LA Kings defenseman Drew Doughty took the top spot on NHL Network’s new countdown series Top 20 Defensemen Right Now this past Saturday night, ranking the best defensemen in the National Hockey League. Doughty, the 2016 James Norris Memorial Trophy winner, finished one spot ahead of two-time James Norris Memorial Trophy winner Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators.
NHL Network’s Tony Luftman and E.J. Hradek counted down the best defensemen based on player performance over the past several seasons, with an emphasis on the 2015-2016 season. The ranking also weighted projected performance in the 2016-2017 season, taking into account players returning from injury and young players expected to break out.