NHL: Top 10 Duos

Batman and Robin. Shaq and Kobe. Montana and Rice. Gretzky and Kurri. The list goes on.

Everyone remembers the great duos in our lifetime. It's that magical synchronicity that is not defined by talent alone.

When it comes to great chemistry between two players, opposing teams do everything they can do to break it up. Fans cringe when they see them jump over the boards together.   

Sometimes, there is just nothing you can do to stop them.   You can only hope to contain them. 

These are the top 10 duos in the NHL today.

10. Anze Kopitar and Ryan Smyth

An unlikely entry in the top 10 list this year are Anze Kopitar and Ryan Smyth. However, no duo in the NHL was as dangerous as these two to start the year. Kopitar led the league in points and it was Smyth who provided the spark.

Unfortunately for both, Smyth got injured and they struggled to recapture the magic they started with. Having said that, they still managed to land near the top of the league with their production and they should continue their chemistry in 2010.

9. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry

You better keep your head up when these two are on the ice together. These two players have really come into their own over the last couple of seasons and know how to find each other.  

Not afraid to lay the body, Correy Perry and Ryan Getzlaf provide a unique combination of size and skill that results in many goals. 

8. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews

Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews might not play on the same line all of the time, but when they do they dominate. Last season they not only led the march to the Stanley Cup, but they were equally dangerous at even strength and the power play.

In 2010, they will need every ounce of chemistry because of the offseason dismantling of the Hawks' roster—given how skilled they are, that shouldn't be a problem.

7. Zach Parise and Travis Zajac

Zack Parise may be one of the most underrated superstars in the NHL today. He has skill and determination that would rival nearly anyone in the league. So what happens when you pair that with a big and talented two-way center like Travis Zajac? 

You get the seventh best duo in the NHL. 

These two were money on the power play in 2009 and were near the top of the league in even strength hookups, too. Look for more of the same this upcoming season, as they both enter the prime of their careers.

6. Mikko Koivu and Andrew Brunette

Coming in at number six on the list are two players who prove that often times, chemistry trumps skill. While Mikko Koivu might be emerging as one of the elite two-way centers in the league, Andrew Brunette is clearly past his prime and closer to retirement than anyone else on this list.

But the stats don't lie, and these two were amongst the best last year, hooking up on over 40 goals together. Minnesota is starved for goals, so they will need to be equally good again this season.

5. Brad Richards and Loui Eriksson

Another unlikely pair to make the list is Brad Richards and Loui Eriksson of the Dallas Stars. What makes these two so deadly is their connection at even strength. Over 95 percent of their goals scored together came at five-on-five.  

This is a true testament of what it means to be a dynamic duo. To be on the same page game after game requires more than talentand these two are much better playing with each other than without.

4. Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley

Getting closer to the cream of the crop are Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley. GM Doug Wilson knew what he was doing when he went out to acquire Heatley because the truth is in the pudding. Together they were in on over 50 goals and there is no reason to expect anything different in 2010.

The Sharks may come up short in the playoffs every year, but during the regular season they have one of the best dynamic duos.

3. Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis

Last season, Martin St. Louis showed what happens when you team him with the next NHL superstar, Steven Stamkos—a LOT of points. Mixing new blood with old was a supreme recipe for success, as these two dominated opposing defenses.

No other duo in the NHL split their production between the power play and even strength than these two studs. It did not seem to matter what situation they were in on the ice because they connected regardless of the challenge.

Look for more of the same, as the new era of the Tampa Bay Lightning begins.

2. Alexander Ovechkin and Niklas Backstrom

When a team puts together an elite playmaker and an elite sniper, you get amazing goals. There is perhaps no better duo in the NHL that plays their role to perfection as much as Alexander Ovechkin and Niklas Backstrom do.

The scary thing is they are not even in their prime yet. Backstrom just signed a long-term deal, so this combination is not going away any time soon. That is bad news for the rest of the league, as they will continue to make defenders look silly.  

Sit back and enjoy this deadly duo for the next decade. 

1. Henrik and Daniel Sedin

Topping the list are two players who know each other better than any other duo in the league. People often speculate whether or not twins possess a sixth sense about each other and researchers don't need to look any further than the Vancouver Canucks.

The Sedins led the league by connecting on 71 goals in 2009 and no one else was even close. If you face Vancouver, the best advice I can give is to NOT take a penalty. These two will make you pay, as they capitalized together 53 times.  

Henrik earned every vote he received for league MVP last year, but if Daniel can stay healthy for a whole season, it could be his turn for this honor.

The twins have come a long way since they were known as the "sisters." As of 2010, it's these two brothers who are having the last laugh.