Ty Emberson took a significant step forward for the Edmonton Oilers last season. He was solid in the regular season and, after crashing out of the 2025 playoffs, he also performed well in the 2026 playoffs.
But despite his above-average play in a support role this past year, concerns linger about Emberson’s career. The way an NHL defenseman plays, given his skill level, often determines the longevity of his career.
Four significant categories emerge regarding physical contact and career durability:
Low Hits Given, Low Hits Taken
These high-skill defensemen rarely get hit, even when they have the puck on their stick more than anyone else. They also rarely hit. They defend with speed, smarts, a good stick, and excellent puck-moving ability. The NHL defenseman with the lowest combined hits and hits taken at even strength this past season was Nick Leddy. Others in the bottom 11 for overall contact included Quinn Hughes, Cam Fowler, Brent Burns, Jake Walman, Devon Toews, Jacob Slavin, Erik Karlsson, Vince Dunn, James Drysdale, and Cale Makar. Evan Bouchard ranked 16th, Roman Josi 14th, Shea Theodore 13th, and Zach Werenski 19th. This list is studded with players who have enjoyed long, successful NHL careers.
Low Hits Taken, High Hits Given
These defensemen throw many hits but take far fewer. They are crafty and dangerous to others, not so much to themselves. They have the highest differential between hits given and hits taken at even strength. Leading the way are Brenden Dillon, Jacob Trouba, Zack Bogosian, Dmitry Orlov, Kevin Bahl, Darnell Nurse, Jake Middleton, Cole Hutson, Nikita Zadorov, Neal Pionk, Radko Gudas, and Dmitry Kulikov. This list includes many players who have survived in the NHL for a long time. It is better to hit than be hit, and best of all to be so feared that few dare to hit you, as with Zadorov, Gudas, Nurse, and Trouba.
Low Hits Given, High Hits Taken
Most players in the top 10 on this list are younger, such as Zach Metsa, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Zayne Parekh, Denton Mateychuk, Olen Zellweger, Urho Vaakanainen, and Matthew Schaefer. Seeing Schaefer on this list is worrying. Taking many hits is not a recipe for career longevity, though exceptions exist. Hampus Lindholm, Alex Carrier, Miro Heiskanen, and Esa Lindell absorb a high rate of hits while not handing out many, yet they continue in NHL action year after year. But this path is far more fraught than taking far fewer hits overall.
High Hits Given, High Hits Taken
These players dish out a lot of punishment but also absorb a lot. They often take a hit to make a play and throw a hit to stop a play. It is a tough way to make a living in the NHL. At the top of the NHL’s contact index for defensemen are Noah Juulsen, Connor Clifton, Alexander Romanov, Lian Bichsel, Ty Emberson, Jack St. Ivany, Arber Xhekaj, Ilya Solovyov, Tyler Kleven, and Brayden Pachal. Connor Murphy of the Oilers ranks 39th overall. Others high on this list of bruised bruisers include a handful of players with long NHL careers: Clifton, Alex Petrovic, Carson Soucy, Logan Stanley, and Luke Schenn. However, being a hard-hitting player who also takes hard hits seems like a relatively quick path to a shorter career.
