Ranking the 10 Best Forward Lines in the 2014-15 NHL Season so Far
NHL teams employ scoring and checking lines and sometimes even energy lines. There are 120 lines in the NHL—four per team—and most trios rarely stay together long enough to become famous.
This season, there are some encouraging signs and a few duos who are adding a third wheel with significant success. They're scoring (or outscoring) and having a positive effect on their teams.
Here are the top 10 forward lines in the NHL this season.
10. Chris Kreider with Rick Nash and Martin St. Louis
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The Backstory: The New York Rangers have been shuffling lines early this season in an effort to get some veterans going. Rick Nash got off to a very strong start with Martin St. Louis and Chris Kreider.
The Current Fit: New York has used Nash and Kreider with Kevin Hayes most recently, but the chemistry of the Nash-Kreider-St. Louis trio should win the day.
Why Does it Work? Nash is the hammer, with Kreider and St. Louis offering toughness, skill and the ability to create open ice. The Rangers may have something very good with this line.
9. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle
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The Backstory: The Edmonton Oilers drafted a plethora of young talent between 2008 and 2011. When Ryan Nugent-Hopkins arrived on the scene in the fall of 2011, Edmonton's top line was formed soon after.
The Current Fit: The line is having great possession success, and the three forwards have combined to score 10 goals in nine games so far this year.
Why Does it Work? All three players are outstanding passers and have tremendous skill in tight areas. Eberle's quick hands make him deadly in close, Hall is a chance machine and Nugent-Hopkins gets terrific opportunities off the rush and on turnovers. This is a trending line to watch this season.
8. Claude Giroux with Jakub Voracek and Michael Raffl
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The Backstory: The Philadelphia Flyers' top line one year ago featured Claude Giroux with Jakub Voracek and Scott Hartnell. The exit of Hartnell over the summer meant a change for the group.
The Current Fit: The Flyers are currently running with Michael Raffl as the winger on Giroux's line, and with some success.
Why Does it Work? The key to any line that includes Claude Giroux is being able to complement his skills. Voracek is a big winger who can shoot the puck with authority, and Raffl shows sound offensive instincts. This should be considered an enormous opportunity for Raffl.
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7. Henrik Sedin with Daniel Sedin and Radim Vrbata
4 of 10
The Backstory: The Vancouver Canucks have been rising and falling with twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin for over a decade. The duo have enjoyed success with various wingers over the years.
The Current Fit: Management brought in Radim Vrbata over the summer with the express idea of giving the twins a player who would be a perfect fit. The trio have been splendid in the possession numbers and have been scoring goals at a rapid rate this year.
Why Does it Work? The Sedins are demons along the wall in the offensive zone and can cycle for days. Vrbata's shot total gives Vancouver a strong offensive complement to the Sedin twins.
6. Patrick Marleau with Logan Couture and Matt Nieto
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The Backstory: The San Jose Sharks have a large group of offensive weapons. Over the last three seasons leading up to 2014-15, Patrick Marleau played most often with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski.
The Current Fit: Last season, Marleau began playing with Logan Couture and Matt Nieto, among others. That trio has had success this season.
Why Does it Work? Marleau is an elite offensive player who has had tremendous sustain as a scorer. Couture is emerging as a complete talent for the Sharks. Nieto, a relatively new arrival, benefits from playing on a quality line and allows San Jose to spread out the offense over three lines.
5. Tomas Plekanec with Alex Galchenyuk and P. A. Parenteau
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The Backstory: The Montreal Canadiens have a quality two-way center in Tomas Plekanec. Last year, he played often with Brian Gionta and Daniel Briere, both of whom are no longer with the Canadiens.
The Current Fit: This season, the team is having a great deal of success with Plekanec playing with P.A. Parenteau and young Alex Galchenyuk.
Why Does it Work? The line is very fast, and all three players possess tremendous passing and stick-handling skills. The the players are also very good at getting and maintaining possession of the puck.
4. Ryan Getzlaf with Corey Perry and Devante Smith-Pelly
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The Backstory: Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry were drafted in the same year and round. In 2003, Getzlaf was selected No. 19 and Perry No. 28, and they've had a lot of success together in Anaheim over the last decade.
The Current Fit: The duo have played with Chris Kunitz, Bobby Ryan and Dustin Penner over the years. Earlier this season, Patrick Maroon played with them, but success has come lately with the addition of Devante Smith-Pelly.
Why Does it Work? Chemistry is a difficult thing to describe, but supreme passing skills are a major part of the line's success. Although they haven't played together a lot, there's something about this line that clicks.
3. Jason Spezza with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin
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The Backstory: The Dallas Stars added impact offensive center Jason Spezza over the summer. General manager Jim Nill did the same thing the previous summer, bringing Tyler Seguin over from the Boston Bruins.
The Current Fit: Very few observers predicted this trio. Most felt Spezza would play with free-agent addition Ales Hemsky. The loaded Dallas line came about early in the 2014-15 season.
Why Does it Work? In the short period they've been together, the line has run roughshod over NHL competition. Seguin is at the top in league scoring, with Spezza and Benn inside the top 30 overall.
2. Sidney Crosby with Patric Hornqvist and Chris Kunitz
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The Backstory: The Pittsburgh Penguins have the NHL's best player in Sidney Crosby. He has been playing with Chris Kunitz for years, but the team looked to upgrade the other wing position during this year's offseason.
The Current Fit: The Penguins acquired Patric Hornqvist from the Nashville Predators, and early results suggest a perfect fit. The line has 15 goals in eight games and is impossible to contain.
Why Does it Work? Crosby and Kunitz have chemistry from years of playing together, and Hornqvist's underrated skills have been a nice early match. Hornqvist has helped himself a great deal by averaging almost five shots a game so far this year.
1. Jeff Carter with Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli
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The Backstory: The Los Angeles Kings acquired Jeff Carter from the Columbus Blue Jackets at the trade deadline in 2012. In 2012-13, Carter had success with Mike Richards and Dustin Penner, and in 2013-14, Mike Richards and Dwight King had a strong year with him.
The Current Fit: In the playoffs last season and again this year, Carter has teamed up with youngsters Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli to form a formidable offensive trio. They are known as "That 70's Line" due to their success in the postseason in 2013-14 and each player having a number in the 70s.
Why Does it Work? The line has impressive possession numbers combined with an incredible run in shooting percentage. They'll cool off, but there's no doubt this is a quality group.
Stats courtesy of NHL.com, Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com and BehindTheNet.ca.
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