Ranking the 10 Best Forward Lines in the 2015-16 NHL Season so Far

In hockey, the whole is often much greater than the sum of its parts.

Teams drool over the opportunity to bring a top-level goal scorer into the fold, but if they're not surrounded by the right supporting cast, their talent could very well wither on the vine.

This season's early example: Phil Kessel's inability to mesh with the struggling Pittsburgh Penguins.

Many people would've expected to see Kessel and Sidney Crosby listed as one of the NHL's top lines early in the 2015-16 season, but so far, it is not to be.

Here's a look at 10 lines around the league that are lighting the lamp and showing strong early-season chemistry.

10. Mark Stone-Kyle Turris-Mike Hoffman (Ottawa Senators)

Rich Schultz/Getty Images

The History: Super sophomores Mark Stone and Mike Hoffman formed a potent scoring combination last spring when they joined forces with centre Kyle Turris as the Ottawa Senators made their unlikely charge into the playoffs.

Results This Season: The trio has been one of the hottest offensive lines in the league through the early part of the new season. Hoffman, Stone and Turris each has eight points in Ottawa's first seven games and together have accounted for eight of the Sens' 13 even-strength, non-empty-net goals.

Future Outlook: The HST line's hot start might be on pause. Hoffman is said to be day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered on October 22 against the New Jersey Devils, per the team's Twitter feed.

9. Dylan Larkin-Henrik Zetterberg-Justin Abdelkader (Detroit Red Wings)

Duane Burleson/Associated Press

The History: The Detroit Red Wings are known for their patience with their prospects, who typically spend ample time learning the pro game before getting the call to the big club.

Henrik Zetterberg was a 22-year-old who'd started his career in Sweden before joining the Red Wings. Justin Abdelkader plied his trade with the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins for a year-and-a-half after three seasons of college hockey. Their linemate, Dylan Larkin, has made the jump straight to Detroit's first line after just one year in the college ranks at the University of Michigan.

Gregg Krupa of the Detroit News reported Larkin became the first teenager to start the season with the Wings since Mike Sillinger back in 1990.

Results This Season: Through seven games, Larkin, Zetterberg and Abdelkader are among Detroit's four top scorers. Abdelkader was named the NHL's First Star of the Week for picking up four goals and an assist in the Wings' first two games of the year, per the team's website, but he has gone cold since.

Zetterberg picked up 10 points through the first seven games of the season, while Larkin is producing a point-a-game pace.

Future Outlook: After a good start, the big's line is on pause.

Three straight losses and an injury to second-line center Brad Richards led coach Jeff Blashill to move Larkin into the second-line pivot role between Tomas Tatar and Teemu Pulkkinen before the October 23 game against the Calgary Flames, according to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.

Offensive depth may become an issue going forward; Zetterberg and Larkin each got a point in Calgary, but the Wings built their 2-1 lead on the power play before ultimately falling 3-2 in overtime.

8. Alexander Steen-Paul Stastny-Vladimir Tarasenko (St. Louis Blues)

Tom Gannam/Associated Press

The History: The St. Louis Blues opened the 2015-16 season with a lethal top line that featured three impressive offensive talents: second-year Blues center Paul Stastny flanked by scoring wingers Alexander Steen and Vladimir Tarasenko.

Results This Season: The trio paced the Blues to a 3-1 record to start the season—and a 3-1 lead against Vancouver in their fifth game—before Stastny suffered what proved to be a broken foot when he blocked a shot by the Canucks' Matt Bartkowski.

Future Outlook: Stastny had five points in five games when he suffered the injury. According to the team's website, he'll be re-evaluated at the end of November.

The Blues are 1-1 in their two games since Stastny's injury. The jury's still out on whether Jori Lehtera can be a suitable replacement.

7. James Neal-Mike Fisher-Filip Forsberg (Nashville Predators)

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

The History: Playing primarily on a line with James Neal and Mike Ribeiro during the 2014-15 season, Filip Forsberg's 63 points landed him among the NHL's top rookie scorers.

Coach Peter Laviolette started the new campaign as he'd finished last year but found strong new chemistry when when he swapped Mike Fisher into the center position before the Nashville Predators' fourth game of the season.

Results This Season: Since Laviolette made the change to his top line, the Preds offense has exploded for 17 goals. During that time, Nashville has gone 3-1-0 to climb into a tie for top spot in the Central Division through the games on October 23.

Neal has gone on a tear, with five goals and eight points in the same four games. Forsberg has a goal and three assists, and Fisher has added a goal and an assist.

Future Outlook: Fisher's gritty playing style gives the line a physicality it didn't have with Ribeiro. That seems to be giving Neal the room he needs to excel as a power forward.

Neal's known for being a streaky scorer, but for the moment, Laviolette has a winning combination on his hands.

6. Andrew Ladd-Bryan Little-Blake Wheeler (Winnipeg Jets)

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

The History: These three Winnipeg Jets, Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler, have plenty of history together. All are veterans who date back to the Atlanta Thrashers administration and have been the backbone of the team's evolution.

According to Garret Hohl at Jets Nation, the only line in the NHL that has seen more minutes over the last five years than Ladd-Little-Wheeler is one with the Sedin twins and Alex Burrows over in Vancouver.

Results This Season: The Jets are off to a solid 4-2-1 start, but that leaves them hovering right around the playoff cutline in the tough Central Division. Winnipeg has become a deep team that's rich with secondary scoring, but Wheeler and his mates continue to lead the way.

Future Outlook: The only force that might ripple this long-term combination is Ladd's impending free agency in July.

Little and Wheeler are inked for three and four more seasons respectively. Whether Ladd, the captain, wants to stay in Winnipeg or try his luck with a new team, the 29-year-old has plenty of incentive to see whether he can build on his career-best 62-point season from 2014-15 this term.

