Western Conference Defensive Breakout Candidates

The defensive position is in a strong place in the NHL.

Mar 20, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov (34) steals the puck from Nashville Predators right wing Michael McCarron (47) during the first period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

This is an exciting time in the NHL. The defensive position has been revived over recent years, with superstars like Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes producing like legends of the past and players like Jaccob Slavin redefining what shutdown defense looks like. The position is in a strong place. Predicting who will climb the ranks and establish themselves in the upper echelon of defensemen is no easy task, but here are my picks for the breakout candidates from the Western Conference.

Pavel Mintyukov - Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks have lofty ambitions for former 10th-overall pick Pavel Mintyukov. He scored 28 points as a rookie, but experienced the sophomore slump last season and posted just 19 points in 68 games.

Entering year three in the NHL, this will be a stepping stone campaign for Mintyukov. He will be the team’s top left-shot defender alongside Jackson LaCombe, and he has the chance to eclipse 30 points for the first time in his NHL career.

David Jiricek - Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild took advantage of a frustrating situation for David Jiricek, acquiring him from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a trade last season. It’s been a rocky start to his career, bouncing back and forth between the NHL and AHL through his first few professional seasons.

The move to Minnesota could open up a full-time, top-four role for Jiricek in 2025-2026. The 6’4”, right-shot defender is still fine-tuning his game, but he has the tools to become a 20+ minute defender for the Wild this season.

Timothy Liljegren - San Jose Sharks

This is the season Timothy Liljegren finally gets his due. Last year he took a huge step forward after the Toronto Maple Leafs shipped him to San Jose. He responded admirably to the increased role and ice time. According to MoneyPuck’s data from last season, the Sharks expected goals percentage with Liljegren on the ice was 48.5%. That’s not an impressive mark, but why it matters is because without him on the ice, the Sharks expected goals percentage was 40.5%. That 8% difference was the biggest gap in relative expected goals among all Sharks’ defenders.

Liljegren is a highly-intelligent defender. With the additions of veterans like John Klingberg and Dmitry Orlov, the pressure is lessened. However, it won’t remove Liljegren from his role as the top, two-way defenseman in San Jose. By the end of the 2025-2026 campaign, he’ll be regarded as one of the most improved defenders in the league.

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