Top 3 UFA Right-Shot Defenders This Summer

One of the most sought after positions in the NHL. Despite only 40% of defenders being a right shot, they make up 7/10 of the highest paid defenders in the league. With names like Cale Makar, Noah Dobson and Evan Bouchard to name a few, locking down one of the best is every team's dream. 

1. Brandon Montour - Expected salary range: $7,000,000 - $8,500,000

Player Role: a skilled NHL defenseman known for his offensive contributions and strong skating ability. He excels at joining the rush and creating scoring opportunities while maintaining solid defensive play.

Following his 77 point season last year, he had a lacklustre offensive display this season, with just 33 points through 66 games. Now, for a defensemen, those are still very good numbers, just not up to par with what the Canadian right-shot has shown us in the past. That being said, he had 104 hits (most in his career) and limited his giveaways to just 40, highlighting his efforts to improve the defensive side of his game. This was further highlighted in his 60% Fenwick score, proving his indisputable impact while on the ice. With both Montour and Reinhart a part of the UFA class this year, Florida will likely have to make a pick between the two. Hypothetically, if they chose to re-sign Reinhart at a 9.5m AAV, that leaves them just 11.3 million to fill C3, C4, RW3, RW4, RD2 & RD3… yeah, not looking likely to ALSO sign Montour. With that being said, Montour is reportedly on the radar of many teams including the Leafs (big surprise), and the Hurricanes, amongst many others. 

2. Dylan DeMelo - Expected salary range: $4,250,000 - $5,500,000

Player Role: a reliable NHL defenseman known for his steady defensive play and effective puck-moving skills. He consistently contributes to his team's defensive efforts with smart positioning and strong situational awareness.

After doing more research, the 31-year-old right-shot defenseman climbed my rankings from honourable mention to #2. With 32 points, and an astounding +45 in the plus/minus column, DeMelo has stood out amongst this UFA class in several categories. That being said, DeMelo had just one assist through 5 games in the postseason, and was a -1. Now this offensive performance isn’t abnormal for DeMelo in the playoffs, with just 4 assists through 29 career playoff games, but he is a +5 as well - a display of his (mostly) consistent defensive efforts. This defensive reliability and veteran experience will be a few traits that teams are sure to want to add to their roster for the upcoming 24-25 season. 

3. Sean Walker - Expected salary range: $4,500,000 - $5,500,000

Player Role: a versatile NHL defenseman known for his speed and offensive contributions from the blue line. He effectively combines his strong skating ability with solid defensive play, making him a valuable asset in both ends of the rink.

Originally, I had Matt Roy in this third slot, but following a statistical comparison, Walker well outperforms Roy in the defensive end. Firstly, Walker’s 19 defensive zone giveaways versus Roy’s 54 is a staggering difference; coupled with Walker’s 41 takeaways versus Roy’s 12 shows a massive difference between the two right-shots on the market this year. Apart from these stats, the two are incredibly comparable across the advanced stat sheet, hence Roy slotting in just behind Walker on this list. That being said, I expect Sean Walker to be approached by several teams, including the Predators, Canes, Leafs & the Sharks, making whatever team that gets him more efficient on the breakout and in limiting defensive errors.

Honourable Mentions: Brett Pesce, Chris Tanev, Alexandre Carrier, Matt Dumba