The NHL’s Best Bargains Of 2025-26: Cheapest Cost Per Point Among Defensemen
This series has already covered the forwards who gave their teams the cheapest and most expensive cost per point last season. The blue line is next. Cost per point is a blunt measure for defensemen, who are paid to do far more than score, so treat this as a breakdown of the numbers rather than a ranking of the league’s best. With that in mind, here are the ten defensemen whose production came cheapest in 2025-26.
This list excludes players on entry-level contracts and requires at least 42 games played last season.
The list:
1. Brent Burns ($24K Per Point) — The cheapest points on last season’s books belong to the oldest player in the league. Burns, 41, put up 35 points and a career-best plus-33 across all 82 games for Colorado, then re-signed in late June for one more year at an $850K base. The motivations are obvious on both sides: Burns is 57 games from Phil Kessel’s all-time ironman record and still chasing his first Cup, and the Avalanche get a Norris winner’s twilight at the league minimum.
2. Charle-Edouard D’Astous ($30K Per Point) — The best story on the list. An undrafted 28-year-old who’d won defenseman-of-the-year honors in the ECHL, Finland’s Liiga, and the SHL before ever playing an NHL game, D’Astous made his debut in October, stepped into Tampa Bay’s injury-ravaged blue line, and produced 29 points in 70 games. The Lightning didn’t wait to see how the story ended, and they extended him in January on a one-year deal with an $875K AAV.
3. Parker Wotherspoon ($33K Per Point) — A career year with a twist ending. Wotherspoon spent the season on Pittsburgh’s top pair next to Erik Karlsson, setting career highs with 30 points in 80 games while leading the Penguins in blocked shots. He won’t be there to build on it: Pittsburgh traded him to Vegas on June 30, and with the Penguins retaining half his contract, the Golden Knights get his final year at an effective $500K.
4. Louis Crevier ($37K Per Point) — The 6-foot-8 throw-in who might become the best part of the summer blockbuster Bowen Byram trade. Crevier climbed from Chicago’s seventh defenseman to top-pairing minutes, finishing with 25 points in 78 games and one of the hardest shots in the league, before being packaged to Buffalo alongside the fourth-overall pick in June. He’ll suit up for the Sabres in 2026-27, with restricted free agency waiting next summer.
5. Matthew Robertson ($47K Per Point) — Six years and some 250 AHL games after New York drafted him, Robertson finally arrived, playing 72 games and chipping in 18 points as one of the few bright spots on the East’s worst team last season. He’s back with the Rangers for 2026-27 in the final year of his deal, after which he can become a Group 6 unrestricted free agent.
6. Adam Wilsby ($53K Per Point) — Nashville’s quiet Swedish find gave the Predators 16 points across an injury-interrupted 58-game season while drawing regular penalty-kill duty. He returns to Nashville for 2026-27 on the one-way portion of the extension he signed as a virtual NHL rookie, with restricted free agency to follow.
7. Tyler Tucker ($54K Per Point) — The Blues’ rugged depth defenseman turned a regular lineup spot into a career year, posting 17 points in 69 games. He’s signed in St. Louis through 2026-27, one more cheap season on the back end before he’s due for a new deal.
8. Uvis Balinskis ($58K Per Point) — The Latvian blueliner managed 15 points in 54 games in a depth role, exactly the kind of near-minimum contributor a cap-strapped contender needs. He stays in Florida for 2026-27, and, on a deal running through 2027-28, the season after that too.
9. Shayne Gostisbehere ($64K Per Point) — The one genuine star-value season on the list. Gostisbehere put up 50 points in just 55 games, a 0.91 points-per-game rate that laps this field, while helping Carolina win the Stanley Cup. He’s back with the Hurricanes for 2026-27 in the final year of his deal, one of the better bargains among puck-moving defensemen before unrestricted free agency beckons next July.
10. Logan Mailloux ($65K Per Point) — The youngest name took the strangest route. Acquired from Montreal in last summer’s Zachary Bolduc swap, Mailloux weathered a rough St. Louis debut, including an early AHL stint GM Doug Armstrong called a “reset”, before settling in for 13 points in 67 games. The Blues re-signed him in January, so he’s back in St. Louis for 2026-27, betting a full season turns the former first-rounder into a fixture on the right side.
Latest On Victor Hedman, Charle-Edouard D’Astous
The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without captain Victor Hedman as they fight to stave off elimination tonight against the Montreal Canadiens, head coach Jon Cooper told the media today. Cooper did add that he expects Hedman to be an option “really soon,” hinting that he could potentially be able to dress on Sunday if the Lightning are able to force game seven against the Canadiens.
