Being a starter carries a certain amount of prestige in most sports. There is often a fine line on the field or court between first and second string, but a significant gap in the cultural status when it comes to starting a game versus beginning the contest on the bench.
It’s almost completely different in the NHL where the first five skaters on the ice are as insignificant as the cologne on the Zamboni driver. Players take the ice for 90-second shifts then rotate throughout the game.
The better players obviously see more ice time with special teams situations and coaching decisions, but the starters aren’t necessarily the best players on the team. Line combinations have as much to do with talent as they do with chemistry and productivity.
Of course the biggest names are put together whenever and wherever possible, but players in the same position don’t share the ice unless there is a power play. Here are the power rankings for the top lines in the Eastern Conference.
Florida Panthers Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov, Brad Boyes
The Panthers have some talented youngsters on their top line to go with veteran Boyes. Barkov and Huberdeau will both be stars in the NHL but there will certainly be some growing pains along the way.
New Jersey Devils Michael Cammaleri, Travis Zajac, Jaromir Jagr
The Devils may be the owners of the oldest combined age among all NHL teams, anchored by Jagr’s 42 years. Zajac is a capable center, not necessarily flashy, but a good distributor that will benefit from the highest (931 total) goal scoring wingers in the league.
Ottawa Senators Milan Michalek, Kyle Turris, Bobby Ryan
The Sens will certainly miss Jason Spezza from their top line, but Turris is no slouch either. He posted career highs across the board last year and will only get better with reps with Ottawa’s top unit. The biggest question will be how long Ryan stays in Ottawa.
Carolina Hurricanes Jiri Hlusty, Eric Staal, Alexander Semin
A fresh start could be just what the doctor ordered for the disappointing Canes. Their top three are as good as any on paper, but will be asked to produce heavily for the offensively challenged Hurricanes. Eric Staal is elite, Semin used to be and Hlusty is on the rise. If they can develop great chemistry, the Canes could be a dark horse.
Montreal Canadiens Max Pacioretty, David Desharnais, Brendan Gallagher
The Habs top crew is young but potent with an average of 4.3 years of NHL experience each. Pacioretty is the proven sniper of the three, finishing last season a goal shy of 40. Gallagher is the second coming of Brian Gionta, small in stature with enormous heart.
Buffalo Sabres Cody Hodgson, Tyler Ennis, Chris Stewart
As many good moves as Buffalo made this summer, they will be outgunned almost every other night. Their top line is far from elite, but they have four above average lines, which should keep them out of the basement this year.
New York Rangers Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan, Rick Nash
The defending champs are loaded with talent, but the most accomplished player (Nash) has been AWOL since he joined the Rangers. Kreider and Stepan have huge upside but need to prove they belong at the top of the line rotation.
Columbus Blue Jackets Scott Hartnell, Ryan Johansen, Nathan Horton
Laugh all you want about the Hartnelldown jokes and his skating ability (or lack thereof). Hartnell is a great locker room guy and has scored 250 NHL goals in a very underrated career. Johansen is a star on the rise currently holding out for a new contract and Horton should flourish on the right wing with these two.
Boston Bruins Milan Lucic, David Krejci, Loui Eriksson
Boston is a prime example of a team with a top line that doesn’t feature their best player. Patrice Bergeron might be the most talented player on the roster, but the trio listed above is the top combination for Claude Julien’s Bruins.
Tampa Bay Lightning Jonathan Drouin, Steven Stamkos, Ryan Callahan
Though Martin St. Louis is in New York now, the Lightning might actually be more explosive this year. A healthy Stamkos with a full season alongside the gritty Callahan is a tailor-made introduction for the offensively gifted Drouin, set to begin his NHL career.
New York Islanders Josh Bailey, John Tavares, Kyle Okposo
Consider this line the equivalent to the Penguins version 2.0 with Tavares in the role of Crosby. Okposo is better than either Kunitz or Dupuis while Bailey has underachieved over the course of his promising career. A full season with Tavares could salvage Bailey's career.
Detroit Red Wings Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Gustav Nyquist
The Red Wings are the rare exception that features their top two players on the first line. Datsyuk and Zetterberg are a center/left wing, which is particularly useful for fantasy owners, and coach Mike Babcock.
Toronto Maple Leafs James Van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak, Phil Kessel
Kessel has established himself as one of the premier snipers in the league while everyone keeps waiting for JVR to become something close to that. He set career marks in all offensive categories, but it wasn’t enough to save the Leaf’s season. Bozak did the same in his abbreviated 58-game season. If all three can stay healthy for a full season, the sky is the limit.
Pittsburgh Penguins Pascal Dupuis, Sidney Crosby, Chris Kunitz
Dupuis and Kunitz saw their careers and contracts explode when they were put on a line with Crosby. Serviceable players BC (before Crosby), Kunitz and Dupuis turned their careers around when Sid the Kid became their center.
Philadelphia Flyers Wayne Simmonds, Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek
The Flyers’ top trio is one of the most potent in the NHL as all three have matured and evolved within two years of one another. The three are all 26 or younger and will only get better together.
Washington Capitals Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetzov
I was a bit surprised to see Kuznetzov inserted into the top line, but as a lefty, he could be a breakout player alongside the two veteran point hounds. Unfortunately for Washington, the top line is elite, but there is a huge talent drop off beyond that. Sadly for Capital's fans, these three can't line up every shift.