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Though spreading the wealth may sometimes be a good idea, Stanley Cup contenders often have an elite top pairing, able to control the pace of play at both ends of the ice. Entering the 2025–26 season, which are the league’s 10 best defensive duos?
10. Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo (Winnipeg Jets)
2024–25 Stats (5-on-5): 58.62% goal share, 54.01% expected goal share in 1,225:27
In 10th place, we have the top pair of the league’s reigning Presidents’ Trophy winners: Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo of the Winnipeg Jets. Morrissey has averaged 71 points per 82 games over the last three seasons, cementing himself as one of the league’s best offensive producers from the back end. But he’s also shored up any previous defensive woes—he’s an elite two-way, top-pairing defender.
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DeMelo, on the other hand, is effective in a complementary role. Supportive offensively and able to shut plays down in his zone, he’s a capable top-pairing defensive partner. Over the past two seasons, the Jets have outscored their opponents 114–71 with this pairing on the ice at 5-on-5.
9. Zach Werenski, Dante Fabbro (Columbus Blue Jackets)
2024–25 Stats (5-on-5): 57.14% goal share, 53.81% expected goal share in 1,005:58
Finishing second in Norris Trophy voting last season, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski does a lot of heavy lifting for this pairing. He’s a relentless puck-carrier and effective in all three zones, coming off an 82-point campaign. Dominating the opposition with a relentless 26:45 average ice time, he deserves the recognition he got in 2024–25.
However, that’s not to say Werenski did it all alone. Despite being a waiver pickup in November 2024, Dante Fabbro established some solid chemistry with the Blue Jackets star. He can handle big minutes if necessary, blocking shots and retrieving pucks along the way. Like DeMelo, he’s a good complementary partner.
8. Simon Edvinsson, Moritz Seider (Detroit Red Wings)
2024–25 Stats (5-on-5): 62.50% goal share, 51.89% expected goal share in 500:58
This newly formed pairing could make a name for itself in 2025–26. In his previous two seasons, Moritz Seider took on some of the league’s toughest minutes but didn’t have a competent partner to spend them with. The results were 46.09% actual and 45.37% expected goal shares at 5-on-5 play—indicating his role difficulty was too much to handle, on the surface. But really, all he needed was a spark.
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Simon Edvinsson, 22 years old, spent just over 500 minutes with Seider at 5-on-5 play. Together, they decimated the opposition with a 62.50% goal share. Though that rate should be expected to fall at least slightly, the Detroit Red Wings can end their nine-season playoff drought if this young pairing can replicate its play.
7. Cam Fowler, Colton Parayko (St. Louis Blues)
2024–25 Stats (5-on-5): 63.27% goal share, 54.07% expected goal share in 483:52
All it took was a second-round pick (and a fourth-rounder in return) for the St. Louis Blues to form one of the best defensive pairings in the NHL last season. Acquiring Cam Fowler in the aforementioned move gave Colton Parayko a puck-moving threat with high-end offensive capabilities, instead of depending on Nick Leddy to be that kind of player. From the time the deal was made (Dec. 14) until the end of the 2024–25 campaign, St. Louis had the league’s best 5-on-5 goal differential at plus-39.
This pairing is on the older side, with Fowler and Parayko being 33 and 32, respectively. But the Blues have something special. Like the Red Wings with Seider, there wasn’t a capable top-pairing partner for Parayko on the roster. The skill set, while always intriguing, wasn’t enough for flashy results in taxing minutes. Fowler changed that, adding a point-producing presence (36 in 51 games; 58-point pace) to Parayko’s mobile shutdown game.
6. Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek (Vancouver Canucks)
2024–25 Stats (5-on-5): 50.00% goal share, 55.40% expected goal share in 605:10
While they had an even goal differential at 5-on-5 last season, the Vancouver Canucks’ top pairing is very dangerous nonetheless. After winning the Norris Trophy two seasons ago, Quinn Hughes was arguably just as impressive in his follow-up campaign—the Canucks had a 53.28% goal share with him on the ice, and a dreadful 45.03% without him.
Naturally, having arguably the best defenseman in the NHL on this unit makes it a good one. But Filip Hronek, signed to an eight-year, $58 million contract last offseason, can hold his own. Without either of the two on the ice, Vancouver’s goal share dropped to 41.61%. United, they’ve shown they can do some damage. If goaltending is on their side this time around (.872 save percentage in 2024–25), expect big things.
