A closer look at the season's best trios and pairs …

Let's have a look at the hottest lines in the National Hockey League since the beginning of the season, including a few defensemen producing offensively. You will also find below the "Cold as ice" line and duo of the week.

Hot forwards

Alexander Ovechkin – Nicklas Backstrom – T.J. Oshie (Washington)

This line has been together for some time, save for when Oshie is missing games, and it keeps producing offensively. The Great 8 has been the least productive player of that line recently, recording five goals and four assists in 10 games. After a slow start, Ovechkin now has a respectable 33 goals and 33 assists for 66 points in 78 games. He will come close to his now-expected offensive production of 70 points. Backstrom is currently blazing hot with two goals and 11 helpers in his last eight games. The team leader in points, the center now has 23 goals and 61 assists for 84 points in 78 games after his lastest torrid stretch. Expect him to reach the 85-point plateau after a subpar campaign in 2015-16. With 11 points in his last eight games, Oshie is producing at his regular pace, with 33 goals and 23 assists for 56 points in 65 contests. He will record close to 60 points once again if he can avoid another injury before the end of the season.

EV Strength Production = 204 points

PP Production = 68 points

Max Pacioretty – Phillip Danault – Alexander Radulov (Montreal)

After a very slow start, captain Pacioretty is leading the surging with 67 points (tying his career best) in 79 games, including 35 goals. He has seven points in his last five games for a Montreal team that has just clinched the Atlantic Division with a win against the lowly Panthers. As for Radulov, he's up to five points in his last four games has been a real leader on the ice after a cold streak in February. On the season, the Russian playmaker has 18 goals and 35 assists for 53 points in 74 games, which would make him one of the best free agent signings of last summer. Still centering the two veterans is Danault, who has five points in his last four games. Picked up at the deadline last season from Chicago in exchange for Dale Weise, the young center has a respectable 13 goals and 27 assists for 40 points in 79 games in 2016-17. The 23-year-old pivot is taking advantage of the confidence the coaching staff has in him to remain on the top line and get power-play time on the second unit.  

EV Strength Production = 160 points

PP Production = 31 points

Dynamic duo

Andrej Sekera – Kris Russell (Edmonton)

With eight points in his last 10 games, Sekera is flying under the radar in fantasy circles. The former 44-point rearguard has rebounded nicely offensively after two underwhelming seasons (30 and 22 points, respectively). So far in 2016-17, he has eight goals and 27 assists for 35 points in 76 contests with the Oilers. Sekera is splitting the bulk of the power-play minutes along with Oscar Klefbom. As for his partner Russell, while he is not a consistent offensive threat, he is currently hot with four assists in his last six games. On the season, though, he has a mere one goal and 10 assists for 11 points in 64 games. Unless your league counts blocked shots (he has 196), he hasn't been overly relevant.

Overall Production = 46 points

PP Production = 13 points

Cold as ice

Daniel Sedin – Henrik Sedin – Michael Chaput (Vancouver)

After trading Alex Burrows and Jannik Hansen at the deadline, the Canucks are forced to use journeymen with the twins. As a result, Chaput is now slotting alongside the Sedins and it hasn't really worked out. The third wheel has just two points in his last 20 games. With only eight points in 64 games, Vancouver could put a better option on the first line, but head coach Willie Desjardins appears to have mailed it in for the season. As for Henrik, he has been held scoreless over the last five games. With a putrid 15 goals and 30 assists for a mere 45 points in 78 games, the team's captain is feeling the effects of his old age (he's 36) and is not a first-line player anymore. His brother Daniel is not doing any better, failing to record a point over the last six matches. The left winger has only 14 goals and 26 helpers for 40 points in 78 games with the Canucks in 2016-17. His production is very disappointing seasons of 61 and 76 points the past two years, respectively.

EV Strength Production = 93 points

PP Production = 26 points

Cold duo

Zach Werenski – Seth Jones (Columbus)

With only two points in his last 10 games, Jones has cooled down drastically after a hot start. While he now has a career-best 40 points (including 11 goals) in 71 contests, the right-handed rearguard could have reached 50 points if he had remained healthy and had not slowed down in recent games. His defensive partner, the rookie Werenski, is also ice cold, having been held scoreless in his last six contests. Overall, he has 11 goals and 35 assists for 46 points 77 games for Columbus when some people didn't know who he has at the beginning of the year. It will be interesting to see how they react in the playoffs, as they both lack experience in important games.

Overall Production = 86 points

PP Production = 26 points