Ranking early season performances of the NHL's top rookie defencemen

The NHL is a very hard league, but it’s even more challenging for young defencemen.

If they get beaten one-on-one or if a puck slips through their feet, the opposition instantly gets a great scoring chance. In all areas of the ice, a wrong puck touch can have dramatic consequences, leading to turnovers and odd-man attacks.

While many of these high-drafted rookie defencemen can coast in junior, relying on their wingspan, mobility, and high skill level to catch up and make plays, they now have to calculate every stride and stick movement to avoid ending up out of position. When pressured from all angles, they can rapidly look overwhelmed.

For many high-drafted defencemen, their first few games are the first true sink-or-swim moment of their career. Some soar above their peers immediately, looki