Welcome back to Analytics Advantage! With draft season just around the corner, it's the perfect time to sharpen your strategy. This week, we're zooming in on defensemen, focusing on their Fantasy Points Per Game (FPPG) and how they stack up across the league. By breaking down the numbers and using percentiles, we'll get a clearer picture of who's truly elite and who might be flying under the radar. Whether you're targeting top-tier defensemen or looking for some hidden gems, these insights will help you make smarter picks for the upcoming fantasy season. Let's dive in and see how the blue-liners are shaping up.

Why Focus on Defensemen and Percentiles in FPPG Analysis?

When evaluating Fantasy Points Per Game (FPPG) for defensemen specifically, it's crucial to distinguish their performance from the rest of the league. Defensemen contribute in unique ways—often excelling in blocked shots, hits, and assists—making their fantasy value more nuanced compared to forwards. By calculating percentiles and league averages only for defensemen, we can better understand how these players compare within their position group.

This defenseman-specific analysis provides a clearer picture of which players are excelling among their peers, rather than being overshadowed by high-scoring forwards or centers. For instance, a defenseman in the 90th percentile of FPPG isn't just outperforming 90% of all players, but 90% of other defensemen—giving us a more accurate assessment of their value in fantasy leagues.

Benefits of Focusing on Defensemen Percentiles:

                Accurate Comparisons: By isolating defensemen, we avoid skewed comparisons that would arise from mixing in players with different positional roles, such as high-scoring forwards.

                Position-Specific Insights: Defensemen contribute in different ways—like blocked shots and time on ice—so percentile rankings highlight their contributions relative to others in their position.

                Drafting & Strategy: With defensemen often overlooked in fantasy drafts, understanding where they stand in comparison to their peers allows you to identify hidden gems and top-tier performers more effectively.

                Balanced Scoring Environments: Defensemen tend to accumulate points differently from forwards, making a defenseman-specific analysis more relevant and actionable when preparing your draft or setting your lineup.

By narrowing the focus to defensemen, we gain a more direct understanding of which players can consistently deliver strong fantasy performances, making it easier to target the right defensemen for your fantasy roster.

Data Sources

The data for this analysis was sourced from player statistics spanning the 2016-2024 NHL campaigns, obtained from NaturalStatTrick.

Data Processing

Player statistics from the 2016-2024 campaigns were combined into a single dataset, then filtered for defensemen who played at least nine games in each year to ensure a significant amount of playing time.

Highlighted Defensemen

For this analysis, I focused on defensemen who ranked in the 85th percentile or better in FPPG. By honing in on these top performers, I was able to pinpoint players who not only stand out among their peers but do so with consistency at an elite level within the defensive position. To bring more variety to the analysis, I deliberately excluded players featured in my previous articles, allowing for a broader look at the talent pool.

The selected graphs highlight defensemen who have demonstrated significant fantasy value, whether through steady, reliable production or by emerging as key contributors this season. By examining these fresh examples, we gain a better understanding of the current fantasy hockey landscape and uncover potential targets for your upcoming drafts and roster decisions. These defensemen exemplify the high-level impact that can give you a crucial edge in your fantasy league.  

With the number of graphs included this week, I encourage you to dive into the players that catch your eye and conduct your own research. Be sure to critically evaluate the legitimacy of the information using whatever methods work best for you. Remember, on the internet, anyone can post anything, and not everything is fact-checked. It's important to cross-reference multiple sources to ensure consistency in the data and avoid falling for misleading information or red herrings. By being diligent and thorough in your research, you'll make more informed decisions and spot potential fantasy gems.

Thank you for reading, and have a great rest of your day! Twitter/X – @DH_staspup for any questions, corrections, or comments. Please feel free to ask for any player's graph—I can post it or DM.