Grading Each NHL Team's Offensive Lines Looking Ahead to 2012-13

OK, we're in late July, but the hockey world is always busy as teams prepare their rosters for the upcoming season.

Here is an offseason look at each team's forward lines as of right now. The combinations are of course unofficial and have been taken directly from the August 1 issue of The Hockey News so please do not tell me these line combos are incorrect or unlikely. Of course, they will change by training camp due to trades, signings, injuries and surprise performances, both good and bad, in training camp.

Each grade was given by me and that too is subject to change before the season actually starts.

The teams are presented in alphabetical order for the purpose of this article.

Feel free to give your opinions, that's always part of the fun.

Anaheim Ducks

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Bobby Ryan, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry

Line 2: Andrew Cogliano, Saku Koivu, Teemu Selanne

Line 3: Matt Beleskey, Nick Bonino, Kyle Palmieri

Line 4: Brad Staubitz, Brandon McMillan, Devante Smith-Pelly

The top two lines are solid assuming Selanne continues to produce and Koivu stays healthy. Trade rumors continue to swirl around Ryan which would change a lot. Youngsters like Smith-Pelly and Bonino are being counted on to step up.

Grade: B+

Boston Bruins

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Milan Lucic, David Krejci, Nathan Horton

Line 2: Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, Tyler Seguin

Line 3: Jordan Caron, Chris Kelly, Rich Peverley

Line 4: Daniel Paille, Gregory Campbell, Shawn Thornton

There is still a lot of depth and talent on this roster and most of these players won a Stanley Cup in 2011. Players like Campbell, Thornton and Kelly know their roles and do them very well. Seguin is still up and coming. If Horton stays healthy, there is a lot of talent and depth here.

Grade: A-

Buffalo Sabres

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Thomas Vanek, Corey Hodgson, Jason Pominville

Line 2: Ville Leino, Steve Ott, Drew Stafford

Line 3: Marcus Foligno, Tyler Ennis, Corey Tropp

Line 4: Nathan Gerbe, Luke Adam, Patrick Kaleta

The Sabres are hoping that their trade for Hodgson pays off offensively. Management shook things up by trading Derek Roy and adding Steve Ott. Buffalo needs bounce-back years from Leino and Ennis. The potential is there for this to be a very good group but there are a few "what-ifs" hanging out there.

Grade: B

Calgary Flames

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Alex Tanguay, Michael Cammalleri, Jarome Iginla

Line 2: Sven Baertschi, Roman Cervenka, Jiri Hudler

Line 3: Curtis Glencross, Mikael Backlund, Lee Stempniak

Line 4: Blake Comeau, Blair Jones, Tim Jackman

The Flames have some solid talent on the first line although Cammalleri needs to be a good replacement for the departed Olli Jokinen if this trio is going to work. Will Jiri Hudler pick up his point production with additional ice time? The wings on the third line are strong and the fourth line has grinders that are capable. It remains to be seen if the second line can produce enough consistent scoring for this team to succeed.

Grade: B-

Carolina Hurricanes

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Eric Staal, Jordan Staal, Alexander Semin

Line 2: Jeff Skinner, Jussi Jokinen, Chad LaRose

Line 3: Jiri Tlusty, Zach Boychuk, Tuomo Ruutu

Line 4: Drayson Bowman, Tim Brent, Anthony Stewart

This unit has been upgraded substantially during the offseason. The two Staals and Semin are as talented a trio as almost any team can put together in the league. Skinner needs to bounce back from his sophomore slump. Ruutu and Boychuk add grit but the Canes may need a little more sandpaper in their lineup before the season ends. This group has the potential to be very productive.

Grade: A-

Chicago Blackhawks

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Patrick Sharp, Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa

Line 2: Brandon Saad, Patrick Kane, Viktor Stalberg

Line 3: Dan Carcillo, Dave Bolland, Andrew Shaw

Line 4: Bryan Bickell, Marcus Kruger, Michael Frolik

The Blackhawks still have a lot of talent on the top two lines and will have even more if Saad is ready to be a full-time NHLer. Bolland remains one of the better third line centers in the league. If he stays healthy, Carcillo is a solid grinder/agitator. Even the fourth line is capable.

