The Nicklas Lidstrom Award is given to the league's best defenseman, as voted by the NSHL's general managers. It was first awarded for Season Eleven.
| Season | Winner(s) |
|---|---|
| 21 | Erik Karlsson (Fort Worth Fighting Squirrels) |
| 20 | Roman Josi (Sault Surge) |
| 19 | Roman Josi (Sault Surge) |
| 18 | Kris Letang (Fort Worth Fighting Squirrels) |
| 17 | Roman Josi (Sault Surge) |
| 16 | Kris Letang (Fort Worth Fighting Squirrels) |
| 15 | John Carlson (Sault Surge) |
| 14 | Brent Burns (Portland Huskies) |
| 13 | Drew Doughty (Ottawa Valley Wolfhounds) |
| 12 | Brent Burns (Portland Huskies) |
| 11 | Brent Burns (Portland Huskies) |