blueliner sits fifth among their blueliners with 51 goals, ninth with 156 assists and eighth with 207 points.
New York Rangers: Brian Leetch, Adam Fox, Ryan McDonagh, Dan Girardi
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Brian Leetch spent 18 seasons with the New York Rangers from 1987-88 to 2003-04. He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 1991-92 and 1996-97, and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1993-94 as the Rangers won the Stanley Cup. The franchise leader with 741 assists, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.
In only six seasons, Adam Fox has established himself among the league's elite defensemen. He won the Norris Trophy in 2020-21, becoming the first sophomore defenseman since Bobby Orr to be so honored. Fox is fourth among Rangers blueliners with 295 assists and and fifth with 352 points.
Ryan McDonagh began his 15-season NHL career with the Rangers, spending his first eight seasons with them from 2010-11 to 2017-18. A strong all-around defenseman, he was their captain from 2014-15 to 2017-18 and is third all-time among their blueliners with a plus/minus of plus-141.
Ottawa Senators: Erik Karlsson, Wade Redden, Zdeno Chara, Chris Phillips
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Erik Karlsson spent nine of his 16 NHL seasons with the Ottawa Senators, captaining the team from 2014-15 to 2017-18. He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2011-12 and 2014-15 and sits third all-time among their franchise leaders with 392 assists and 518 points, eighth in games played (617) and 10th with 126 goals.
Wade Redden spent 11 of his 14 NHL seasons in Ottawa, helping the Senators win the Presidents' Trophy in 2002-03 and reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2006-07. A skillful and mobile rearguard, he is fourth all-time with 838 games played and 309 assists and fifth with 410 points.
Zdeno Chara spent only four of his 24 NHL seasons in Ottawa (2001-02 to 2005-06) but emerged as an elite defenseman during his tenure with the Senators. He's third among their all-time leaders in plus/minus (plus-109) and fifth among their blueliners with 146 points. He was a Norris Trophy finalist in 2003-04.
The franchise leader in games played with 1,179, Chris Phillips spent his entire 17-season NHL career with the Senators from 1997-98 to 2014-15. Nicknamed “The Big Rig”, the 6'3”, 219-pounder was a team leader and a reliable shutdown defenseman. He is third all-time among Senators blueliners with 71 goals and 288 points.
Philadelphia Flyers: Eric Desjardins, Kimmo Timonen, Chris Pronger, Ivan Provorov
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Éric Desjardins spent 11 of his 17 NHL seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, sitting 10th all-time in games played with 738 from 1994-95 until 2003-04. The puck-moving defenseman sits second all-time among Flyers blueliners with 93 goals, 303 assists and 396 points. He's also seventh in plus/minus at plus-143.
Kimmo Timonen spent seven of his 16 NHL seasons with the Flyers from 2007-08 to 2013-14, helping them reach the 2010 Stanley Cup Final. Like Desjardins, he was a skilled, big-minute blueliner, sitting third among their defensemen with 232 assists and 270 points.
Chris Pronger spent his final three NHL campaigns with the Flyers until an eye injury and post-concussion symptoms ended his career in 2011-12. The Hall-of-Famer defenseman played a significant role in the Flyers march to the 2010 Cup Final.
Ivan Provorov is in his ninth NHL season, the first seven he spent with the Flyers. Another big-minute defenseman, he's fourth among their rearguards with 65 goals and sixth in points with 217.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Kris Letang, Larry Murphy, Sergei Gonchar, Brooks Orpik
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The top defenseman in Pittsburgh Penguins history, Kris Letang helped them win two of their three Stanley Cups from 2008-09 to 2016-17. Now in his 13th season with the Penguins, he's second among their franchise leaders with 1,137 games played Letang is also fifth in assists with 589 and in points with 762.
Larry Murphy spent five of his 21 NHL campaigns with the Penguins from 1990-91 to 1994-95, helping them win two Stanley Cups. He leads their defensemen with a plus/minus of plus-102 and is third with 78 goals and fifth with 223 assists (223) and 301 points. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004.
Sergei Gonchar spent five of his 20 NHL seasons with the Penguins, joining them in 2005-06 until 2009-10. Another talented puck-moving defenseman, he helped them reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2008 and win the Cup in 2009. He is sixth among their blueliners with 54 goals, 205 assists and 259 points.
A physical shutdown defenseman, Brooks Orpik began his NHL career with the Penguins and spent 11 of his 16 seasons in Pittsburgh. He's second all-time among their defensemen with 703 games played and helped them win the Cup in 2008-09.
San Jose Sharks: Brent Burns, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Erik Karlsson, Dan Boyle
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Brent Burns is in his 21st NHL season and spent 11 of them with the San Jose Sharks. He's third all-time with 422 assists, fifth with 594 points, sixth in games played with 798 and seventh in goals with 172. He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2016-17 and helped the Sharks reach the 2016 Stanley Cup Final.
Marc-Édouard Vlasic is the longest-tenured defenseman in Sharks history, sitting second among their franchise leaders with 1,303 games played. He's also sixth in assists with 295 and eighth in total points with 378. He also helped them reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2016.