Grade: A-

Colorado Avalanche

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Gabriel Landeskog, Paul Stastny, Steve Downie

Line 2: David Jones, Matt Duchene, P.A. Parenteau

Line 3: Chuck Kobasew, Ryan O'Reilly, Jamie McGinn

Line 4: Cody McLeod, John Mitchell, Milan Hejduk

There is plenty of talent on the Avs, but a lot of it is still young. When players like Stastny, Ladeskog, Duchene and O'Reilly reach their primes, Colorado could have one of the more talented groups in the league. Parenteau is a good addition for the power play and is a good set up man. A little more grit may be needed with this group that is still a year or two away from reaching its full potential.

Grade: B

Columbus Blue Jackets

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Vinny Prospal, Derick Brassard, Cam Atkinson

Line 2: R.J. Umberger, Artem Anisimov, Derek Dorsett

Line 3: Nick Foligno, Mark Letestu, Brandon Dubinsky

Line 4: Colton Gillies, Derek MacKenzie, Jared Boll

The Nash trade gave the Jackets more depth across the lineup, but they lack a big time goal scorer they can rely on. Guys like Brassard and Umberger need to step up their scoring and Anisimov needs to flower into a legitimate top-six center. If Dubinsky bounces back from a subpar 2011-12, this unit may not be as bad as people think, but they have a long way to go. Most scouts are not sure where the goal scoring will come from.

Grade: C+

Dallas Stars

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Loui Eriksson, Jamie Benn, Jaromir Jagr

Line 2: Ray Whitney, Derek Roy, Michael Ryder

Line 3: Eric Nystrom, Vernon Fiddler, Brednen Morrow

Line 4: Toby Petersen, Cody Eakin, Tomas Vincour

The Stars made a lot of changes and still have some very talented players available. Roy had an off year in 2011-12 but if he returns to form it will be a big help to this unit. Veterans like Whitney and Jagr should boost the power play if they still have another good year in them. Nystrom is unlikely to match his offensive total but he and Morrow are solid third line players. This group looks like it has been upgraded over a year ago, but many of these veterans are stopgap measures.

Grade: B

Detroit Red Wings

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Valtteri Filppula, Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen

Line 2: Gustav Nyquist, Pavel Datsyuk, Todd Bertuzzi

Line 3: Danny Cleary, Darren Helm, Mikael Samuelsson

Line 4: Drew Miller, Justin Abdelkader, Jordin Tootoo

The loss of Hudler will hurt this team although Samuelsson is a good re-addition for the third line. Bertuzzi is just average at this point in his career. This group is steady now, but there are no standout snipers in the lineup. Datsyuk needs to stay healthy and bounce back offensively. Gustav Nyquist would be a big addition offensively if he's ready for prime time.

Grade: B+

Edmonton Oilers

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail Yakupov

Line 2: Ryan Smyth, Sam Gagner, Jordan Eberle

Line 3: Ryan Jones, Shawn Horcoff, Ales Hemsky

Line 4: Ben Eager, Eric Belanger, Darcy Hordichuk

After drafting first overall so often recently, the Oilers are stacked with a lot of young offensive talent. Nail Yakupov is just the latest in a string of young forwards who can become stars. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a good rookie year while Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall continue to develop. Ryan Smyth provides veteran leadership and grit. In a year or two, this will be one of the best forward units in the league.

