Logan HENSLER

Defenseman
6’2/196
Right
Wisconsin/NCAA

Related: Matthew Schaefer

One of the top defensive prospects already for 2025, it’s hard to miss the slick-skating, 6-foot-2, 196-pound defender. He moves so well, takes away space, and is a competent puck-mover, even if the numbers seem a bit lackluster. The University of Wisconsin defenseman uses his agile footwork to take away space, and if he gets beaten, he has the stick work to retrieve the puck. Hensler has also taken positive steps forward with his creativity, allowing him to make more advanced plays under pressure. I see top-four potential in him, but like Zeev Buium before him, I feel like he can advance that with a great run in college because the raw skillset is there. He is going to be a player watch for the US National team and with Team USA during the World Juniors next year. At the NHL level, I see Hensler as a top 4 caliber defenseman, with an upside to be a top pair two-way defenseman. At this moment in time, he is the best defensive prospect
after Matthew Schaefer.

Size/Strength Great
Skating Excellent
Shot/Scoring Average
Puckhandling Great
Physical Play Good
Offensive Play Good
Defensive Excellent
Hockey Sense Excellent
Competitiveness Excellent

Strengths

1. He’s got pro size. He’s a smooth skater with good edges and balanced posture on his heels and toes; he is composed and confident, both with the puck and defending against top players.
2. At 6’2″, his size makes him difficult to defend when he does have the puck, including in transition, and he also uses that size and reach to break up opposition plays.
3. Hensler is capable of walking the offensive blue line to open up shooting and passing lanes. He has taken steps forward with his creativity, allowing him to make more advanced plays under pressure.

Weakness

1. Most likely won’t be a huge point producer.
2. Needs to round out his offensive skills.

Scouting Report

Logan Hensler is a big, smooth-skating, two-way defenseman who plays for the Wisconsin Badgers of the NCAA, he has only 7 points in 17 games after a strong 2023-24 campaign with US National U18 Team and USNTDP Juniors. You may hear a lot of people calling Logan Hensler’s game “not dynamic” or, more bluntly, “boring”. Hensler is a polished rush defender and easily one of the best in the class in this area. Hensler’s first steps are always to establish the dot-lane defense, he is an expert at surfing to close out checks, and he keeps his defensive stick loaded for timely takeaways. As the season has worn on, Hensler’s ability to control the middle of the ice, manage his checks, and perform effective partner work have also become more refined. There are some rough spots and lapses in decision-making, but on the whole Hensler’s talents seem to extend to cycle defense as well. There hasn’t yet been an offensive explosion from Hensler, though the scoresheet may not tell the whole story, even as the season progresses. Unlike Artyom Levshunov or Zeev Buium, who got to play in two of the NCAA’s top offenses during their draft years, Hensler’s Wisconsin Badgers are off to a rough start, averaging a poor 2.4 goals-per-game. Hensler hasn’t been much of a dictating dynamo of a defenceman anyway (an enduring criticism from his DY-1). Still, he transitions turnovers to zone exits easily with a clean first pass, has the hands, poise, and fluid skating to escape pressure on his own, and boasts a solid shot to boot. Hensler is starting to look more comfortable at the college level, it’s a tall order for a draft-eligible defenceman to adjust to bigger, stronger, and faster opponents. Hensler is plenty mobile for his size. He’s a two-way defenceman with some underlying offense. Hensler can walk the offensive blue line to open up shooting and passing lanes. He’s also a big body who can play both sides of the ice. While he may not be flashy, Hensler plays with a type of poise that—in its own way—is very exciting, bringing to mind NHLers like Devon Toews who leverage their skating, smarts, and defensive acumen to push play in the right direction. Defenders like Hensler, once they fully develop, are worth their weight in gold at the NHL level.

Skill: Big and Mobile. Two-way defenceman with some underlying offence

NHL Comparable: Devon Toews

NHL Potential: Top 4 Defenseman

Season	Team	League	GP	G	PTS
2023-24	US National U18 Team	NTDP	61	4	32
	USNTDP Juniors	USHL	27	3	16
	USA U18	WJC-18	7	1	6
2024-25	Univ. of Wisconsin	NCAA	17	0	7