Top 10 NHL Defensive Teams in 2026-27

Sure, everyone likes to see their forward sink a clean goal from an impossible angle during an NHL game. But you know what fans like to see less? A speedy forward sinking a clean goal from an impossible angle against their favorite team.

That’s where the defense comes in. Without solid goaltending and a pair of imposing defensemen, a team might as well be playing with an empty net for all three periods. Defense wins championships, they say, after all.

But which teams currently have the absolute best defensive presence in the NHL halfway through the 2026-27 season? Let’s take a look. No surprise: Most of them are also near the top of the league standings.

You can watch all of these top-notch defenses go to work on the ice during NHL games every day, all season long, on DIRECTV.

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Which NHL Teams Have the Best Defenses in the 2026-27 Season?

Right now, the Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild and Carolina Hurricanes are considered the best defensive teams in the NHL. All have consistently made the post-season multiple times over the last few seasons, and the Hurricanes are the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Top 10 NHL Defenses

Here’s our breakdown of the ten best defenses in the NHL right now, plus a full ranking of all 32 teams, based on a variety of defensive statistics.

First, some definitions for key defensive performance stats:

Expected Goals Against per 60 mins (xGA/60) at 5v5 is the number of goals a team is expected to allow for every 60 minutes of ice time (the length of a game) with both teams at full strength. That’s compared against the league’s average xGA, which is currently about 2.7, and is used to remove goaltending from the picture and understand how much the team’s skaters contribute to the team’s defense.

Corsi % is a team’s share of all shots taken during a game, which can be used to measure how often the team is in possession of the puck. A lower Corsi % means a team’s opponent is effectively denying them control of the puck and allowing them fewer opportunities to score.

Save % is the team’s goaltending performance at five on five.

Penalty Kill % is how often a team ends a power play without allowing the opponent to score.

Average Goals Against per Game is the average number of goals a team is allowing per 60 minutes of play.

1. Dallas Stars

Defensive Pairings:

• Thomas Harley – Miro Heiskanen

• Lian Bichsel – Nils Lundkvist

• Kyle Capobianco – Tyler Myers

Goaltenders: Jake Oettinger, Casey DeSmith

Key stats: 2.00 goals against per game, 2.05 xGA per 60 at 5-on-5, 52.5% Corsi, 90.8% 5-on-5 save percentage, 92.9% penalty kill

Dallas takes the top spot with the most complete defensive profile in the NHL. The Stars allow the fewest goals per game in the league, rank second in expected goals against at 5-on-5 and own the league’s second-best penalty kill.

What makes Dallas stand out is that their success doesn’t lean on any one factor: they’re on top of the puck with one of the higher Corsi scores in the league, and they’re shutting down their opponents’ scoring when they get a chance at the puck. Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley lead a mobile blue line, Dallas’ goaltending has been strong, with the team save percentage near the middle of the league at 90.8% and their penalty kill has been rock solid.

2. Minnesota Wild

Defensive Pairings:

• Quinn Hughes – Jared Spurgeon

• Jonas Brodin – Olli Maatta

• Matt Kiersted – Zach Bogosian

Goaltenders: Jesper Wallstedt, Calvin Pickard

Key stats: 2.21 goals against per game, 2.26 xGA per 60 at 5-on-5, 53.7% Corsi, 93.0% 5-on-5 save percentage, 82.2% penalty kill

Minnesota allows the third-fewest goals per game in the NHL, and it gets there with help from several parts of the lineup. The Wild rank seventh in expected goals against at 5-on-5 and eighth in Corsi, so the skaters are doing a solid job suppressing shots, while their team save percentage of 93.0% ranks second in the league. If they’re weaker anywhere, it’s at penalty kill but that’s still hovering around 82%.

