Evan Bouchard, Oilers: He figures to get better as his game keeps growing. A 20-goal, 90-point campaign in '24-25 is realistic, so do not wait too long.
Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres: The 24-year-old Swede is one of the best fantasy defensemen around and should get gobbled up quickly. Be sure to plan accordingly.
Quinn Hughes, Canucks: The oldest of the NHL's three Hughes brothers should be among the first few D-men off the board, but he is due for a bit of a dip.
Lane Hutson, Canadiens: He is on track to become a top offensive D-man who can run a power play and hold his own defensively. Hutson is a definite keeper.
Cale Makar, Avalanche: It would be a shock if Makar is not the first D-man off the majority of draft boards this year. Grab him with supreme confidence.
Simon Edvinsson, Red Wings: Detroit has been patient with the 21-year-old, who appears ready to become a top-four NHL defenseman. He could help fantasy teams.
Brock Faber, Wild: At 22, Faber is already a first-pairing defenseman–and he is going to get better. Do not waste too much time before selecting him.
Thomas Harley, Stars: The 23-year-old's improvement defensively gave him the chance to shine on offense, and he did. He will probably go fairly quickly.
Luke Hughes, Devils: He is on track to become an elite offensive defenseman. Hughes' offensive numbers alone should be worthy of at least a late pick.
Pavel Mintyukov, Ducks: The Russian rearguard figures to be a top-four defenseman in Anaheim for the foreseeable future. Draft him with great confidence.
Shakir Mukhamadullin, Sharks: Do not be surprised if the young Russian earns himself a full-time NHL position this season. He is on the path to get there soon.
Rasmus Andersson, Flames: The Swedish vet should provide points, devour minutes and block shots. He is a good fantasy defenseman who checks multiple boxes.
Jamie Drysdale, Flyers: It will be interesting to see what the 22-year-old D-man can do if he is healthy. If so, he may be a worthwhile late-round gamble.
Aaron Ekblad, Panthers: The 28-year-old is a true workhorse who puts up solid offensive totals regularly. His injury history is the only bugaboo with him.
Adam Fox, Rangers: At 26, Fox is among the NHL's half-dozen best offensive defensemen. He is also durable, so do not hesitate to draft him this year.
Roman Josi, Predators: There is a very good chance veteran Josi does not make it past the second round in a few fantasy drafts in 2024. Plan accordingly.
Erik Karlsson, Penguins: The 34-year-old was not dominant the way many expected him to be in 2023-24. As a result, Karlsson could become a fantasy bargain.
Mikhail Sergachev, Mammoth: Assuming he is fully healthy again, the 26-year-old should return to being a skilled two-way defenseman. He has late-round value.
Brent Burns, Avalanche: The owner of one of the best beards in NHL history will no longer get picked in the early rounds, as was the case a few years ago.
Cam Fowler, Blues: The 32-year-old could help fantasy owners with his production, but be wary of him if categories such as plus/minus rating matter.
Dougie Hamilton, Devils: If Hamilton is healthy again, there is reason to believe he will post solid offensive numbers again. However, do not overrate him.
Brandon Montour, Kraken: Although the 30-year-old may never enjoy another season like 2022-23, he will still produce offense. But do not overrate Montour.
Jared Spurgeon, Wild: Fantasy interest in Spurgeon largely depends on his health. At this point, Spurgeon is a late-round pick (at best) in all leagues.
MacKenzie Weegar, Flames: Do not bank on another 20-goal campaign from Weegar. Hitting double figures and 45-50 points are realistic possibilities. Get him.
Philip Broberg, Blues: The No. 8 overall draft pick in 2019 may never match his draft promise, but his game is trending in the right direction (finally).
Kevin Korchinski, Blackhawks: The 20-year-old has a lot to learn defensively but also has all the tools to become an outstanding offensive D-man. He is rising.
Mason Lohrei, Bruins: Lohrei's game will keep getting better as he gets more ice time. But it might not be good enough to merit a pick in some leagues.
Daniil Miromanov, Flames: He was a depth defender in Vegas but saw much more playing time after moving to the Flames via trade (including power-play time).
Scott Perunovich, Mammoth: The 26-year-old is looking to stay healthy enough to display his talents in the NHL. He is a draft-worthy D-man, but a risky one.
Jake Walman, Oilers: When he is healthy, he does a lot of things pretty well. So Walman might be worth a late-round draft pick in many fantasy leagues.
Olen Zellweger, Ducks: The smallish defender looks like he will be able to drive enough offense to overcome any defensive-zone issues. He is on the rise.