All 32 NHL Teams Ranked by Defense: 2025-2026 Season

Defense doesn't sell jerseys. But it wins hockey games. And covers unders.

Look, most casual bettors chase offense. They bet McDavid props, Matthews goals, Hughes assists. That's not wrong, but it's incomplete.

Defense wins low-scoring games. Elite defenses keep totals under. Bad defenses get lit up every night. For bettors, knowing which teams can defend and which teams bleed goals helps you find edges on totals, puck lines, and opponent props.

Shurzy Tip: Elite NHL defenses suppress totals, but books adjust fast. Real value is finding defenses the market hasn't caught up to yet (Oilers are actually good now, Maple Leafs added Tanev, Utah with Sergachev) or fading defenses the public overvalues (Penguins, Lightning without depth). Stack this with what you know about totals and you've got edges.

Read more: NHL Betting: The Ultimate Guide for the 2025/2026 Hockey Season

Elite Defensive Teams (Top 1-10)

1. Carolina Hurricanes

Even with roster turnover, Rod Brind'Amour's system remains the gold standard for suppression. Not even close.

Jaccob Slavin is arguably the best defensive defenseman in the world, and Sean Walker and Shayne Gostisbehere have fit seamlessly into their high-pressure structure. Sports betting picks often lean on Hurricanes unders, especially at home where they allow the fewest shots in the league.

2. Dallas Stars

Miro Heiskanen anchors a unit that is deep, big, and disciplined. Thomas Harley has blossomed into a star, giving them two elite pairs.

Sports betting odds consistently shade Stars games lower because they control the neutral zone better than anyone.

3. Florida Panthers

The defending champs lost some pieces but kept the core intact. Gustav Forsling and Aaron Ekblad form a shutdown pair that suffocates opponents.

Their aggressive forecheck prevents teams from even entering the zone. Hockey betting unders remain a staple in Florida games.

4. Boston Bruins

The Bruins reloaded by adding size and nastiness. Nikita Zadorov joins Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm to form a massive blue line.

They're physically punishing and protect the slot well, making them a nightmare for over bettors.

5. New Jersey Devils

The addition of Brett Pesce was a game-changer. Paired with Dougie Hamilton and rising star Luke Hughes, the Devils now have the structure to match their speed.

Jacob Markstrom in net gives them the stability they lacked last year.

6. Vancouver Canucks

Quinn Hughes isn't just an offensive dynamo. His possession numbers are elite defensively because the other team never has the puck.

Filip Hronek completes a dominant top pair. Under Rick Tocchet, they've become one of the hardest teams to score on at 5-on-5.

7. New York Rangers

Adam Fox drives puck movement while Jacob Trouba brings the physical edge. But the real key is Igor Shesterkin, who erases defensive breakdowns.

The Rangers' "bend but don't break" style makes them a tricky handicap, but their goals-against average remains elite.

8. Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar and Devon Toews are the best pairing in hockey. While their depth can be shaky, their ability to transition the puck out of danger is unmatched.

NHL betting lines favor Avalanche unders in tough matchups because they simply play "keep away" with the puck.

9. Minnesota Wild

Jonas Brodin and Brock Faber are minutes-eaters who play mistake-free hockey. The Wild slow games down to a crawl, which is key info for sports betting apps posting totals.

If you like low-event hockey, bet Minnesota unders.

10. Vegas Golden Knights

Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore, and Noah Hanifin give Vegas the deepest defense corps in the league. They're built for the playoffs. Big, mobile, and experienced.

NHL best bets today often include Vegas "Puck Line" plays because they lock games down late.

Shurzy Tip: Hurricanes and Stars are automatic under plays against weak offenses. When Carolina plays Columbus or San Jose, hammer the under. It's free money. Devils are the sharp angle here because the market still prices them like last year's leaky team. They're not anymore with Pesce and Markstrom. Bet Devils unders before books adjust fully. Use NHL prop betting strategies for goalie save props when elite defenses play.

Solid but Flawed (11-20)

11. Edmonton Oilers

Forget the old narratives. This is a good defensive team now.

Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard dominate possession. Under Kris Knoblauch, they've become a top-tier team at limiting high-danger chances. The "Edmonton Over" is no longer an automatic lock.

12. Toronto Maple Leafs

A massive riser. Signing Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson completely reshaped their identity.

Tanev provides the shutdown presence Morgan Rielly always needed. They finally have a defense capable of winning 2 to 1 games.

13. Winnipeg Jets

Josh Morrissey is elite, and Connor Hellebuyck is the great equalizer. The system allows shots, but Hellebuyck stops them.

Sports betting lines on Jets games often hinge entirely on whether Hellebuyck is starting.

