Ranking the Top Five Defensive Pairings in the NHL
. . Shea Theodore, Alex Pietrangelo. 2. player. 942.
The Golden Knights have made a literal living off transforming no-name players into studs in the NHL, and Shea Theodore has been their latest product. Traded by the Anaheim Ducks in 2017 for expansion draft compensation, the left-handed defenseman was determined to prove his worth to the NHL, and he’s done exactly that as he’s coming off a statement year in which he potted 13 goals and 33 assists for 46 total points in 71-games played. In that same time span, he was a nuisance to opposing players as he recorded 55 takeaways, ranking amongst the most in the league by a defenseman.
For obvious reasons, the addition of veteran defenseman, Stanley Cup champion and long-time Captain of the St. Louis Blues, Alex Pietrangelo, makes this duo the number two pair in the league. Pietrangelo is coming off a 2019-20 campaign in which he played in 70 games while cranking out 16 goals and 36 assists for 52 points, along with registering 43 takeaways and 89 blocked shots. Not bad for a guy who’s heading into his 13th season in the NHL.
It’s quite apparent that the combination of these stellar defensemen will be a problem that many teams won’t be able to solve in the near, or even distant, future. They can both shutdown forwards along the boards and in open ice, protect the net and hop on defensive rebounds, in addition to being able to dominate their adversaries in the offensive zone with superb creativity and playmaking skills.
Were it not for the two blueliners that sit ahead of Pietrangelo and Theodore, this would make for the best pairing on the blue-line in the NHL. With these guys guarding the back-end, anything short of the Western Conference Finals for the Vegas Golden Knights is a complete and utter disappointment. Look for both of them to have career years in the upcoming season.