Top Blockers With Upside
Blocked shots win categories, but the best fantasy defensemen give you more than that. These ten blue-liners are piling up blocks and adding upside in other categories, whether that’s points, shots, hits, or PIM.
1. MacKenzie Weegar | D | Utah Mammoth | 88% Rostered
10 GP | 31 BLK | 21:18 TOI/G | 17 SOG | 34 HITS | 20 PIM
Weegar leads this group in blocks, and his value doesn’t stop there. The offense hasn’t arrived yet, but he’s playing more than 21 minutes a night and filling the shots, hits, and PIM columns. He’s one of the best multi-category defensemen in fantasy right now, and the points should follow with that kind of usage.
2. Filip Hronek | D | Vancouver Canucks | 81% Rostered
10 GP | 30 BLK | 25:25 TOI/G | 11 SOG | 14 HITS | 6 A
Hronek is close to Weegar in blocks and is getting huge minutes at more than 25 a night. His six assists make him one of the more productive scorers on this list. When a defenseman gets this much ice time and also chips in on offense, he’s a reliable starter every week.
3. Travis Sanheim | D | Philadelphia Flyers | 33% Rostered
11 GP | 28 BLK | 25:40 TOI/G | 21 SOG
Sanheim is the best value on this list. He’s played 25-plus minutes a night, leads this group with 21 shots, and has been a steady blocker, yet he’s only 33% rostered. His slow start on offense keeps managers away, but he has real offensive upside and the shot volume suggests the points will come. Buy now, before they do.
4. Moritz Seider | D | Detroit Red Wings | 99% Rostered
8 GP | 26 BLK | 25:44 TOI/G | 15 SOG | 18 HITS | 5 A
Seider is already rostered in almost every league, and it’s easy to see why. He has 26 blocks in only eight games, the best per-game rate in this group, and he plays nearly 26 minutes a night. Add five assists and real offensive upside, and he’s a cornerstone fantasy defenseman.
5. Vladislav Gavrikov | D | New York Rangers | 54% Rostered
11 GP | 26 BLK | 21:00 TOI/G | 15 SOG | 1 G | 4 A
Gavrikov is known for his defensive play, but he’s shown bursts of offense this season, with five points so far. He gives you a steady floor in blocks, and those occasional scoring stretches add upside. He’s a solid option for managers who need help on the blue line.
6. Thomas Chabot | D | Ottawa Senators | 68% Rostered
9 GP | 24 BLK | 25:19 TOI/G | 19 SOG | 1 G | 3 A
Chabot has been good in both directions this season, with big minutes, strong shot volume, and plenty of offensive upside. The problem is that he’s now out one to two weeks with an upper-body injury. Stash him on IR if your league allows it, but don’t drop him. He should go right back into your lineup once he’s healthy.
7. Jaccob Slavin | D | Carolina Hurricanes | 18% Rostered
10 GP | 24 BLK | 21:05 TOI/G | 18 SOG | 3 A
Slavin is one of the league’s most reliable defensive defensemen, and that pays off in banger leagues. Blocks, steady minutes, and decent shot totals give you a dependable floor. At just 18% rostered, he’s an easy pickup if you need to shore up the category.
8. Declan Carlile | D | Pittsburgh Penguins | 15% Rostered
10 GP | 20 BLK | 18:47 TOI/G | 15 SOG | 3 G | 2 A
Carlile is the surprise of this group. He has three goals and five points in ten games, and he’s still adding blocks on top of that. His ice time is lower than the others on this list, so he’s a riskier bet, but the early production makes him worth a look in deeper leagues.
9. Sean Walker | D | Carolina Hurricanes | 50% Rostered
10 GP | 19 BLK | 21:34 TOI/G | 14 SOG | 6 A
Walker keeps producing. He has six assists through ten games, which ties him with Hronek for the most points among the players here, and he plays a steady 21-plus minutes. He doesn’t rack up blocks like the top names on this list, but his offense makes up the difference.
10. Colton Parayko | D | St. Louis Blues | 18% Rostered
8 GP | 18 BLK | 21:20 TOI/G | 12 SOG | 4 A
Parayko is starting to heat up, with three assists in his last four games. He’s a big body who has always blocked shots, and his 18 blocks in eight games is a strong per-game rate. If the offense keeps coming, he becomes a strong two-way fantasy option. At 18% rostered, he’s a good speculative add.
Bottom line: Weegar, Seider, and Hronek are the elite options. Sanheim is the best buy-low target. Slavin and Parayko are cheap adds who help in blocks, and Chabot should stay on your roster while he’s injured.