Erik Karlsson is the second Sharks defenseman to win the Norris Trophy, sitting second among their all-time single-season leaders with 76 assists and 101 points in 2022-23. Now in his 16th NHL season, he spent five years with the Sharks. He's fourth all-time among their rearguards with 52 goals and 191 assists for 243 points.
Dan Boyle spent six of his 17 NHL seasons with the Sharks from 2008-09 to 2013-14. A skillful and mobile defenseman, he's third all-time among Sharks defensemen with 68 goals and 201 assists for 269 points.
Seattle Kraken: Vince Dunn, Adam Larsson, Jamie Oleksiak, Brandon Montour
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Vince Dunn was among the players selected in the Seattle Kraken's expansion draft in 2021. He's their franchise leader with 128 assists and is second in points (170), sixth in games played (250) and eighth in goals with 42.
Another Kraken original is Adam Larsson, who holds the franchise record with 302 games played and counting. A solid all-around defenseman, he's ninth all-time with 66 assists and 10th with 89 points.
Jamie Oleksiak is also an original member of the Kraken. The big shutdown blueliner is third all-time with 286 games played and 10th in assists with 54. Oleksiak sits behind Dunn and Larsson in total points among Kraken defensemen with 70.
Signed as a free agent last summer, Brandon Montour is quickly establishing himself as a solid puck-moving defenseman. He brings a veteran presence to their blue-line corps as well as Stanley Cup experience. He leads their defensemen this season with 27 points in 56 games.
St. Louis Blues: Alex Pietrangelo, Chris Pronger, Al MacInnis, Colton Parayko
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Alex Pietrangelo is in his 17th NHL season, spending 12 with the St. Louis Blues. Team captain from 2016-17 to 2019-20, he led them to the Stanley Cup in 2019. He's third among their all-time leaders with 341 assists and fifth with 758 games played. He is second all-time among their defensemen with 450 points.
Chris Pronger spent half of his 18-season Hall-of-Fame career with the Blues. He won the Hart Memorial Trophy and the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 1999-2000. He is the franchise leader in plus/minus (plus-140) and 10th in assists with 272
Another Hall of Famer (2007) is Al MacInnis, who played 10 of his 23 NHL seasons with the Blues from 1994-95 to 2003-04. The first Blues defenseman to win the Norris Trophy (1998-99), he sits fifth all-time with 325 assists and 10th in points with 452, leading all St. Louis rearguards in that latter category.
Colton Parayko has spent his entire 10-season NHL career with the Blues. He's eighth in games played (714) among their franchise leaders and helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2019. Named to the All-Rookie Team in 2015-16, he is sixth all-time in points (289) among their defensemen.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Victor Hedman, Pavel Kubina, Ryan McDonagh, Dan Boyle
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Victor Hedman is in his 16th NHL season, all with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He's the team leader with 1,105 games played and in plus/minus with plus-182, helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021. He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2017-18 and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2020.
Pavel Kubina began his NHL career with the Lightning, spending 10 of his 14 seasons with them. He was part of the 2003-04 Stanley Cup championship team and sits seventh all-time with 662 games played. Kubina is second among their defensemen with 72 goals and fourth with 171 assists and 243 points.
Ryan McDonagh has spent six of his 15 NHL seasons with the Lightning. His first tenure was from 2017-18 to 2021-22, helping them win back-to-back Stanley Cups. Traded to the Nashville Predators in 2022, he was reacquired last summer. McDonagh is second all-time among defensemen with a plus/minus of plus-105.
Dan Boyle played six of his 17-season NHL career with the Lightning from 2001-02 to 2007-08. He was part of their 2003-04 Stanley Cup team and sits third among their blueliners with 66 goals and 187 assists for 253 points.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Tomas Kaberle, Morgan Rielly, Bryan McCabe, Dion Phaneuf
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Tomas Kaberle began his 14-season NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, spending nearly 12 seasons with them. He's eighth all-time in games played with 878 and sixth in assists with 437. He is second all-time among Leafs defensemen with 520 points.
Morgan Reilly has spent his entire 12-season NHL career with the Maple Leafs. With 846 games played, he's poised to overtake Kaberle for eighth in games played. He's eighth all-time among their assists leaders (412) and third in points among their defensemen with 498.
Bryan McCabe spent seven of his 15 NHL seasons with the Leafs. They were the most productive of his career, netting three 50-plus points from 2003-04 to 2006-07, including a career-best 68 points in 2005-06. He's seventh in points among their blueliners with 297.
Team captain from 2010-11 to 2015-16, Dion Phaneuf spent seven of his 14 NHL campaigns in Toronto. A physical puck-moving defenseman, he had 196 points in 423 games with the Leafs.
Utah Hockey Club: Teppo Numminen, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Zbynek Michalek, Keith Yandle
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Teppo Numminen began his NHL career with the Winnipeg Jets in 1988-89 and moved with the club to Arizona in 1996. He spent 15 of his 20 NHL seasons with that franchise, sitting second all-time in games played (1,098), fourth in assists (426) and fifth in points with 534.