Cooper didn’t issue a firm update on the status of injured blueliner Charle-Edouard D’Astous, but Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reported that D’Astous is likely to make his return from injury tonight. D’Astous hasn’t played since game one of the series after suffering an undisclosed injury.
If he does end up returning, D’Astous could provide a real boost to Tampa Bay’s blueline. The former SHL, Liiga, ECHL, and QMJHL defenseman of the year had a breakout 2025-26 season, earning a full-time NHL role as an undrafted 28-year-old rookie. D’Astous scored 29 points in 70 games and added 112 penalty minutes.
He averaged 18:45 time on ice per game this season, and could take Emil Lilleberg‘s spot on the team’s third pairing. Lilleberg has averaged 16:59 time on ice per game in this series, including two minutes per game on the penalty kill. He could also take the spot of Maxwell Crozier, though that would require the left-shot defenseman playing on his off-side.
If Hedman is indeed able to return for a potential game seven, or even for the start of the second round (if Tampa Bay is able to make it there,) his return would provide a major boost to Tampa’s lineup.
The Lightning captain is one of the standout blueliners of his generation, a Norris Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy winner. While his injuries slowed him down this season, and he’s potentially no longer a top point producer thanks to Raddysh’s emergence, he remains a central pillar of this era of Lightning hockey.
While Tampa is on the verge of elimination tonight, they remain one of the strongest teams in the postseason. Their combination of skill, ferocity, and veteran experience is one few teams can match, and they have one of the game’s finest goaltenders backstopping them.
If they can find a way to get past Montreal, and get a healthy Hedman back into their lineup, they could pose a serious threat to make their fourth Stanley Cup Final of the decade.
Defense Notes: Nikishin, D’Astous, Bonk
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin skated in a non-contact jersey this morning, his first time hitting the ice since he suffered a concussion against the Ottawa Senators. The move indicates that Nikishin is progressing closer to a return to the ice in time for the start of the team’s second-round series, which will either be against the Pittsburgh Penguins or Philadelphia Flyers. Nikishin played on the left side of Carolina’s third pairing for the team’s first-round sweep of the Senators, also handling some power play duties.
Long seen as one of Carolina’s top prospects, Nikishin had a successful rookie campaign and his return bolsters a Hurricanes team that is one of the league’s finest. He averaged 18:11 time on ice per game this season, chipping in on both sides of special teams. He scored 33 points across 81 games, ranking second in scoring among rookie blueliners across the league. The former captain of the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg was a star defenseman back in Russia and if he can end up returning before the start of the second round, he would only further underscore Carolina’s position in the upcoming series as heavy favorites.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper told the media that defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous is a game-time decision tonight, meaning he could potentially return for a high-stakes game five against the Montreal Canadiens. D’Astous suffered an undisclosed injury in game one and has missed three consecutive contests. D’Astous has been a significant win for Tampa Bay’s scouting staff and wider hockey operations department this season, as the former SHL, Liiga, ECHL, and QMJHL defenseman of the year stepped right into the NHL and had a strong rookie campaign at the age of 28. The undrafted blueliner, signed through next season at an $875K cap hit, scored 29 points in 70 games while averaging 18:45 time on ice per game.
- The Flyers have considered inserting rookie defenseman Oliver Bonk into their lineup for game six against the Penguins, head coach Rick Tocchet told the media yesterday. (Per Kevin Kurz of The Athletic.) Although Bonk skated with the expected scratches at today’s morning skate, Tocchet said yesterday that “it is in the discussion to maybe put him in.” The 21-year-old has just one NHL game on his résumé, though he does have extensive playoff experience from his days in junior hockey with the London Knights. If they elect to dress Bonk, the Flyers could be looking for one of their top defensive prospects to provide them with a spark, a spark similar to the ones provided by rookies Porter Martone, Denver Barkey, and most recently Alex Bump.
Injury Notes: Oilers, Lightning, Wild
Edmonton Oilers center Jason Dickinson is questionable for game two tonight against the Anaheim Ducks as the result of an undisclosed injury, reports Jason Gregor of Sports 1440. Per Gregor, veteran Curtis Lazar will enter head coach Kris Knoblauch’s lineup if Dickinson can’t dress. Dickinson has had some trouble staying healthy in recent weeks, as he missed the final three games of Edmonton’s regular season schedule with a lower-body injury. That didn’t stop him from making a major impact in game one, as he scored two goals in Edmonton’s 4-3 victory over the Ducks.