14. Nashville Predators

They added Brady Skjei to a group already led by Roman Josi. This is now an offensive-minded blue line.

They'll give up chances while trying to create them. Great for player props (shots on goal), but risky for "Team Total Unders."

15. Seattle Kraken

Adding Brandon Montour gives them offense, but Adam Larsson and Vince Dunn still provide the structure. They're a balanced, mid-tier group.

Bettors find value in unders when Seattle dictates the pace.

16. Washington Capitals

A massive overhaul. They brought in Jakob Chychrun and Matt Roy to rebuild their defense on the fly.

They're significantly better than last year's disaster, but chemistry is still building.

17. Los Angeles Kings

Drew Doughty is aging, and the system has shifted to be slightly more open. They're no longer the 1-3-1 trap machine of old.

Kings games trend "Over" more often now than in previous years.

18. New York Islanders

Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock are still there, but the team has lost a step. Patrick Roy's system demands hard work, but they get hemmed in their own zone too often.

Great for "Shot Block" props, though.

19. Tampa Bay Lightning

Victor Hedman is still a force, and acquiring Ryan McDonagh back brings leadership. However, the rest of the depth is thin.

They rely heavily on Andrei Vasilevskiy to bail them out.

20. Utah Hockey Club (formerly Arizona)

This is not the Coyotes anymore. They traded for Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino, instantly creating a legitimate top-four.

They're much harder to play against. Do not auto-fade their defense like in years past.

Shurzy Tip: Oilers and Maple Leafs are the market inefficiencies. The public still bets them like defensive disasters. Wrong. When Edmonton or Toronto play bad offenses (Sharks, Ducks, Blue Jackets), bet unders. The market hasn't caught up to their defensive improvements. Capitals are interesting because they're massively improved but still priced like last year's mess. Bet Capitals unders against weak offenses before books adjust.

Read more: Everything You Need to Know About NHL Prop Betting

Rebuilding or Weak Groups (21-32)

21. Ottawa Senators

Jake Sanderson is a stud, but the rest of the group is inconsistent. Trading Chychrun changed the dynamic.

Linus Ullmark in net covers up a lot of mistakes, but the blue line itself is still porous.

22. Buffalo Sabres

Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power are gifted, but they take risks. High-event games make Buffalo overs the right call on most sportsbooks.

They struggle to clear the front of their net.

23. St. Louis Blues

Colton Parayko and Justin Faulk are solid, but the team defense structure is loose. They trade chances.

Totals often go over when their forwards cheat for offense.

24. Detroit Red Wings

Moritz Seider is a warrior, but he gets zero help. The rest of the defensive unit struggles to move the puck.

Until their prospects develop, bettors should fade unders in Detroit games.

25. Philadelphia Flyers

Cam York and Jamie Drysdale are talented but small. They get pushed around by heavy teams.

Effort is there, but the results are inconsistent.

26. Calgary Flames

They traded away Tanev, Hanifin, and Zadorov over the last year. Rasmus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar are holding down the fort, but the depth is AHL-level.

27. Pittsburgh Penguins

Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson are all-offense, no-defense at this stage. They constantly get caught pinching.

Unders used to be sharp in Pittsburgh. Now overs are the much safer sports betting picks.

28. Montreal Canadiens

A young corps with upside (Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle) but no lockdown reliability yet. They make "rookie mistakes" that lead to odd-man rushes.

NHL best bets today often target overs against Montreal.

29. Chicago Blackhawks

Seth Jones shoulders too much responsibility. Alex Vlasic is a bright spot, but overall, they allow too many high-danger shots.

With Bedard up front, Chicago games lean overs for NHL betting this week.

30. Columbus Blue Jackets

Zach Werenski is elite, but he can't play 60 minutes. The defensive depth is among the league's worst.

Bettors should target opponent "Team Total Overs."

31. Anaheim Ducks

Loaded with youth (Pavel Mintyukov, Olen Zellweger), but they run around like chaos agents. They take a lot of penalties, which kills their defensive metrics.

32. San Jose Sharks

They added Cody Ceci and Jake Walman to stop the bleeding, but this is still the worst roster in the league defensively. Opponents feast on them.

Sports betting odds often inflate totals in Sharks games, and overs still cash frequently.

Shurzy Tip: Penguins are a massive fade. The public still bets them like a defensive team. They're not. Letang and Karlsson get caught pinching constantly. When Pittsburgh plays offensive teams (Oilers, Avalanche, Leafs), bet overs. Sharks and Ducks are automatic opponent team total overs. When elite offenses play them, hammer the over and stack opponent scorer props.

FAQ: Betting NHL Defense

Q: How do backup goalies affect defensive team betting?

