NHL’s Top 10 Defensive Pairings for 2026-27 – Hockey Writers – Season Preview

With the early excitement of free agency over and many of the offseason rumors starting to die down, it’s a good time for player rankings.

Instead of ranking the 10 best defensemen in the league, the kind of list you’ve probably seen this summer, what are the 10 best pairing entering the 2026-27 campaign? Here is the list (partially dependent).

Note: Wins above replacement (WAR) is a metric used to measure impact. Read more about it here.

10. K’Andre Miller and Sean Walker, Carolina Hurricanes

Combined WAR for 2025-26: 1.94

Their regular season metrics were solid enough, but the pairing of K’Andre Miller and Sean Walker was the best for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In average and total ice time, Miller was the Carolina Hurricanes’ No. 1 defenseman. 1 during the postseason, guiding them to the championship. Walker, on the other hand, has also taken his game seriously.

A sample of 19 games should not be skipped, but it is hard to deny after the game they played. Also, their regular season performance, as mentioned, would have them as contenders on the list anyway.

9. Vladislav Gavrikov & Adam Fox, New York Rangers

Combined WAR for 2025-26: 3.81

When the New York Rangers signed Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year, $49 million contract last summer, the expectation was that he would pull his weight alongside Adam Fox. But that didn’t happen — the 2025-26 campaign was a tough one for the 30-year-old blueliner. That being said, though, he should be in a position to bounce back, and even if not, Fox can carry the load.

Last season showed how valuable Fox is to the Rangers defense. When he was on the ice at 5-on-5, the Rangers scored 45 goals and allowed just 34. When he came off the ice—including a 27-game layoff due to injury—the team went 122-109. Improved health for him, no matter what Gavrikov does, can lead to a bench play.

8. Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub, Ottawa Senators

Combined WAR for 2025-26: 3.70

This is one of those pairings where one player does the most lifting, but Artem Zub is amazing in the end. Combined with the two-way prowess of Jake Sanderson, the top defensive pairing of the Ottawa Senators earns the eighth spot on this list.

Sanderson missed some time later in the 2025-26 season, but ended up with 54 points and a plus-16 average in 67 games. He has completed 10^th in Norris Trophy voting two seasons ago, but the 24-year-old is in contention to win it all if he can’t stay on the ice. Zub is a solid shutdown partner to have on that quest.

7. Mattias Ekholm & Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers

Combined WAR for 2025-26: 5.11

Even entering his age-36 season, Mattias Ekholm is still having a positive impact on the top pairing. Evan Bouchard, on the other hand, is coming off a clean campaign, recording 95 points in one of the best offensive defensive seasons we’ve seen in a long time.

The presence of Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid leads to this pairing being overlooked at times, but Ekholm and Bouchard have created something special. Perhaps Draisaitl and McDavid would already have a Stanley Cup if this kind of pairing existed earlier in their careers.

6. Devon Toews & Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche

Combined WAR for 2025-26: 3.04

This may seem a little low, especially since Cale Makar is only a Norris Trophy finalist, but I think we’ve seen some of the best hockey from him in the past—a testament to how good he is. The same could be said for Devon Toews, but that’s natural for a 32-year-old. He, too, is still a top quality guy.

I know I just said the opposite of Ekholm and Bouchard, but I attribute more of the Toews and Makar pairing success to Nathan MacKinnon than usual. To balance that claim, Ekholm and Bouchard had terrific numbers without Draisaitl again McDavid: 5-on-5 expected goal shares, goal shares, and shot share in the 55% range. Toews and Makar, on the other hand, were in the 50% range with the exception of MacKinnon.

This section is more gauged than I would like it to be, but we are in the process of confirming this placement. Obviously, Toews and Makar are a great duo. That much should not be said.

5. Mattias Samuelsson & Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres

Combined WAR for 2025-26: 3.93

It’s no secret that Rasmus Dahlin is among the best defensemen in the NHL. But the emergence of 26-year-old Mattias Samuelsson alongside him makes for an incredible pairing. The Buffalo Sabers won 50 games en route to ending their longest playoff drought, and these two had a lot to do with it.

If Samuelsson can maintain his 2025-26 impact, the Sabers should be back in Stanley Cup contention next spring (there’s little doubt Dahlin will be good). With Bowen Byram out of the picture, there is pressure on him in that sense. But he should be able to take it back.

4. Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars

Combined WAR for 2025-26: 3.35

If there was an award for the best NHL defenseman, Esa Lindell would be eligible to win it several times throughout his career. He was again impressive in 2025-26, as the Dallas Stars went from above-average to dominant on the ice at 5-on-5. Joined by Miro Heiskanen, who finished eighth in the Norris Trophy voting, this pairing is very well put together.

Heiskanen recorded 63 points in 77 games, which is the highlight, but Lindell’s defensive impact is also high. The two are evenly matched, and if anything, the latter was more impressive last season. Thus, fourth place is guaranteed.

3. Simon Edvinsson & Moritz Seider, Detroit Red Wings

Combined WAR for 2025-26: 3.92

Following a promising 2024-25 campaign, 23-year-old Simon Edvinsson was fine last season by top-pairing standards. Fortunately, Moritz Seider was so good that the duo made it to third place on the list regardless.

Seider probably should have, at the very least, come in second in Norris Trophy voting last season. He had an MVP-caliber impact on both ends of the ice, almost single-handedly sending the Detroit Red Wings to the playoffs. At 5-on-5, he has outscored teams 71-57 (plus-14). During his time on the bench, the Red Wings were one of the worst teams in the NHL, going 112-71 (minus-41).

If Edvinsson can take a step in the right direction in 2026-27, this pairing could be the best contender in the league. By extension, the Red Wings could end their playoff drought—even without Dylan Larkin.

2. Zach Werenski and Damon Severson, Columbus Blue Jackets

Combined WAR for 2025-26: 7.05

Zach Werenski won the Norris Trophy in the spring, and he deserved it for sure (more than the other winners, anyway). As good as he is, however, Damon Severson has been quietly influential. He had a great season on his own.

It should be noted that Werenski has spent 300 minutes or more at 5-on-5 with four different defenders. He spent 393 minutes with Severson, and that was his best, posting an expected goal share of 68.4% and a goal share of 59.5%. Other combinations were below those marks.

If Werenski-Severson is a full-time pairing in 2026-27, maybe the Columbus Blue Jackets can end their playoff drought. It would be a welcome surprise after all the bad rumors fans have endured (from ‘Zach Werenski vetoes trade to Stars, open to Maple Leafs or Lightning: Sources,’ AthleticJune 30, 2026).

1. Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild

Combined WAR for 2025-26: 5.77

The trade of Quinn Hughes changed the game for the Minnesota Wild, who emerged as the team’s best player in numbers. He was a great asset to Brock Faber, who was having his best season to date.

Previously, Faber’s elite reputation was not justified by his actual performance (he had major defensive problems in 2024-25). But that changed last season, for the better on both ends of the ice. That wasn’t Hughes’ thing, though—Faber got better on his own.

Moving on to Hughes, the 2024 Norris Trophy winner has found a new gear in Minnesota after an underwhelming—but still very good—26 games with the Vancouver Canucks. Suffice it to say, these two should be unstoppable in 2026-27.

Although they defend the best in the league, the results from season to season can fluctuate. But the expectation should be that most of these pairings are successful.

Are there any other contestants you think should have made the list? Feel free to leave a comment if so!

Advanced stats courtesy of Evolving-Hockey (not mentioned explicitly, but used to compile this list), Hockey Stats