The 30-year-old veteran was acquired by the Oilers at the trade deadline from the Chicago Blackhawks, and is a well-respected bottom-six center thanks to his defensive ability. Lazar, 31, is also a bottom-six defensive center, though he is not held in quite as high a regard as the player he may replace in the lineup. Lazar got into 45 games for Edmonton this season, averaging 8:55 time on ice per game, including 0:33 per game on the penalty kill. Dickinson has been Edmonton’s top penalty-killing forward since he was acquired, averaging a team-high 1:51 time on ice per game while short handed.
Other injury updates from around the NHL:
- Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper updated the media on the status of the team’s injured players before the team’s flight to Montreal today, telling team reporter Gabby Shirley that forward Pontus Holmberg is still out on a week-to-week basis, and “definitely” won’t be able to return within the timeframe of the team’s series against the Canadiens. He also said defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous is “progressing” in his recovery from the injury he suffered from game one, and will skate while the team is on the road. He also added that injured captain Victor Hedman is traveling with the team, but there is no firm timeline on his return.
- Minnesota Wild forwards Mats Zuccarello and Yakov Trenin will be game-time decisions in advance of game three tonight against the Dallas Stars, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic. According to Russo, if one of the pair is unable to play, Nico Sturm will draw into the lineup in their place. Zuccarello played game one against the Stars but missed game two with an upper-body injury. He’s one of the Wild’s top offensive players when healthy, having scored 54 points in 59 games this season. Trenin is managing an upper-body injury, and could be at risk of missing a game this season for the first time.
Lineup Notes: Zub, Kleven, Hyry, Hintz, Bunting, D’Astous
The Senators won’t see defenseman Tyler Kleven step back into the lineup tonight as they try to even their first-round series against the Hurricanes at one apiece. Despite shedding his non-contact jersey in this morning’s practice, he’s not quite ready to go and won’t dress, head coach Travis Green told reporters (including Alex Adams of Sportsnet). And, although Artem Zub didn’t take the ice this morning after leaving Game 1 with an apparent mid-body injury, he’ll be a game-time decision, Green said. In the event Zub can’t go, it’ll be Lassi Thomson stepping in on the right side to replace him, per Graeme Nichols of The Hockey News. Nikolas Matinpalo, who had started on the third pairing with Dennis Gilbert in Game 1, will get the elevation to top-pair minutes to serve as Jake Sanderson‘s shutdown complement in place of Zub. It would be the playoff debut for Thomson, a 2019 first-round pick who had three assists and a +3 rating in 11 games in the regular season.
More from around the league ahead of Game 2s kicking off tonight:
- The Stars are making one lineup change after being throttled at home by the Wild in Game 1, Sam Nestler of DLLS Sports reports. Rookie Arttu Hyry will make his playoff debut, stepping into center the third line as the deck gets shuffled. Adam Erne, who had a -1 rating and two hits in 8:07 of ice time as the team’s fourth-line left wing, is headed to the press box. Star center Roope Hintz stays out as expected; he’d been previously ruled out for Games 1 and 2 and was ruled out for Game 3 as well by head coach Glen Gulutzan today (via Michael Russo of The Athletic). Perhaps the more notable absence, given the circumstances, is trade-deadline pickup Michael Bunting. The winger will serve as a healthy scratch for the second game in a row tonight after missing time with a lower-body injury down the stretch. He had just two points and a -7 rating in 13 games for Dallas when healthy after his acquisition from the Predators. He does have five points in 13 career playoff games, all with the Maple Leafs in 2022 and 2023.
- The injury bug hovered around the Lightning all season long. It’s not stopping now. After being checked by a pair of Canadiens forwards in yesterday’s Game 1 and ultimately leaving the contest, defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous is doubtful to step back in for Game 2, head coach Jon Cooper said today (via Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times). He said he hasn’t decided whether Declan Carlile or Maxwell Crozier will be elevated as his replacement, but considering he only mentioned those two by name, it’s a fair guess that captain Victor Hedman will remain out on personal leave as well. D’Astous, 28 tomorrow, had 29 points and a whopping 112 penalty minutes in 70 regular-season games for Tampa as a rookie.
Snapshots: D’Astous, Varlamov, Posch, Malinoski
Lightning defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous exited tonight’s game against Montreal and did not return, relays team reporter Benjamin Pierce (Twitter link). The 27-year-old took a hit from Josh Anderson and Jake Evans simultaneously; Anderson was called for a charging minor on the play. D’Astous has been a bright spot on Tampa Bay’s back end this season. Signed out of Sweden, he has played exclusively with Tampa aside from a brief stint in the minors to start the year. He had 29 points and 110 penalty minutes in 70 games during the regular season, a nice find for an undrafted free agent.