Defensive superstar Quinn Hughes is a major X-factor for the Wild, giving them a puck-moving presence on the top pair despite missing partner Brock Faber, who is out with a skull fracture. Jonas Brodin brings steady defensive play to the second unit. What’s really got Minnesota in the second spot here is their goaltending, though, and maintaining a 93.0% mark over a full season would be a heavy lift. If they start to slip up between the pipes, they could drop a few spots.

3. Carolina Hurricanes

Defensive Pairings:

• Jaccob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield

• K’Andre Miller – Sean Walker

• Shayne Gostisbehere – Juuso Valimaki

Goaltenders: Pyotr Kochetkov, Brandon Bussi

Key stats: 2.36 goals against per game, 2.22 xGA per 60 at 5-on-5, 60.0% Corsi, 90.3% 5-on-5 save percentage, 83.3% penalty kill

The Carolina Hurricanes are the defending Stanley Cup champs, and a big part of that success is their relentless, aggressive dominance of puck possession – a hallmark of the Rod Brind’amour era. They have the league’s highest Corsi at 60%. Turns out, a great offense really can be a solid approach to defense.

Longtime Hurricane Jaccob Slavin and Jalen Chatfield anchor the blue line, with K’Andre Miller and Sean Walker giving the second unit size and experience. The Hurricanes are producing those results with a 90.3% team save percentage at 5-on-5, 16th in the league. Any step forward from goalies Pyotr Kochetkov and Brandon Bussi could send the Canes to the top of this list.

4. New Jersey Devils

Defensive Pairings:

• Luke Hughes – Brett Pesce

• Jonas Siegenthaler – Dougie Hamilton

• Declan Chisholm – Johnathan Kovacevic

Goaltenders: Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Allen

Key stats: 2.75 goals against per game, 2.00 xGA per 60 at 5-on-5, 59.5% Corsi, 90.3% 5-on-5 save percentage, 74.1% penalty kill

New Jersey has one of the strongest combinations of 5-on-5 expected goals against and shot-attempt share in the league. The Devils allow the fewest expected goals at 2.00 per 60 minutes and generate 59.5% of shot attempts, second only to Carolina. The Devils are one of the tightest defensive teams in the league, but it’s their 74.1% penalty kill and middling save percentage that has them beneath the Stars, Wild and Hurricanes.

With the arrival of Connor Hellebuyck, widely considered the best goalie in the league right now and a hero of the Winter Olympics gold medal win for the United States, New Jersey’s situation between the pipes could change, so they’ll be a defense to watch. Outside the net, Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce lead a deep, balanced blue line, with Jonas Siegenthaler and Dougie Hamilton providing another experienced pairing.

5. Boston Bruins

Defensive Pairings:

• Hampus Lindholm – Charlie McAvoy

• Nikita Zadorov – Will Borgen

• Frederic Brunet – Mason Lohrei

Goaltenders: Jeremy Swayman, Michael DiPietro

Key stats: 2.15 goals against per game, 2.70 xGA per 60 at 5-on-5, 48.1% Corsi, 94.7% 5-on-5 save percentage, 80.4% penalty kill

Boston may have been rebuilding just a few seasons ago, but they’re one of the league’s toughest teams to put numbers up against right now, allowing the second fewest goals per game in the NHL. To be fair, a lot of that has to do with the Bruins’ outstanding goaltending and resulting 94.7% save percentage. That’s helped offset an otherwise more run-of-the-mill defensive profile: Boston is 16th in expected goals against at 5-on-5 and generates only 48.1% of shot attempts. If their goalies begin to falter, they could drop down these rankings.

6. Detroit Red Wings

Defensive Pairings:

• Ben Chiarot – Moritz Seider

• William Wallinder – Justin Faulk

• Andreas Englund – Anton Johansson

Goaltenders: John Gibson, Michal Postava

Key stats: 2.92 goals against per game, 2.18 xGA per 60 at 5-on-5, 54.0% Corsi, 91.6% 5-on-5 save percentage, 65.9% penalty kill

Detroit’s defense shines at 5-on-5, ranking fifth in expected goals against, seventh in Corsi and eighth in team save percentage at 91.6%. That’s a strong, balanced defensive profile similar to the Stars. If anything is holding them back, it’s their third-worst penalty kill in the league.

