Which NHL top defense pairs have been the best and worst in the 2025-26 season?

Any NHL team with Stanley Cup contention aspirations needs its top players to be firing on all cylinders. If a contender has an elite top line and first pair, that foundation can often mask flaws and weaknesses further down the lineup.Four weeks ago, we analyzed how every NHL team’s top line was producing. This time, we’re turning our attention to each club’s first pairs. The goal is the same as it was with the forwards: Identify which teams have top pairs that are dominating and which ones are significantly trailing the competition.Advertisement