Now in his 15th NHL season, Oliver Ekman-Larsson spent 11 of them with the Arizona Coyotes. He's fourth all-time with 769 games played, seventh in assists with 260 and ninth in points with 388.
Keith Yandle played nine of his 16 NHL seasons with this franchise. He's second all-time among their defensemen with 65 goals and 246 assists for 311 points.
Zbyněk Michálek sits eighth all-time with 612 games played. Spending 10 of his 13 NHL seasons with this franchise, he's eighth all-time among their defensemen with 108 assists and ninth in points with 140.
Vancouver Canucks: Quinn Hughes, Alexander Edler, Mattias Ohlund, Kevin Bieksa
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The first defenseman in Vancouver Canucks history to win the James Norris Memorial Trophy (2023-24), Quinn Hughes also holds the single-season franchise records for defenseman with 75 assists and 92 points. The Canucks captain is also tied with Henrik Sedin for second in single-season assists.
Alexander Edler spent 15 of his 17 NHL seasons with the Canucks from 2006-07 to 2020-21, helping them reach the 2011 Stanley Cup Final and win the Presidents' Trophy in 2011 and 2012. He's fourth all-time with 925 games played and leads all Canucks defensemen with 99 goals and 409 points.
Mattias Öhlund played 11 of his 13 NHL seasons with the Canucks from 1997-98 to 2008-09. He's ninth all-time in games played with 770, and second all-time among their defensemen with 93 goals and third in points with 325.
Kevin Bieska spent 10 of his 13 NHL seasons with the Canucks (2005-06 to 2014-15), Like Edler, he helped them reach the 2011 Cup Final and win back-to-back Presidents' trophies. He's seventh all-time among their defensemen with 597 games played, 185 assists and 241 points.
Vegas Golden Knights: Shea Theodore, Alex Pietrangelo, Brayden McNabb, Alec Martinez
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One of the original Golden Knights, Shea Theodore has spent eight of his 10 NHL seasons with Vegas, helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2023. He is the franchise leader with 246 assists and is third in points (337), fourth in games played (499) and eighth in goals with 73.
After spending 12 seasons with the St. Louis Blues, Alex Pietrangelo joined the Golden Knights in 2020 as a free agent. He played a crucial role in anchoring their defense corps, especially during their Stanley Cup run. He is seventh all-time with 141 assists and ninth in points with 179.
Another original Golden Knight, Brayden McNabb is the franchise leader with 558 games played and in plus/minus with plus-123. He was also part of their 2023 Stanley Cup run and sits third among all Golden Knights defensemen with 24 goals, 97 assists and 121 points.
Alec Martinez spent five of his 16 NHL seasons with the Golden Knights from 2019-20 to 2023-24. He was also part of their Cup run in 2023. He's fifth all-time among their defensemen with 79 points.
Washington Capitals: John Carlson, Calle Johansson, Sergei Gonchar, Mike Green
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Chosen 27th overall in the 2008 NHL draft, John Carlson is in his 16th season with the Washington Capitals. Named to the NHL's 2010-11 All-Rookie Team, he helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2018. He's third all-time with 1,064 games played, fifth with 709 points, and third in assists with 554.
Calle Johansson spent 15 of his 17-season NHL career (1988-89 to 2002-03) with the Capitals, helping them reach the 1998 Cup Final. He's fourth all-time with 983 games played and eighth overall with 361 assists. Only Carlson has more assists and points all-time among their defensemen.
Sergei Gonchar spent half of his 20-season NHL career with the Capitals from 1994-95 to 2003-04. He was also part of their run to the 1998 Cup Final. He's third all-time among their defensemen with 144 goals and fifth in points with 416.
Mike Green played 10 of his 15 NHL seasons with the Capitals. He had back-to-back 70-plus point campaigns in 2008-09 and 2009-10 before injuries hampered his play. Named to the First All-Star Team in 2008-09, Green is fourth all-time among their blueliners with 113 goals and sixth with 360 points.
Winnipeg Jets: Dustin Byfuglien, Josh Morrissey, Tobias Enstrom, Jacob Trouba
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Acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010, Dustin Byfuglien spent nine of his 14 NHL seasons with the Winnipeg Jets until injuries ended his career in 2019. The 6'5”, 260-pounder is fourth all-time among Jets scorers with 294 assists, eighth with 416 points, ninth with 609 games played, and 10th with 122 goals.
Josh Morrissey has spent his 10-season NHL career with the Jets and is rising up their all-time leader boards. He's seventh all-time with 284 points, eighth with 638 games played, and ninth with 357 points. It's only a matter of time until he overtakes Byfuglien as their highest-scoring defenseman.
Tobias Enstrom is the Jets' longest-tenured defenseman, sitting fifth all-time with 719 games played. During his 11-season NHL career from 2007-08 to 2017-18. He tallied 254 assists and 308 points, sitting 10th all-time among the franchise in both categories.
Jacob Trouba began his NHL career with the Jets in 2013-14, spending six of his 12 NHL seasons in Winnipeg. He's third all-time among their defensemen with 42 goals and fourth with 137 assists and 179 points.
Stats and trophy information via NHL.com, Hockey-Reference.com and StatMuse.
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