Grade: B+

Florida Panthers

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Tomas Fleischmann, Stephan Weiss, Kris Versteeg

Line 2: Sean Bergenheim, Jonathan Huberdeau, Jack Skille

Line 3: Scottie Upshall, Marcel Goc, Peter Mueller

Line 4: Jerred Smithson, Shawn Matthias, Tomas Kopecky

The Panthers overachieved according to many experts last season and it will be a tall order to replicate last season's success. Fleischmann, Weiss and Versteeg make a solid first line but the second line is questionable. Sean Bergenheim is a grinder who belongs on the third line. Weiss needs to have a big year. If Jonathan Huberdeau is ready to step up, he could add some offense, but a huge contribution from him is probably a year or two away.

Grade: B-

Los Angeles Kings

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, Justin Williams

Line 2: Dustin Penner, Mike Richards, Jeff Carter

Line 3: Simon Gagne, Jared Stoll, Trevor Lewis

Line 4: Dwight King, Colin Fraser, Jordan Nolan

This group won a Stanley Cup last year for a reason. Kopitar is the most talented overall player in the bunch. The addition of Carter gave the Kings two very steady scoring lines. If Gagne is healthy, it gives Los Angeles a lot of depth. King and Nolan added youth and size. This is a very solid unit with size, talent and grit.

Grade: A

Minnesota Wild

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu, Dany Heatley

Line 2: Devin Setoguchi, Mikael Granlund, Pierre-Marc Bouchard

Line 3: Kyle Brodziak, Matt Cullen, Cal Clutterbuck

Line 4: Darroll Powe, Zenon Konopka, Torrey Mitchell

The Wild struggled to score last season but the new additions of Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter should boost the club's offensive production. Koivu is an underrated setup man. If Grandlund is ready to break out, the Wild should have a very productive top six. Heatley and Setoguchi should be even more productive this year. Konopka and Clutterbuck give the Wild some toughness and grit.

Grade: A-

Montreal Canadiens

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Max Pacioretty, David Desharnais, Erik Cole

Line 2: Rene Bourque, Tomas Plekanec, Brian Gionta

Line 3: Travis Moen, Lars Eller, Brandon Prust

Line 4: Colby Armstrong, Louis Leblanc, Ryan White

The Canadiens are starting to rebuild but they are not where they need to be just yet. Plekanec is steady but better off as a second line center and Desharnais may not be quite ready to be a first line pivot just yet. Prust will add size to the third line and Eller and Moen make up a solid third unit. There is some scoring prowess here but not quite enough to put the Habs near the top of the league in offensive production.

Grade: B-

Nashville Predators

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Sergei Kostitsyn, Mike Fisher, Martin Erat

Line 2: Gabriel Bourque, David Legwand, Patric Hornqvist

Line 3: Colin Wilson, Paul Gaustad, Matt Halischuk

Line 4: Brandon Yip, Nick Spaling, Craig Smith

The Predators seem to view forwards as interchangeable parts. They can roll four lines and while none of them are outstanding, they can all wear down opponents. Radulov's short reappearance in Nashville didn't work out so again, the Preds will be without a sniper. They do have depth and size. Gaustad is a center who can win big faceoffs and kill penalties. There are a lot of players who will score between 15 and 25 goals on this roster. This is a solid but unspectacular group.

Grade: B

New Jersey Devils

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Ilya Kovalchuk, Travis Zajac, Dainius Zubrus

Line 2: Patrik Elias, Adam Henrique, David Clarkson

Line 3: Mattias Tedenby, Jacob Josefson, Steve Bernier

Line 4: Ryan Carter, Stephen Gionta, Cam Janssen

The loss of Zach Parise is a big one for the Devils; he was their captain and spiritual leader, but the cupboard is far from bare. Ilya Kovalchuk remains one of the most dangerous snipers in the game and Adam Henrique is a rising talent. Players like Jacob Josefson and Ryan Carter need to continue to develop and Elias and Clarkson both need to have one more good year left in them.

