Red Wings vs. Buffalo Sabres 12-23-14

In addition to being strong defensively, the Red Wings' Danny DeKeyser has shown improvement offensively.

(The Associated Press)

EDMONTON, Alberta - The Detroit Red Wings have juggled defense pairs quite a bit the past couple of seasons due to injuries and ineffectiveness.

But Danny DeKeyser and Kyle Quincey form the one combination that has stayed together for the most part since being united one year ago around this time.

They were solid the second half of 2013-14 and they've played well this season, giving the club a reliable No. 2 pairing.

"I think the best pair we have on the team right now is DeKeyser and Quincey, the steadiest pair each and every day, the two guys playing the best," coach Mike Babcock said. "I just think they're been really solid, the two of them. They seem to play well together."

Niklas Kronwall agreed.

"They've been great for us," Kronwall said. "Q is a guy not a lot of guys want to play against because he's so heavy and hard on you. DK is more of a puck-moving guy who's also solid defensively but maybe plays a little more of a position game than Q. I think they complement each other very well."

Quincey's play improved dramatically midway through last season. Following a mistake-prone first half in which he posted a minus-14 rating, he settled down after being paired with DeKeyser and put up a plus-9 rating the rest of the way.

"Q's a defender who really competes hard, good penalty killer, plays hard and is heavy, and is making simple plays," Babcock said. "Dan DeKeyser is a guy who's grown into his game, I think a real elite skater, elite hockey sense, moves the puck well. His puck skills haven't transferred into the offensive zone, yet he's on his way, making real good progress, real important player for us."

DeKeyser made an immediate impact after signing with the Red Wings as a free agent out of Western Michigan in March 2013. His game has continued to grow.

DeKeyser has 15 points and a plus-5 rating in 37 games. Quincey is plus-2 in 35 games.

"Our focus is to minimize mistakes," Quincey said. "Our job is not to win the game; it's to not lose the game. I think we've done a really good job minimizing scoring chances against. We enjoy playing with each other."

Playing games and practicing with the same partner day after day has its advantages.

"The more you play with the same guy the better chemistry you're going to have," DeKeyser said. "I think we work well together.

"He's really strong in the corners and a lot of times he pops pucks over to me and gets me room so I can skate them up the ice or find a guy with a pass. I know he's pretty good at popping the puck in the middle and getting it off the wall so the wingers don't have to struggle so much when the D are pinching down."

DeKeyser is tall and lanky at 6-3, 191. Quincey is a stocky 6-2, 216.

"We maybe look a little different, but we're similar in the way we play," Quincey said. "I got 60 pounds on him, but other than that I like to jump up when I can. He skates very well. I'm probably a little stronger in the corners. I try to get him in situations where he can skate and I try to take the situations where I'm in the corners battling or in front of the net.

"After every shift we communicate, so we know what we're going to do the next shift. We're analyzing every shift and we get better every time we go out there."

Babcock said his top pairing of Kronwall and Jonathan Ericsson "hasn't been as steady here lately."

"So we need them to be better," Babcock said. "(Xavier Ouellet) has just kind of arrived playing every day and we him and (Brendan Smith) to be better. So, you add it together our steadiest pair right now - and this isn't me shining a spotlight on anyone else - they (DeKeyser and Quincey) are the steadiest day in, day out right now."

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