On paper, the Devils' defense group isn't quite as excellent as some were hoping. There are some reasonable questions about their ability to move the puck up ice given the presumptive playstyle of the forward group, and the defense-first blueliners were either injured or took steps backward in 2025-26 (with the exception of Brenden Dillon, who was mostly great).
Included in that group of disappointing or injured defensive defensemen are Jonas Siegenthaler and Johnathan Kovacevic, both of whom dealt with their respective issues throughout last campaign. Siegenthaler appeared in all 82 games last season, but his performance was certainly a step backward from the top-tier defensive blueliner he has been in the past.
Kovacevic, meanwhile, tore his ACL in the 2025 playoffs and thus spent a good chunk of the season recovering from the injury. He returned in January but was a shell of his former self, with lackluster play and mobility concerns. Presumably, though, he's had more time to rest and recover and should be entering 2026-27 free of setbacks.
Suffice to say, neither player was at their best in 2025-26. That said, they did make up the NHL's best defensive pairing one year prior, cementing themselves as stalwart blueliners when everything within their game is clicking.
Johnny Kovacevic and Jonas Siegenthaler could become a top defensive pair again
Two seasons ago, among the 62 defensive pairings that logged at least 500 minutes of 5v5 time together, Siegenthaler and Kovacevic ranked as the best duo in expected goals against per hour (xGA/60) and high-danger chances per hour (HDCA/60). They were the second-best pair in terms of scoring chances against per hour (SCA/60), were third-best in shots on goal against per hour (SA/60), and were top-10 in shot attempts against per hour (CA/60). There is simply no argument for them being anything but the best defensive pairing in the entire league that season.
The good news is that there are reasons to believe a positive regression back to that talent level is possible. Siegenthaler plays at his best when his partner is a defensive stalwart, and Kovacevic's recovery from injury should be fully wrapped up by the start of the season, or at least close to it. At minimum, he'll be far healthier than he was when he came back in January of 2026.
If they do find that level again, the Devils' on-paper defensive corps looks a lot better than it currently does. Having a true shutdown third pair to handle high-pressure defensive situations is a boon, especially when the players are playing at as high a level as Siegenthaler and Kovacevic were.
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