Kale Makar sits atop a sprawling, offense-heavy era for defensemen, with Quinn Hughes nudging him as the session’s closest challenger. Adam Fox anchors the Rangers’ puck-driving backbone, and Thomas Harley’s breakout season is a marquee storyline for Dallas. Charlie McAvoy, Evan Bouchard, and Zack Werenski form a formidable mid-range tier, while Gustav Forsling, Rasmus Dahlin, Jacob Slavin, and Erik Karlsson round out a defensive corps that now defines fantasy value as much by transition play as by shut-down ability.

The dialogue underscores that the Norris conversation is as much about skating, gap control, and power-play impact as raw points. Heiskanen and Karlsson surface in lighter spots, reminding us mobility and IQ still swing fantasy upside, even if pure totals don’t always shout. Oilers fans especially should note Bouchard’s ascent, a reminder that elite defensemen now pace the fantasy game from the back end.

In practice, owners should lean into players who eat minutes, run the top power play, and push transition plays. The top five or six names are likely to be the season-long anchors, with the rest offering robust complementary value depending on team context and minutes. This top-10 map signals a shift: offense now defines a defenseman’s fantasy ceiling as much as his defensive chops did a decade ago.

Igor Shesterkin anchors the NHL’s goalie elite, with Connor Hellebuyck and Sergei Bobrovsky close behind. Andrei Vasilevskiy sits in the next tier, then Juuse Saros, Illya Sorokin, and Jeremy Swayman. Frederik Andersen and Darcy Kuemper round out the top 10, offering durability and playoff pedigree.

Context matters as much as talent: regular-season metrics mingle with playoff performance and team support. Shesterkin remains the anchor; Kuemper and Andersen provide steady workloads and potential streaming wins when the schedule is dense.

Montreal’s off-season surge centers on Nick Suzuki’s 89-point breakout, Lane Hutson’s record-breaking rookie season, and a young core (Caulfield, Slafkovsky) that has fans dreaming of a rapid rise. A bold Noah Dobson acquisition underscores patience over panic, with the front office prioritizing a puck-moving blueline and cost-controlled talent. The discussion widens to second-line center targets (Kadri, Bennett, McTavish) and even hypothetical high-profile suitors like Crosby, highlighting Montreal’s win-now aspirations within a brutal Atlantic frame.

External expectations are tempered by internal realism: the Canadians need a reliable 2C and more depth, while Suzuki’s leadership and the organization’s flexibility hint at a best-possible window in the next 2–3 years. The vibe is buoyant, but the path remains a careful rebuild with upside anchored in a blossoming core.

Across these threads, the episode paints a franchise ready to contend soon, not later, while acknowledging the practical limits of a team still stacking futures. The narrative balances optimism with strategic risk, keeping fantasy rosters and dynasty plans in sharp focus as puck drop approaches.