Moritz Seider anchors the top pair alongside Ben Chiarot, with Justin Faulk adding experience on the second unit. Andreas Englund is projected alongside Anton Johansson with Albert Johansson unavailable. If Detroit improves while shorthanded and maintains its strong 5-on-5 play, the Red Wings could be a top five defense on this list.

7. Vegas Golden Knights

Defensive Pairings:

• Brayden McNabb – Shea Theodore

• Jeremy Lauzon – Rasmus Andersson

• Noah Hanifin – Dylan Coghlan

Goaltenders: Carter Hart (injured), Adin Hill, Cameron Whitehead

Key stats: 2.79 goals against per game, 2.49 xGA per 60 at 5-on-5, 52.4% Corsi, 90.9% 5-on-5 save percentage, 67.6% penalty kill

The 2026 Stanley Cup runners-up Golden Knights look solid across most measures at 5-on-5 but they’re not leading the league in any of them. They’re ninth in expected goals against, 11th in Corsi and 12th in team save percentage, which could sink further if Carter Hart misses any extended time. They’re also weak on the penalty kill, at just 67.6%.

That said, they’re deep at the blue line: Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb lead the top pair, while Rasmus Andersson and Noah Hanifin give Vegas experienced, puck-moving options further down the lineup.

8. Florida Panthers

Defensive Pairings:

• Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

• Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

• Dmitry Kulikov – Radko Gudas

Goaltenders: Akira Schmid, Cooper Black

Key stats: 2.85 goals against per game, 2.11 xGA per 60 at 5-on-5, 55.5% Corsi, 89.2% 5-on-5 save percentage, 85.5% penalty kill

Florida’s underlying numbers put it among the league’s strongest defensive teams. They rank third in expected goals against at 5-on-5, fourth in Corsi and sixth in penalty kill at 85.5%. There’s certainly room for improvement in net following Sergei Bobrovsky’s departure: Their save percentage is 89.2% at 5-on-5, tied for 26th in the league, although they still allow the eighth-fewest goals per game overall.

The blue line gives Florida size and physicality from top to bottom, with Gustav Forsling and Aaron Ekblad on the top pair and Niko Mikkola, Seth Jones and Radko Gudas behind them. The low expected-goals-against rate supports the case that this group is limiting the overall danger of opponents’ opportunities. If the save percentage improves while that defensive play holds, Florida’s goals-against numbers could improve as well, giving the Panthers a clear path up the rankings.

9. New York Islanders

Defensive Pairings:

• Logan Stanley – Matthew Schaefer

• Adam Pelech – Ryan Pulock

• Matthew Kessel – Tony DeAngelo

Goaltenders: Ilya Sorokin, Semyon Varlamov

Key stats: 2.58 goals against per game, 2.62 xGA per 60 at 5-on-5, 51.0% Corsi, 92.4% 5-on-5 save percentage, 85.4% penalty kill

The Islanders have been hard to score on, allowing the fifth-fewest goals per game in the NHL. Strong save results and special teams are central to that profile: New York’s team save percentage is 92.4% at 5-on-5, third-best in the league, and its penalty kill ranks seventh at 85.4%.

Defensive standout Matthew Schaefer gives the Islanders one of the league’s most dynamic puck movers on the top pairing, while the veterans Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock bring experience on the second unit. Ilya Sorokin guards the net.

10. Utah Mammoth

Defensive Pairings:

• Mikhail Sergachev – MacKenzie Weegar

• Nate Schmidt – Andrew Peeke

• Dmitri Simashev – Nick DeSimone

Goaltenders: Karel Vejmelka, Sebastian Cossa

Key stats: 3.31 goals against per game, 2.15 xGA per 60 at 5-on-5, 56.0% Corsi, 89.8% 5-on-5 save percentage, 67.4% penalty kill

Utah has gotten better each season since the move from Arizona. At 5-on-5, they rank fourth in expected goals against and third in Corsi, numbers that belong with the league’s strongest defensive profiles. Yet they still allow 3.31 goals per game, 23rd in the NHL, driven mostly by their weak penalty kill and poor team goaltending performance (89.9%). Fix those two issues, and the potential is there for Utah to be among the league’s tightest defenses.

Mikhail Sergachev and MacKenzie Weegar lead a top pair that can both defend and move the puck. John Marino’s injury has changed the depth behind them, with Andrew Peeke alongside Nate Schmidt and Nick DeSimone paired with Dmitri Simashev in recent projections.

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Honorable Mentions

• Ottawa Senators
• Nashville Predators
• Winnipeg Jets
• St. Louis Blues

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2026-27 NHL Season Team Defensive Stats

Here are key defensive stats for every NHL team as of Oct. 28, 2026.

Rank	Team	Expected Goals Against per 60 mins (5v5)	Goals Against per Game	Corsi % (5v5)	Save % (5v5)	Penalty Kill %
1	Dallas Stars	2.05	2	53%	91%	93%
2	Minnesota Wild	2.26	2.21	54%	93%	82%
3	Carolina Hurricanes	2.22	2.36	60%	90%	83%
4	New Jersey Devils	2.00	2.75	59%	90%	74%
5	Boston Bruins	2.70	2.15	48%	95%	80%
6	Detroit Red Wings	2.18	2.92	54%	92%	66%
7	Vegas Golden Knights	2.49	2.79	52%	91%	68%
8	Florida Panthers	2.11	2.85	55%	89%	86%
9	New York Islanders	2.62	2.58	51%	92%	85%
10	Utah Mammoth	2.15	3.31	56%	90%	67%
11	Ottawa Senators	2.69	2.92	47%	92%	78%
12	Nashville Predators	2.66	3	45%	91%	88%
13	Winnipeg Jets	2.77	3	49%	92%	74%
14	St. Louis Blues	2.60	3.08	51%	89%	84%
15	Pittsburgh Penguins	2.44	3.25	52%	89%	84%
16	Tampa Bay Lightning	2.58	3.09	55%	89%	77%
17	New York Rangers	2.85	3	48%	90%	91%
18	Buffalo Sabres	2.51	3.33	53%	89%	71%
19	Montreal Canadiens	2.81	3	54%	91%	84%
20	Los Angeles Kings	2.75	3.36	48%	92%	64%
21	Columbus Blue Jackets	2.87	3.3	48%	92%	73%
22	Philadelphia Flyers	2.83	3.21	44%	90%	83%
23	Toronto Maple Leafs	2.81	3.21	46%	89%	94%
24	Edmonton Oilers	2.73	3.5	48%	89%	71%
25	Colorado Avalanche	3.02	3.25	51%	91%	75%
26	Washington Capitals	3.05	3.2	47%	89%	81%
27	Calgary Flames	2.84	3.73	52%	88%	86%
28	Anaheim Ducks	3.12	3.58	48%	90%	78%
29	Seattle Kraken	3.28	3.5	42%	91%	71%
30	San Jose Sharks	3.47	3.38	45%	91%	82%
31	Chicago Blackhawks	3.30	3.67	43%	89%	78%
32	Vancouver Canucks	3.47	4.64	42%	88%	64%

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Watch NHL Hockey on DIRECTV

The 2026-27 NHL season is in full swing, and there are plenty of places on DIRECTV to catch your team’s games from now until the Stanley Cup Playoffs:

• REGIONAL SPORTS LINEUP (only available in some areas)
• TNT – 245
• ESPN – 206
• ABC –Check local listings
• NHL Network
• NHL® CENTER ICE®*

*currently available for satellite customers

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