Backup goalies change everything. A top defense with a backup goalie is a trap.

Elite defenses (Hurricanes, Stars, Panthers) rely on their starters to bail out mistakes. When the backup plays, the defense has to play perfect. They can't. This often leads to overs because the team defense overcompensates and makes more mistakes.

Check starting goalies 1 hour before puck drop. Starter out on an elite defensive team means bet the over.

Q: Why do some defensive teams have high "Over" hit rates?

System and goaltending matter more than talent.

The Islanders have talented defensemen (Pelech, Pulock), but Patrick Roy's system gets them hemmed in their own zone. They allow tons of shots. Same with the Kings under Todd McLellan compared to Darryl Sutter.

Check team stats on shots against per game. Teams that allow 35 shots per game but have good defensemen are vulnerable to overs when their goalie has an off night.

Q: How do penalties affect defensive betting?

Penalties kill defensive metrics. Simple as that.

Teams like Anaheim and Chicago take lots of penalties. When they face elite power plays (Oilers, Lightning, Rangers), bet overs. Power plays score on 25% or higher of chances. Two penalties in the first period changes the whole game.

Watch penalty minutes in the first period for live betting. If a weak defensive team takes 2 penalties early, bet the live over immediately.

Q: What's the difference between shot suppression and save percentage for betting?

Shot suppression is sustainable. Save percentage is volatile.

Teams that allow few shots (Hurricanes 25 per game, Stars 27 per game) are reliable under bets. Teams that allow lots of shots but have great goalies (Jets 32 per game with Hellebuyck) are risky because goalies have off nights.

Check team stats on shots against per game. Under 28 shots against means elite defense. Over 32 shots against means goalie-dependent defense.

Q: How do defensive zone turnovers affect totals?

Turnovers in the defensive zone lead to high-danger chances and goals.

Teams like the Ducks, Sharks, and Blue Jackets turn the puck over constantly in their own zone. This creates odd-man rushes and breakaways. These are the highest-percentage scoring chances in hockey.

When weak defensive teams (bottom 10) play elite offensive teams (top 10), bet overs. The turnovers pile up and goals follow.

Q: Why do road games affect defensive performance more than home games?

Last change advantage matters massively in hockey.

Home teams get last change, which means they can match their best defensive pair against the opponent's best offensive line. Road teams don't get this luxury.

Elite defensive teams (Hurricanes, Stars, Panthers) see their defensive metrics drop 10% to 15% on the road. When betting unders, prioritize home games for top defensive teams. Road games are riskier.

Shurzy Tip: Backup goalies are the #1 thing to watch for defensive betting. Elite defense plus backup goalie equals trap. Check goalie status 1 hour before puck drop religiously. Penalties matter more than people think. When teams like Anaheim or Chicago face elite power plays, bet overs. Shot suppression is more predictive than save percentage for long-term under bets. Teams that allow under 28 shots per game are automatic under plays.

Read more: NHL Betting: The Ultimate Guide for the 2025/2026 Hockey Season

How to Use Defensive Rankings in Betting

Knowing defensive rankings helps bettors in multiple markets. Here's the breakdown:

Totals: Elite defenses suppress unders. Top-tier (Hurricanes, Stars, Panthers, Bruins, Devils) make unders attractive. But watch for backup goalies. Bottom-tier defenses (Sharks, Ducks, Blue Jackets, Penguins) make opponent team total overs safe bets.

Puck Lines: Elite defenses cover puck lines as favorites. When Hurricanes or Stars are favored by 1.5 goals against weak offenses, they cover. Weak defenses (Sharks, Ducks, Canadiens) rarely cover as underdogs.

Props: Matchups against weak defenses boost opponent props. Stack opponent scorer props when they face bottom-10 defenses. Example: Oilers players against Sharks defense are automatic money.

Shot Block Props: Teams that get hemmed in their own zone (Islanders, Flyers) have high shot block numbers. Bet shot block props over when these teams play offensive juggernauts.

Shurzy Tip: The sharpest angle is stacking elite defense vs. weak offense. Hurricanes playing Blue Jackets? Hammer under 5 total goals and bet Hurricanes puck line. Stars playing Sharks? Bet under and Stars to win by 2 goals or more. These matchups are profit machines. Don't overthink it.

Wrapping It Up

Defense drives NHL under betting. From the Hurricanes at the top to the Sharks at the bottom, knowing which teams can defend helps bettors stay ahead of the market.

NHL betting sites adjust fast, but hockey betting fans who track defense find best bets before the public catches up.

Check starting goalies 1 hour before puck drop. Elite defense plus backup goalie equals trap. Bet the over.

Check out our full betting toolset to start spotting profitable lines.