The Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb pairing is the NHL's best and this stat shows why

Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb have been with the Vegas Golden Knights since (say it with me, class), "Day F*****g One." The duo has provided a yin-and-yang style for Vegas. For Theodore, he was the offensive facilitator who could also function on the power play. Gotta set up those rebounds, you know? McNabb was the stay-at-home defenseman who could also surprise people with the occasional goal.

However, it appears that both Misfits are leading the defensive charge for the Golden Knights. In fact, they're the league's best in one particular statistic.

Of course, this was before Sunday's slate of games. The Golden Knights lost to the Minnesota Wild in overtime, 3-2. Still, there are plenty of layers to this.

Some people might look at the Goals Against Per 60 Minutes and say that McNabb is carrying the load. After all, 1,333 blocked shots, 295 takeaways, and 1,384 hits in his nine-year Golden Knights career will indicate that he's one of the most underrated defensemen in the NHL. However, Shea Theodore has drastically improved his defense.

Currently, Theodore has 31 blocked shots in 18 games this season. He's been getting more involved in Bruce Cassidy's defensive system, taking the pressure off the goaltending. That's a promising sign since the goalies are a patchwork unit. Without Adin Hill, you're dealing with a hodgepodge group that needs a veteran presence like Theodore to step up.

Why Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore are the best defensive pair in the NHL right now

Before Sunday's game against the Wild, Theodore and McNabb allowed 0.89 Goals Against Per 60 Minutes in 5-on-5 situations. That was the best in the NHL, beating out Winnipeg's pair of Logan Stanley and Neal Pionk. While the Jets' pair has Connor Hellebuyck in net, the Golden Knights don't have such a luxury.

As mentioned, the current Golden Knights goaltending group is mere patchwork. Akira Schmid is good at times, yet he can also have his bad moments. Carl Lindbom needs more seasoning at the AHL level, while we don't know what to expect from Carter Hart after a year-long absence from the NHL.

That's what makes Theodore and McNabb stand out more. They've picked up the slack and denied opposing teams scoring chances. It's part of why Schmid can have excellent nights like Saturday, where he stopped 22 of 23 shots.

Some people might point at this and say that Cassidy has a solid system. Sure, that's certainly the case. However, you can't have a functioning system without viable players. That's where Theodore and McNabb come in, providing unrivaled leadership and versatility.

When the Golden Knights lost Alex Pietrangelo for the season, there were questions about whether the blue line would hold up. They lost their locker room leader and that doesn't appear to be changing any time soon. Sometimes, it takes a couple of Misfits to step in and take the reins. So far, it's helping the Golden Knights in every defensive aspect.

Almost like they've been a fit all along.