Liljegren playing his way into the conversation for the next few years. Not going to argue he's in there yet, as I probably wouldn't with a young guy like Miller either until its established for a couple years, but its coming imo. Might be seen as a homer/hot take, but thats ok.

Your title is misleading. Defensive dman is a style of play. Typically “stay at home” dman. So if you’re trying to say who of defenseman is best in their own end, maybe more accurate. Because several players on this list, such as Makar, are definitely not defensive dmen.

Grzelcyk doesn’t belong on any list for defensive defensemen. Easy sub for the same team would be carlo.

Cale makar, while being very good defensively, is an offensive d man. It’s his primary style and focus. I think this is kind of a misguided list.

Makar is playing well in his own end and logging a lot of top unit pk time. I would have Toews on this list a head of him, but I would keep both because I am a homer.

Riley Stillman

Your title makes me think Makar shouldn't be here.

I'd say that 85% of those guys are Offensive Defenseman not Defensive Defenseman. There's a big difference between the two.

Samuelsson should be in consideration.

I mean obviously grzelcyk doesn't belong here. He's like the 5th best defensive guy on his own team. I mean a few of the offensive guys maybe you can argue but not all of them.

sucks

Tanev and Siegenthaler should be at the top, Hampus Lindholm, Pesce, Weegar, and Pelech should all probably be here too. Miller, Anderson, and Makar don't make this list. I would also give Toews and Brodie a mention too

Cernak and Hedman.

Larsson?

He is a great stay at home defenseman. The team is much better off when Riley Stillman stays at home and isn’t playing

My top defensive dmen would probably look like

1. McAvoy
2. Siegenthaler
3. Tanev
4. Slavin
5. Heiskanen

Top tier with guys like Cernak, Pesce, Parayko, Pelech, Theodore, Toews, Brodin, Jensen

Carrier, Anderson, Liljegren are sneaky good names here.

The problem with that list is that McAvoy is too much like Makar. While he's very good in his own end, his focus is still offensive minded. Both are better termed as TWO-WAY Defenseman and not as Defensive Defenseman.

You're also overrating Siegenthaler and Tanev here a bit. Tanev shouldn't rank in the top 5, and Siegenthaler is maybe the 5th best Defensive Defenseman in the league at best.

1) Slavin
2) Brodin
3) Pelech
4) Toews
5) Siegenthaler

Pelech and Carlo need to be on the list imo. Samuelsson makes a very good case to be top 10 as well. Super underrated defensive defenseman Brayden McNabb could be here too

McDonaugh is top 3 IMO. Top 5 no debate.

Pelech is system-based. Now in Lamberts system doesn’t seem to be as much of shut down guy. Most the other guys are fair looking at longer track record. If we are just going by 2021-22 and 2022-23, it’s hard to argue against Siegenethaler as standard. McAvoy defense is very strong defensive and I wouldn’t hold his offensive ability against him.