This week we take a look at some lines that are carrying their team’s production, or are expect to. Keep in mind, none of these lines are set in stone, but their production indicates they will continue seeing time together as the season progresses.

Evgenii Dadonov – Aleksander Barkov – Jonathan Huberdeau

Team ES Point Production : 65 | Line ES Point Production: 21 (32% of team)

I’ve always considered Barkov and Huberdeau a dynamic duo held back by injuries, as neither player has appeared in all 82 games of a season. While it’s still early, both Barkov and Huberdeau have 14 points in the first 11 games of the campaign, so let’s hope they stay healthy. You know how sometimes two members of a line tend to have higher point totals than the third? Yeah, well that’s not the case for Florida’s top line. Evgeny Dadonov also has 14 points in 11 games. Some of you might be familiar with Dadonov as he had a stint with the Panthers from 2009-2012. While he wasn’t very productive then, this season he is more experienced, and is playing with much more talented players. The Russian forward put up 158 points in 165 games with St. Petersburg SKA of the KHL, and it appears that unlike Vadim Shipachyov, his success has translated to the NHL. At 22 years of age, Aleksander Barkov is entering his fifth season in the NHL, and as started to show us what he’s capable of. In the past two seasons, the former second overall pick (2011) has put up 111 points in 127 games. Again, let’s hope for health. As mentioned earlier, 24-year-old Huberdeau is in a similar position as Barkov after being held to just 31 games last season (in which he totalled 26 points). While this line has shown they have the talent and chemistry to be successful in the NHL, don’t expect this 1.27 point-per-game pace to continue for each of them. A simple look at each of their player profiles using the Frozen Pool tool shows their 5on5 shooting percentages to be unsustainable. (14.44% for Huberdeau compared to 7.98% last season, 12.9% for Barkov compared to 8.54% last season, and 14.29% for Dadonov).

Evander Kane – Jack Eichel – Jason Pominville

Team ES Point Production: 42 | Line ES Point Production: 14 (33% of team)

One of the most concerning things for the Buffalo Sabres this season has been their lack of depth scoring. I mean go ahead and take a look at the team’s line production with the Frozen Pool tool. You’ll see that 66% (28/42) of the team’s even strength points have been generated with Jack Eichel on the ice. However, this line has been a bright spot for the 3-7-2 Sabres. Despite dealing with injury last season, Eichel was able to put up 42 points in the final 41 games of the campaign, improving on his rookie year despite playing 20 less games. Another player who’s all too familiar with injuries is Evander Kane. The former fourth overall pick (2009) has always had the talent, but that next level of play has seemed to elude him. Maybe that changes this year as he already has 12 points in 12 games, and his shooting percentage isn’t outrageous (10%). Seems like a good rebound candidate to me! Speaking of bounce back candidates and effortless transition, how about that Jason Pominville. While he might be past his prime at 34 years of age, he is still very capable of reaching the 50-point mark this year, especially beside superstar Jack Eichel.

Michael Frolik – Mikael Backlund – Matthew Tkachuk

Team ES Point Production: 40 | Line ES Point Production: 12 (30% of team)

Calgary Flames offense? Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan right? Although those two have been producing, it has been this line of Frolik, Backlund, and Tkachuk that leads the team in even-strength production. Personally, I think the most value lies in the player with the greatest pedigree: Matthew Tkachuk. The sixth overall pick of the 2016 draft had an impressive rookie campaign with 48 points in 76 games, and is on pace to put up similar, if not better numbers. While Mikael Backlund is also a former first round pick (24^th overall in 2007), his ceiling seems to be slightly lower than Tkachuk’s. He broke the 50-point barrier for the first time in his career last season, and that seems like a reasonable projection for this year as well.  As the final component of this line, Michael Frolik also seems to have the lowest floor of the three players, at around 40 points. While this line doesn’t exactly feature any big names, they are able to take some pressure off of the Flames’ top line, and might make some good stream options in the future.

Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan Mackinnon – Mikko Rantanen

Team ES Point Production: 50 | Line ES Point Production: 5 (10% of team)

Despite being the worst team in the league last season, the Avalanche are currently 6-5-0, but their top line hasn’t been very productive at even strength. However, that seems bound to change, as both MacKinnon and Landeskog are sporting 5on5 shooting percentages below 7%, and Rantanen’s is even lower at 4.55%. All three members of this line have the pedigree, there’s no questioning that. Landeskog went second overall in 2011, Rantanen went tenth overall in 2015, and Mackinnon went first overall in 2013,. After an impressive rookie campaign in which he took home the Calder Trophy (63 points in 82 games), the hockey world has been waiting for something more from Nathan MacKinnon. Let’s move on to the captain. Other than a 65-point season back in 2013-2014, Landeskog has never really impressed with his point totals. But I find it hard to believe he won’t improve on the 33 points he amassed last year. Finally, let’s take a look at the most productive member of this line so far: Mikko Rantanen. Already with ten points in his first 11 games, the young Avalanche forward is poised to improve on the 38 points in 75 games he totalled last season. Let’s be honest, Colorado was an absolute dumpster fire last season, and each member of this line should improve on last year’s production. 

Patrick Maroon – Leon Draisaitl – Connor McDavid

Team ES Point Production: 39 | Line ES Point Production: 15 (38% of team)

I wanted to wait until later in the season to take a look at Connor McDavid’s line, simply because his linemates never seem to be the same, but I noticed this line has been noticeably more productive than the rest of the team. And I guess that’s to be expected when you have two offensive superstars on the same line. There’s really not much to say about Connor McDavid that you don’t already know. The fact that his 11 points in ten games is causing panic for the hockey world speaks to the talent he possesses. As he continues to improve this season, he will continue to make his linemates better. One of those players he has made fantasy relevant is Patrick Maroon. I mean it’s harder not to score with some of the passes McDavid is able to thread through, but a spot alongside McDavid is never permanent. With this in mind, it’s important to monitor the Oilers' line combination if you’re a Maroon owner, because he hardly drives offense himself. After signing a big contract this offseason, all eyes were on Leon Draisaitl to see if he could match the 77 points in 82 games last season. Although a concussion kept him out of the lineup early in the season, it certainly hasn’t kept him off the scoreboard as he currently has seven points in six games. While Draisaitl might not be as productive away from McDavid, it is important to remember he was selected third overall in 2014, and does bring his fair share of skill to this line.