The amount of times I’m asked, “Who would you take, Player X or Player Y” would probably not surprise you at all. Because people clearly LOVE to ask those types of questions — especially around fantasy draft season. Thanks to my unique role as both a fantasy hockey guru (self-appointed title) and a scout, means that the majority of those types of questions have a prospect bend to them.

So I’ve decided to put it out there to the world and provide a ranking of the best fantasy prospects to own in keeper leagues. This particular one focuses on defensemen. You can see the top 85 forward list here, and check back later for the goaltenders’ list.

For clarity, this focuses purely on offensive statistics. Consideration has been given to the player’s current situation, future lineup potential, indivi