Grade: B

New York Islanders

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Matt Moulson, John Tavares, Kyle Okposo

Line 2: Michael Grabner, Frans Nielsen, Brad Boyes

Line 3: Matt Martin, Josh Bailey, Nino Niederreiter

Line 4: Eric Boulton, Casey Cizikas, David Ullstrom

The Islanders have more talent up front than most people may realize. John Tavares has increased his point total each year and Matt Moulson has become a steady 30 goal scorer. Brad Boyes is not a bad gamble. The keys to success are the development of players like Okposo, Grabner, Bailey and Nielsen who must continue to improve. Nino Niederreiter disappointed as a rookie and is probably a year or two away from being more than a third line plugger. The potential for a good lineup is there, but a lot of youngsters need to step up for this grade to improve.

Grade: B-

New York Rangers

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Rick Nash, Brad Richards, Marian Gaborik

Line 2: Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan, Ryan Callahan

Line 3: Taylor Pyatt, Brian Boyle, Carl Hagelin

Line 4: Mike Rupp, Jeff Halpern, Arron Asham

The Rangers have a nice stable of talent here with two snipers in Gaborik and Nash and a veteran pivot in Richards. Stepan and Kreider are young and talented and Callahan is the grit and work ethic. Even the Rangers fourth line has solid role players like Halpern, Rupp and Asham. Gaborik is out early in the season, but Nash should more than pick up the slack. The Rangers are solid and deep right now.

Grade A-

Ottawa Senators

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Milan Michalek, Jason Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson

Line 2: Guillaume Latendresse, Kyle Turris, Jakob Silfverberg

Line 3: Colin Greening, Jim O'Brien, Chris Neil

Line 4: Zach Smith, Mika Zibanejad, Erik Condra

Assuming Alfredsson comes back for another season, the top line remains strong. The development of Silfverberg and Turris are keys for this team to have enough scoring depth. Chris Neal remains a solid gritty player but this team needs a little bit more depth to compete with the big boys.

Grade: B-

Philadlephia Flyers

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Scott Hartnell, Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek

Line 2: Matt Read, Daniel Briere, Wayne Simmonds

Line 3: Ruslan Fedotenko, Breden Schenn, Max Talbot

Line 4: Kyle Wellwood, Sean Couturier, Zac Rinaldo

The Flyers have a lot of talent here. Giroux is one of the league's best young forwards. Voracek needs to take his game to another level if the Flyers hope to be among the league's best up front. Simmonds is underrated and Read continues to be a good young forward. Fedotenko is a solid role player who adds playoff experience as does Talbot. This team is deep and talented, even without Jagr.

Grade: A-

Phoenix Coyotes

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Steve Sullivan, Martin Hanzal, Radim Vrbata

Line 2: Mikkel Boedker, Anoine Vermette, David Moss

Line 3: Raffi Torres, Boyd Gordon, Lauri Korpikoski

Line 4: Andy Miele, Kyle Chipchura, Paul Bissonnette

The Coyotes are still unsure if they will have Shane Doan back and they have already lost Ray Whitney. There is still some talent here, but unless Doan returns, the Coyotes are a step below where they were last season when they went on their run to the Western Conference final.

Grade: B-

Pittsburgh Penguins

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Chris Kunitz, Sidney Crosby, Pascal Dupuis

Line 2: Matt Cooke, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal

Line 3: Eric Tangradi, Brandon Sutter, Tyler Kennedy

Line 4: Tanner Glass, Joe Vitale, Craig Adams

If Sidney Crosby plays more than 70 games, the Penguins have as deep and talented top-six forwards as any team in the league. Brandon Sutter has big shoes to fill as the third line center. Tyler Kennedy and Matt Cooke add grit. Overall, the Pens have a lot of scoring ability and a good amount of sandpaper, the key is that they stay healthy.

Grade: A-

San Jose Sharks

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski

Line 2: Ryan Clowe, Logan Couture, Martin Havlat

Line 3: T.J. Galiardi, Michal Handzus, Adam Burish

Line 4: Tommy Wingels, Andrew Desjardins, John McCarthy

The Sharks should have a lot of firepower among their top six forwards if GM Doug Wilson decides to keep this team together. Marleau has been an underachiever in recent years. Couture continues to develop. Burish is a nice pickup for the third line. San Jose will be relying on some younger players to populate the fourth line. Expect a shakeup here. Overall, this group has been less than the sum of its parts. The talent grades out higher, but the production is reflected in the grade.