Elsewhere around the NHL:
- The Islanders have recalled Semyon Varlamov from his LTIR conditioning stint, per the AHL’s transactions log. He got into two games with AHL Bridgeport, winning both while stopping 46 of 49 shots in his first game action since November 2024. While Varlamov would normally be eligible for a two-game extension, that’s not the case here as he is not eligible to play in the AHL playoffs. Varlamov has one year left on his contract and the team will now have to decide if they think he’s going to be good to go as their backup in 2026-27 or if they’ll want to add extra depth in case he’s not able to get through a full year.
- The Avalanche have recalled Isak Posch to serve as their emergency third goaltender, per the AHL’s transactions log. The 24-year-old spent most of the year with AHL Colorado, posting a 2.78 GAA with a .891 SV% in 28 games in his first full professional season. Posch, who signed as an undrafted free agent last spring, was briefly called up in January but didn’t see any action.
- Maple Leafs prospect Hudson Malinoski will have a new team for his final NCAA season. Brad Elliott Schlossmann of the Grand Forks Herald reports that the center has transferred to the University of North Dakota for the upcoming season. A fifth-round pick by Toronto back in 2023 (153rd overall), the 21-year-old spent the last three years at Providence College. Malinoski’s output dropped this season, going from 23 points to 15 while he found himself in the bottom six as the year went on. He’ll look to play a bigger role for the Fighting Hawks in the hopes of landing an entry-level deal next spring.
Lightning’s Victor Hedman, Brayden Point, Two Others Set To Return
Tampa Bay assistant coach Rob Zettler told reporters, including Benjamin Pierce, Beat Writer for the team, that Victor Hedman, Brayden Point, Charle-Edouard D’Astous, and Emil Martinsen Lilleberg are all expected to return tomorrow against Toronto.
Hedman, who already dealt with a nearly two-month long IR stint after elbow surgery, returned for the Bolts’ epic Stadium Series win over Boston on February 1, the first of his three games before the Olympic Break.
The Tampa captain then went off to Milan as a pillar of Team Sweden, where he sustained an apparent lower-body injury in warmups prior to last Wednesday’s game against the United States, ending his Olympic action. The 35-year-old won’t miss any more time, as he’ll look to settle in after just 21 games on the campaign so far, where he’s recorded 13 points (all assists) on 20:15 a night.
Also with ties to the Olympics, Point suffered a knee injury on January 12 that had fans fearing for the worst. Thankfully avoiding a long term recovery, Tampa’s top center attempted to get back in time for Milan and Team Canada, however, on February 5 the 29-year-old made the commendable decision to pass his spot, which was taken by Seth Jarvis.
Able to utilize the break to return to form, Point will give another boost to Tampa Bay, who maintained their elite play even without him. After a slower start to the year relative to his standards, with injuries a factor, Point was on a heater prior to his injury with 19 points in 16 games. All told, he has 30 in 37 on the season, good for sixth on the club despite missing considerable time.
Meanwhile, Lilleberg and D’Astous, both young defenseman who round out Tampa’s blueline, have been on injured reserve and are expected to be activated for tomorrow.
Lilleberg hasn’t played since mid-December, dealing with an undisclosed lingering injury. The 25-year-old had six points in 32 games before going down, averaging a career high 17:21 after emerging as a regular in the lineup in 2024-25.
D’Astous was placed on IR in late January, after a collision against Columbus on the 24th left him with a lower-body injury. The undrafted 27-year-old latched on with Tampa after three seasons in Sweden, and he looks to be the next under-the-radar contributor in the blue and white. The 6’2” lefty has 17 points in 43 games, playing over 19 minutes a night with a strong 53.4% corsi for at even strength.
The Lightning host the Maple Leafs tomorrow, and having won five in a row going into the break, it’s hard to imagine they’ll stop anytime soon, with several players back into the fold. Tampa is five points behind Colorado for first in the league.
Atlantic Notes: Senators, Lightning, Sabres
In a recent article, Bruce Garrioch from The Ottawa Citizen analyzed the Ottawa Senators’ approach to the trade deadline. To no surprise, Garrioch indicated that the Senators remain committed to winning this season, and that the team is seeking a top-six forward and top-four defenseman.
That’s a hefty wishlist, especially for a team that’s 10 points back of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Garrioch reported that the Senators are interested in forward Blake Coleman and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar from the Calgary Flames, which would immediately fulfill both desires.
Still, Weegar has a full no-movement clause in his contract, meaning he would have to sign off on a trade to Ottawa. He is from there, but there’s been no indication that he is one of the players that the Flames are considering moving this season. At any rate, it’s clear that the Senators are trying to fill a pair of higher-level holes, and they’re looking for players with term.
