Ranking the Top 7 Defensive Pairings in the NHL Today
Scoring goals is the name of the game in hockey, but it's also important to limit an opponent's offensive opportunities. That's why it's crucial to have a strong first pairing to anchor a blue-line corps.
Those defensemen log the most ice time among their teammates, including in power-play and short-handed situations. The pairing usually consists of a skilled puck-mover and a shutdown blueliner. However, it's not unusual for there to be two swift-skating defenders who can also generate offense or two defensive-minded rearguards who can neutralize an opponent's top scorers.
Maintaining an elite defensive pairing can mean the difference between a contender and a pretender. Finding the right combination isn't easy. Sometimes a duo that works well together can be split up to address weaknesses elsewhere on the blue line.
Here's our ranking of the best defensive pairings for the 2021-22 season. They are listed by left and right defense. Individual awards, experience and performance were among the items that factored into this ranking.
Do you agree or disagree with our selections? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section below.
7. Boston Bruins: Matt Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy
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Zdeno Chara's departure last winter via free agency left the Bruins without a regular defense partner for rising star Charlie McAvoy. While injuries limited Matt Grzelcyk to 37 games last season, he wound up seeing more playing time with McAvoy than any other Bruins blueliner.
Since his debut in 2017-18, the 23-year-old McAvoy has steadily developed as the Bruins' top defenseman. He leads all their skaters in time on ice per game (22:52) and total blocked shots (395) over his four-plus seasons. He also sits second among their blueliners with 124 points. His performance earned him an eight-year contract extension worth an annual average value of $9.5 million.
Grzelcyk may be small for an NHL defenseman at 5'9" and 178 pounds, but he possesses good puck-moving skills. Since last season, the 27-year-old leads all Bruins defensemen in power-play ice time per game (2:30) and sits second to McAvoy in points with 20.
6. Philadelphia Flyers: Ivan Provorov and Ryan Ellis
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The Philadelphia Flyers missed the 2021 NHL playoffs due in part to the lack of a solid right-side defenseman to partner with Ivan Provorov on their top pairing. Their acquisition of Ryan Ellis this summer from the Nashville Predators should address that need. Though sidelined by a recent injury, the 30-year-old has four points in his first three games while averaging 24:09 minutes per game.
Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher sang Ellis' praises at the time of the deal, calling him "an excellent all-around defenseman." His stats with the Predators over the past five seasons back this up. He led them in short-handed ice time per game (2:35), was second in average ice time (23:47) per game and blocked shots with 534, and he was fifth with 167 points.
Pairing Ellis with Provorov should give the Flyers one of this season's top defensive duos. The 24-year-old Flyers rearguard reached or exceeded 26 points in each of his five previous NHL campaigns. He's their overall leader since 2016-17 in time on ice per game (24:09), short-handed ice time (2:48) and blocked shots with 722.
5. New York Islanders: Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock
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With his team off to stumbling start to this season, New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz separated his top defensive pairing of Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock by moving the latter to the second pairing to skate alongside Zdeno Chara. Given the effectiveness of Pelech and Pulock as a shutdown blue-line tandem, however, don't be surprised if they're reunited at some point this season.
The more offensive-minded of the two, Pulock enjoyed three consecutive 32-plus point seasons from 2017-18 to 2019-20. The 6'2", 215-pounder logged a team-leading 22:26 of ice time per game last season, finishing second in blocked shots with 106 and fifth with 97 hits.
Another big defender at 6'3" and 205 pounds, Pelech tends to play a more defensive role. He was second among Isles skaters in short-handed ice time per game (2:14) and takeaways (25), third in ice time per contest (21:03) and fourth with 73 blocked shots.
4. Dallas Stars: Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen
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Esa Lindell and John Klingberg were the Dallas Stars' best defense pairing prior to this season. However, the offensive-minded Klingberg now skates alongside offseason acquisition Ryan Suter. That led to Miro Heiskanen becoming Lindell's partner.
A big, skillful all-around defender, the 27-year-old Lindell has led the NHL since 2018-19 in short-handed ice time (718:12) among players with 100-plus games played, averaging 3:21 minutes per contest. Since last season, the 6'3" 220-pound Finn leads the Stars in blocked shots with 120. After Jamie Oleksiak's offseason departure to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft, he also leads them in hits over that period with 134.
In just four NHL campaigns, Heiskanen has established himself as a talented offensive rearguard. He led the Stars in playoff scoring with 26 points during their run to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. The 22-year-old Finn's 25:05 time on ice per game ranks seventh among all defensemen since last season. He's also tied for second among the Stars in takeaways with 22 and sits fourth with 65 blocked shots.
3. New York Rangers: Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox
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Part of the New York Rangers' recent rebuilding process, Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox have been together since their first full seasons in 2019-20. They've since moved up to become the Blueshirts' top defensive pairing. The 23-year-olds will be crucial to the club's push for a playoff berth this season.
Fox is the better known of the two. He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy last season, becoming the only sophomore other than Hall of Famer Bobby Orr to take home that honor. A gifted playmaker, he led all defensemen in 2020-21 with 42 assists and finished second with 47 points. Since last season, Fox has averaged a team-leading 24:43 of ice time. He's also their leader with 110 blocked shots and 47 takeaways.
Lindgren's more defensive style complements Fox's puck-moving game. Since last season, he's second among Rangers skaters in short-handed ice time per game (2:31) and in hits with 104. Lindgren is also fourth at even-strength time per contest (17:16) and in blocked shots with 66.
2. Florida Panthers: MacKenzie Weegar and Aaron Ekblad
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The rise of the Florida Panthers among the NHL's top teams since last season can be attributed in part to their first defensive pairing of MacKenzie Weegar and Aaron Ekblad. Paired together since 2019-20, they've swiftly emerged among the league's best blue-line tandems.
Winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2014-15, the 6'4", 215-pound Ekblad sits fourth among Panthers scorers in points (241) since his NHL debut. Since his sophomore campaign, he's been their overall leader in time on ice time per game (22:55). A broken leg cut short his 2020-21 season, but the 25-year-old has made a full recovery and collected seven points in as many games so far this campaign.
Weegar emerged from Ekblad's shadow last season, netting a career-high 36 points in 54 games. He leads the Panthers since 2020-21 in short-handed ice time per contest (2:46), while his 22:15 of time on ice per game ranks behind only Ekblad. The physical blueliner is also their leader with 96 blocked shots and 52 takeaways, and he's second in hits with 136.
1. Colorado Avalanche: Devon Toews and Cale Makar
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The Colorado Avalanche began this season with Devon Toews sidelined by offseason shoulder surgery. He recently returned to practice and could make his season debut soon. Expect him to be reunited with Cale Makar and for the duo pick up where they left off last season as one of the NHL's best defensive pairings.
Acquired from the Islanders last October, Toews meshed quickly with Makar. The 27-year-old all-around rearguard led the club in time on ice per game (24:46); tied with Makar and Mikko Rantanen for most takeaways with 32; finished second in short-handed ice time per game (3:06) and blocked shots (87); and was third in scoring among Avs defensemen with a career-best 31 points.
A finalist for the James Norris Memorial Trophy last season, Makar is among the NHL's elite mobile defensemen. A gifted puck-handler who uses his skills well at both ends of the ice, the 23-year-old netted 44 points in as many games last season. He had a team-leading 4:11 of power-play ice time per game, tied for most takeaways with 32 and finished second in average ice time (24:19) per contest.
Player stats (accurate as of Oct. 29) via NHL.com.
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