While the depth of top-tier NHL defensemen may currently belong to the United States, Canada has built a strong crop of young blueliners that could take the league by storm in the next few years.
Americans have been running the show in the NHL when it comes to the number of elite defensemen currently in the league.
Outside of Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar, who has a strong argument to be the best blueliner in the NHL today, USA has depth and a stronger number of difference-makers from the back end.
Some of those names include Quinn Hughes, Jake Sanderson, Charlie McAvoy, Adam Fox, Brock Faber, Jackson LaCombe, Lane Hutson, Jaccob Slavin, Noah Hanifin and reigning Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski.
Some are younger than others, but it's fair to say that the makeup of an American blueline tops that of a Canadian one at the moment. However, this coming generation of defensemen belongs to Canada.
Highlighting this next wave of star blueliners is Matthew Schaefer, the first-overall pick from the 2025 NHL Draft. He set the league on fire in his rookie season with the New York Islanders, proving to everyone that not only does he belong at the top level, but he thrived, even as an 18-year-old.
Who knows how far he'll go and what he'll accomplish over the next decade-plus?
Other names that have already made appearances in the NHL that should be included in the realm of young Canadian defensemen who can be stars are Zayne Parekh and Sam Dickinson, with a nod to Carter Yakemchuk.
Most of these next-generation blueliners, however, come from the latest NHL draft. From picks No. 4 to 9, five defensemen were selected, three of whom were Canadians. Those three were Daxon Rudolph, Carson Carels and Keaton Verhoeff. Also selected later in that round was Ryan Lin.
The year before, outside of Schaefer, NHL teams selected the likes of Jackson Smith, Kashawn Aitcheson and Cameron Reid in the first round. All of whom are solid defensemen who can make some noise throughout their careers.
Even for the coming 2027 draft class, the projected No. 1 pick is another stud Canadian defenseman, Landon DuPont. He's coming off a 73-point season in 63 games with the WHL's Everett Silvertips and played a pivotal role in the playoffs that led to a WHL championship, registering 23 points in 18 post-season contests.
In addition to that impressive 2025-26 campaign, DuPont pushed his team to the Memorial Cup final, losing to the Kitchener Rangers. Nonetheless, he was also a major factor in Team Canada's Hlinka Gretzky Cup victory, dismantling Team USA 8-1 in the gold medal game. Could that be a sign of what's to come?
In contrast to the Americans' recent development of defensemen, it hasn't been as strong. Hutson is still young and will be a star for many years, much like Schaefer is now.
There's also Zeev Buium, who will continue to have a big role on the Vancouver Canucks' back end. But outside of those two, there aren't many notable U-23 NHL defensemen.
Chase Reid, selected by the Seattle Kraken at No. 7, and Tommy Bleyl, taken by the Nashville Predators at No. 31, are the only two first-round American blueliners from the 2026 NHL Draft.
In the first round of the 2025 draft, the only American defensemen taken were Logan Hensler at No. 23 and Henry Brzustewicz at No. 31. Neither are expected to feature in the NHL this coming season, or even in the following campaign.
Based on simple projection, statistics and the recent history of drafting, it appears that Canada could have a golden generation of defensemen on the way.
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