Additional notes from the Atlantic Division:
- There is more positive news on the injury front for the Tampa Bay Lightning. It’s already been reported that captain Victor Hedman will return to the lineup tomorrow, and the team is only a few days away from returning a few more. According to team reporter Benjamin Pierce, the trio of Brayden Point, Emil Martinsen Lilleberg, and Charle-Edouard D’Astous all skated with the team at practice today. Once Hedman officially returns, they will be the only remaining players on the injured reserve.
- In a separate injury update, this time with the Buffalo Sabres, Bill Hoppe of The Times Herald reported that there are no plans to shut down Joshua Norris through the upcoming Olympic break. Norris has missed the Sabres’ last nine games, including tonight, due to an upper-body injury. Still, he has resumed skating over the last few days and will travel with the team for their road trip next week. Norris specifically shut down the idea of sitting out if he’s healthy, saying, “If you’re ready to go, you’re not just going to sit out. So when I feel like I’m 100 percent, I’m going to play.”
Lightning Place Charle-Edouard D’Astous On IR, Recall Maxim Groshev
Another shakeup is inbound for the Tampa Bay Lightning defense. Budding youngster Charle-Edouard D’Astous has been placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and recalled Maxim Groshev, per Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times. D’Astous left Tampa Bay’s Saturday loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the third period after a leg-on-leg collision.
It seems that hit will leave more than just a bruise and D’Astous will now be required to miss at least one week of action. Tampa Bay plays two games in the next week. D’Astous will be eligible to return just before Tampa Bay’s Stadium Series matchup against the Boston Bruins on February 1st.
D’Astous has climbed into an important role for the Bolts in his rookie NHL season. He has averaged 19:23 in ice time through 43 games and ranks second on the blue-line in scoring with 17 points. He has also racked up 45 blocks and 53 hits. The undrafted D’Astous has had a breakout season this year, enough to earn a one-year extension with the Lightning earlier in the season. As a veteran of the ECHL, his climb up the depth chart has been impressive, and should continue on the other side of a stinging injury.
In the meantime, Groshev will return to the NHL. He made his NHL debut on December 28th and recorded one assist. It was a strong first-look, though Groshev has run into a quiet streak in eight games since returning to the minors. He still ranks second on the Syracuse Crunch’s blue-line in scoring with 13 points in 35 games. That performance has been enough to pull the 24 year old up Tampa Bay’s call-up sheet – and may even earn him a return to the NHL lineup. Groshev is a left-defender, like D’Astous, which could give him the advantage over right-defense Simon Lundmark who is in Tampa Bay’s press box.
Lightning Sign Charle-Edouard D’Astous To One-Year Extension
The Lightning announced they’ve signed defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous to a one-year extension worth $875K. He was due to be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
While the 27-year-old D’Astous is too old for Calder Trophy consideration, the Quebec native has quietly been one of the league’s most impressive rookies. The former ECHL Defenseman of the Year had spent the last three seasons in Europe, racking up back-to-back top defenseman honors in Finland’s and Sweden’s top leagues, before landing his first NHL contract – a two-way deal with the Bolts signed in May.
D’Astous did not make Tampa’s opening night roster. In fact, he was a relatively early cut from training camp on Sep. 28. He posted three points and a +3 rating in four games for AHL Syracuse before the Lightning recalled him just two weeks into the season in the wake of an injury to Maxwell Crozier.
The 6’2″ lefty was scratched once before making his debut, kicking off a run of 33 consecutive appearances to begin his NHL career. While injuries to Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh have been the primary factor keeping him in the lineup, he’s done his best in the meantime to ensure he has a legitimate shot of remaining in the lineup when Tampa’s defense returns to full health. With a 3-10–13 scoring line, he’s third among Bolts defenders in scoring and 10th on the team overall while averaging a hearty 19:05 per game out of the gate, quarterbacking Tampa’s second power-play unit in Hedman’s stead.
D’Astous’ defensive deficiencies were historically the biggest obstacle between him and an NHL contract despite his long track record of elite offensive production in the minors, juniors, and in Europe. Those haven’t disappeared. The Lightning allow 3.4 goals against per 60 minutes with D’Astous on the ice at even strength, the worst figure on the team.
Nonetheless, he’s proven himself a valuable depth option, providing legitimate offensive value from the blue line as Tampa has dealt with multiple key injuries. He was one of only five pending UFAs on the Lightning’s roster, a list that’s now limited to Oliver Bjorkstrand, Darren Raddysh, Declan Carlile (Group VI), and Curtis Douglas (Group VI).