Story by
Snubbed? Flyers Defenseman Not Ranked Among the NHL Top-20 in Latest List
- Story by
- Snubbed? Flyers Defenseman Not Ranked Among the NHL Top-20 in Latest List
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
On Sunday, NHL Network released its official top-20 rankings of defensemen in the league, and there were no Flyers blueliners on the list. The list was created by members of NHL Network, NHL.com, and other league media members to rank the top-20 defensemen right now.
For the second straight season, Flyers' workhorse defenseman Travis Sanheim is a massive snub.
Advertisement
Cale Makar , obviously, topped the list. Quinn Hughes and Zach Werenski follow him. Rasmus Dahlin and Miro Heiskanen are 4 and 5 on the list, with Lane Hutson and Matthew Schaefer at 6 and 7. Even up is Josh Morrissey , who is ranked 16th, with Roman Josi , Brock Faber , Adam Fox , Jaccob Slavin , Charlie McAvoy , Evan Bouchard , Mo Seider, and Jake Sanderson between Morrissey and Schaefer.
After that, you start to wonder whether Sanheim was snubbed on the list. Jackson LaCombe is 17 on the list, followed by Victor Hedman , Shea Theodore , and Devon Toews .
Sanheim, 30, was the workhorse and anchor of the Flyers' top pair once again this past season. He ate an average of 24:13 of ice time per game in 2025-26 and maintained that for 81 games, as well as 10 postseason games and an Olympic role.
Despite the heavy minutes, Sanheim had his most disciplined season, only earning 20 penalty minutes. While he isn't an offensive guy, he did add a career-high 11 goals to his season tally. While at the Olympics, he proved once again that he deserved a spot in the top-6, maybe even enough to call him a top-5 defender on that team. Even over some of the players listed in the rankings.
Advertisement
Was Sanheim really snubbed?
Was Flyers Top Defenseman Travis Sanheim Snubbed from the Top 20?
Let's compare him to some of the players ranked ahead of Sanheim in the rankings. Jackson LaCombe had a nearly identical year. LaCombe averaged 24:15 per game in ice time this past season, while scoring 10 goals and only earning 19 penalty minutes. His 48 assists and 17 power-play points are what likely boosted him above Sanheim, despite the Flyers' blueliner being the better true defender.
Then you get to Victor Hedman . The future Hall of Famer had a goal and 17 points in 33 games this past season. He earned 10 penalty minutes and had a -1 rating. A major injury, mixed with a leave of absence for mental health, held Hedman to a career-low tally of games.
Advertisement
Following Hedman was Shea Theodore, who scored 10 goals and 39 total points in 70 games for the Golden Knights last season. And rounding out the list is Devon Toews , who has consistently been ranked among the best of the best. However, following a down year, he slid down to 20.
If we're speaking quite honestly, I would have Toews and Theodore above both Hedman and LaCombe. As for the argument for Sanheim, it's a ranking of the top-20 RIGHT NOW. Not the past, where Hedman has been one of the best of the best. It also doesn't need to include whose future is brighter, like LaCombe.
Sanheim is not the only snub, with guys like Jakob Chychrun , Mikhail Sergachev , Mattias Samuelsson , and even Erik Karlsson not making the list. But Sanheim's name definitely needs to be talked about when ranking the biggest snubs.
Do you think Sanheim was snubbed from the NHL Network Top-20 Defensemen right now?
Read More: Flyers Forecast: Could Martone Be the Flyers' First Calder Trophy Winner?