5. Patrick Kane-Artem Anisimov-Artemi Panarin (Chicago Blackhawks)

Paul Beaty/Associated Press

The History: Patrick Kane's 23 points tied for the playoff scoring lead as his Chicago Blackhawks captured the 2015 Stanley Cup.

Both of Kane's linemates from that Cup run left the team during the offseason—Brandon Saad through a trade and Brad Richards as an unrestricted free agent. This year, Kane's lining up on Chicago's second line with newcomer Artem Anisimov and 23-year-old Russian rookie Artemi Panarin.

Results This Season: Kane's having no trouble adjusting to his new situation. He's tied for third in NHL scoring through October 23 with 10 points in seven games, while Panarin is tied for the rookie scoring lead with eight points. Anisimov has collected four points, using his 6'4" frame to create space for his smaller linemates.

Future Outlook: Anisimov's still learning the finer points of the Blackhawks' system. Panarin's undergoing a huge transition as he moves to a new country and new league after missing all but one preseason game through injury.

If this line is this good this soon, imagine what it'll be able to do when its components get comfortable.

4. Benoit Pouliot-Connor McDavid-Nail Yakupov (Edmonton Oilers)

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The History: If Nail Yakupov of the Edmonton Oilers thought he'd found good chemistry last season with Derek Roy, imagine how happy he must be skating alongside prodigy Connor McDavid.

The rookie McDavid opened the season centering Taylor Hall and Anton Slepyshev. He found his groove five games into his pro career when he lined up with Edmonton's first overall pick from 2012, Yakupov, and Benoit Pouliot.

Results This Season: Since the new line was formed, the Oilers are 3-1-0. McDavid's leading Edmonton in scoring with five goals and eight points, while Yakupov has seven. Pouliot has tallied three of his four points since the new line was formed and is plus-three since joining forces with the talented youngsters.

Future Outlook: The sample size is small, but the impact was immediate and powerful when McDavid and Yakupov were paired together.

With two goals and seven points in eight games this season, Yak is well on his way to eclipsing his career high of 14 goals and 33 points from 2014-15. For his part, McDavid is now ahead of the rookie scoring pace of both Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky, according to the Edmonton Sun's Terry Jones.

3. Jamie Benn-Tyler Seguin-Patrick Sharp (Dallas Stars)

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

The History: Center Tyler Seguin and winger Jamie Benn showed instant chemistry as soon as Seguin became a member of the Dallas Stars following a trade during the summer of 2013. This season, newly acquired Patrick Sharp is along for the ride.

Results This Season: Sharp's not keeping pace with his linemates offensively, but he doesn't need to. With 10 points each in their first seven games, 2015 Art Ross Trophy-winner Benn and his partner Seguin are both just two points off the NHL scoring lead.

Sharp has chipped in three assists in seven games as the Stars have started the season 6-1-0 with a Western Conference-leading 25 goals.

Future Outlook: Tied for the league lead with six goals, Benn's showing no ill effects from his offseason double hip surgery. As Seguin continues to show his offensive prowess, Sharp's veteran experience has been a positive addition to Dallas' top line.

This season, the Stars look like they're in position to challenge for top spot in the tough Central Division.

2. Alexander Ovechkin-Evgeny Kuznetsov-T.J. Oshie (Washington Capitals)

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

The History: For most of his career with the Washington Capitals, super-sniper Alexander Ovechkin has worked with setup man Nicklas Backstrom.

When Backstrom missed opening night of the 2015-16 to continue to rehab from offseason hip surgery, coach Barry Trotz lined up Ovechkin alongside 23-year-old compatriot Evgeny Kuznetsov and new right wing T.J. Oshie with impressive results.

Results This Season: Even by his lofty standards, Ovechkin's season is off to a strong start. Ovi scored in each of his first five games of the season, Kuznetsov's one point off the NHL scoring lead and Oshie has earned seven points in his first seven games with the Caps.

Future Outlook: After Washington's 3-2 come-from-behind win over the Vancouver Canucks on October 22, Trotz was effusive about Kuznetsov's progress as a player.

"It’s not even the same person," Trotz told Monumental Network after the game (via Ian Oland of Russian Machine Never Breaks). Trotz continued:

"

We always knew he had the skill, but his pro game—his North American game – has really come along. He’s not afraid of the big moments. He’s not afraid of the top players in the league. He wants to be one of the best guys in the game, and I think he can be.

"

Kuznetsov followed up that praise with his first career hat trick in Edmonton the following night. At this rate, the new-look first line will be staying together for the foreseeable future.

1. Max Pacioretty-Tomas Plekanec-Brendan Gallagher (Montreal Canadiens)

Paul Vernon/Associated Press

The History: Last January, coach Michel Therrien found instant chemistry when he lined up veteran playmaker Tomas Plekanec with explosive Max Pacioretty and fiery Brendan Gallagher, per Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette.

Results This Season: Last season, the Canadiens were rock solid on the back end but ranked 18th in the NHL in scoring.

Pacioretty, Plekanec and Gallagher all picked up the scoring pace during the second half of 2014-15 and have picked up where they left off this year, playing great two-way hockey with an offensive punch. In addition to leading the Habs in scoring, they're also three of the NHL's top five plus-minus players through October 23, per NHL.com.

Future Outlook: The Habs' 8-0-0 start has already set a franchise record, per Bill Beacon of the Canadian Press (via Yahoo Sports). Even more impressively, all eight wins have come in regulation and only one has been a one-goal game.

Carey Price anchors the defense, while the Pacioretty-Plekanec-Gallagher line steers the offense for hockey's most successful team so far in 2015-16.