Grade: B+

St. Louis Blues

LW-C-RW

Line 1: David Perron, David Backes, T.J. Oshie

Line 2: Andy McDonald, Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Tarasenko

Line 3: Alex Steen, Vladimir Sobotka, Chris Stewart

Line 4: Jamie Langenbrunner, Jaden Schwartz, Matt D'Agostini

The Blues play a defense-first system but still have enough talent to put the puck in the net. The top line is very good as is the second group if Tarasenko is ready to become a full-time NHLer. Jaden Schwartz is a very talented player who can become a top six forward in a few years. There is a nice balance of creativity and grit here even if there is no big time sniper.

Grade: B+

Tampa Bay Lightning

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Martin St. Louis, Steven Stamkos, Teddy Purcell

Line 2: Ryan Malone, Vincent Lecavalier, Brett Connolly

Line 3: Benoit Pouliot, Nate Thompson, T.J. Wyman

Line 4: Tom Pyatt, Adam Hall, B.J. Crombeen

Stamkos is the most dangerous goal scorer in the league today and St. Louis never seems to age. The second line is a good one if Lecavalier can stay healthy and still has something left in the tank. The big question is in the third and fourth line. Is there enough depth here for the Bolts to sustain this team if injury hits? Do they have enough toughness up front after Thompson, who is a limited role player?

Grade: B

Toronto Maple Leafs

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Joffrey Lupul, Tyler Bozak, Phil Kessel

Line 2: James van Riemsdyk, Mikhail Grabovski, Nikolai Kulemin

Line 3: Clarke MacArthur, Jay McClement, Matt Frattin

Line 4: Mike Brown, Dave Steckel, Leo Komarov

The addition of van Riemsdyk gives the Leafs two solid lines even if they still lack a true No. 1 center. There is more offense here than there has been in recent years, but how tough will Toronto be to play against? Clarke MacArthur remains underrated. Grabovski, Lupul, Bozek and Kulemin must all produce solid seasons for this unit to reach its full potential offensively.

Grade: B

Vancouver Canucks

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Alexandre Burrows

Line 2: David Booth, Ryan Kesler, Mason Raymond

Line 3: Chris Higgins, Manny Malhotra, Jannik Hansen

Line 4: Andrew Ebbett, Maxim Lapierre, Zack Kassian

Two healthy Sedins and a healthy Kesler would make this an excellent top six. Malhotra remains a great faceoff man and penalty killer. Higgins and Hansen round out a very solid third line. If everybody is in the lineup and ready to play, this group can put up plenty of points and play well in their own end as well.

Grade: A-

Washington Capitals

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Troy Brouwer

Line 2: Brooks Laich, Mike Ribeiro, Marcus Johansson

Line 3: Jason Chimera, Jay Beagle, Joel Ward

Line 4: Matt Hendricks, Mathieu Perreault, Wojtek Wolski

The Caps have talent and depth but players like Ovechkin and Backstrom need to play to their potential for this group to shine. Ribeiro is a solid pickup to help the second line and second power play unit. Ward, Wolski, Chimera and Hendricks are grinders that play their roles well.

Grade: A-

Winnipeg Jets

LW-C-RW

Line 1: Evander Kane, Olli Jokinen, Blake Wheeler

Line 2: Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little, Nik Antropov

Line 3: Alexei Ponikarovsky, Jim Slater, Spencer Machacek

Line 4: Chris Thorburn, Alex Burmistrov, Antti Miettinen

Adding Olli Jokinen to be their first line center is not the best fit and leaves the Jets without a true top line pivot. Antropov's game really fell off last year. There is some good young talent like Kane on this team and in the organization, but the Jets are a year or two away from having a top flight group of forwards.

Grade: B-