5. Bowen Byram, Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres)
2024–25 Stats (5-on-5): 70.00% goal share, 54.61% expected goal share in 626:24
Outscoring their foes 35–15 when paired together, Bowen Byram and Rasmus Dahlin were a huge bright spot on a Buffalo Sabres team that extended its playoff drought to 14 seasons. Those results are probably unsustainable, boasting a .940 save percentage in their minutes, but some optimism is in store.
Dahlin has established himself as one of the league’s best defensemen. With off-the-charts skill and elite two-way results, Buffalo’s captain is going to excel no matter who he’s joined by. Byram held his end of the bargain, but he has room for growth. If that happens, this unit can challenge for a top-three spot.
4. Gustav Forsling, Aaron Ekblad (Florida Panthers)
2024–25 Stats (5-on-5): 58.57% goal share, 54.72% expected goal share in 866:43
A waiver claim and a first-overall pick—the ultimate juxtaposition. While back-to-back Stanley Cups are certainly helping this pairing’s case, the Florida Panthers depend on the services of Gustav Forsling and Aaron Ekblad. They eat heavy minutes and excel at both ends of the ice.
Forsling is the highlight of this pairing. After being picked up by the Panthers off waivers in January 2021, he’s become one of the best defensemen in the NHL, and objectively Florida’s best. He’s an elite chance-suppressor with an underrated offensive impact. Ekblad’s results aren’t as strong, but he’s an essential player for the Panthers—re-signing him was a no-brainer. This pairing is contractually intact for the next seven seasons.
3. Mattias Ekholm, Evan Bouchard (Edmonton Oilers)
2024–25 Stats (5-on-5): 53.01% goal share, 59.08% expected goal share in 987:34
Even though a championship has evaded them, reaching the Stanley Cup Final in back-to-back seasons is a serious accomplishment for the Edmonton Oilers. Undoubtedly, doing so wouldn’t have been possible without Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard, who have maximized the output of superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
While there’s always the knock on Ekholm and Bouchard that they’re the beneficiaries of two generational talents, it’s a two-way street. Over the past three seasons at five-a-side hockey, McDavid has a 65.16% goal share when joined by this pairing. Without either defender, he’s sitting at 50.57%, or basically even. Meanwhile, Draisaitl’s at a 71.00% goal share with Ekholm and Bouchard versus a much more modest 51.67% when they’re on the bench.
It’s not a coincidence that Edmonton went from struggling to go on deep runs to doing so regularly since this pairing was formed. Ekholm’s two-way prowess and Bouchard’s unmatched puck-moving ability are doing wonders for the Oilers.
2. Vladislav Gavrikov, Adam Fox (New York Rangers)
2024–25 Stats (5-on-5): N/A
If the New York Rangers insert free-agent pickup Vladislav Gavrikov on Adam Fox‘s pair, the results could be tremendous. For the first time in his career, Fox may have a full-time partner who can elevate his play.
For the past few seasons, Fox has been most commonly paired with Ryan Lindgren. Despite signing a four-year, $18 million contract with the Seattle Kraken in free agency, that was a task too tall for Lindgren. When Fox played alongside any defenseman aside from the 27-year-old last season, he held a 66.13% goal share and a 60.90% expected goal share across 653:45 in 5-on-5 ice time.
Though K’Andre Miller was a strong part-time defensive partner for Fox, Gavrikov is probably the better player right now. Flourishing in a shutdown role with the Los Angeles Kings on 23:05 of per-game ice time, he’d be the perfect fit on the Rangers’ top pair.
1. Devon Toews, Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche)
2024–25 Stats (5-on-5): 61.11% goal share, 55.53% expected goal share in 1,104:31
The Colorado Avalanche have had the NHL’s best defensive pairing for quite a while now. In perhaps the most lopsided trade in recent memory, acquiring Devon Toews from the New York Islanders for two measly second-round picks gave the Avalanche an unstoppable duo on the blue line.
Winning the Norris Trophy last season, Cale Makar further cemented himself as a generational defenseman. Toews, arguably a top-15 defender in his own right, played a key role. Until further notice, no pairing has this one beat.
Do you agree or disagree with these picks? Feel free to leave your thoughts below!
Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick
