Ranking the NHL's top 12 rookie defencemen at the halfway mark of the season

Most rookie defencemen are struggling across the NHL. They’re getting beaten off the wall and the rush, outmuscled around the net, and their passes fly right on the stick of opponents. Every shift is a battle and they’re not often on the winning side.

​Many of them were stars at previous levels, but the NHL is a massive step. Forwards can get by on their skills even if their game lacks maturity. Defencemen can’t. Opponents notice, expose, and abuse their weaknesses.

​Below, we’re ranking the performance of Under-25 rookie defencemen by looking at their play, advanced metrics, usage, and development trajectory.  This article aims to go beyond the counting stats that usually determine the Calder at the end of the season. Rather, we’re picking, in order, who we'd rather have to build a winning