Just How Good Is The Habs Top Line?

To start, how many other top lines have three players that have the potential of scoring 30 goals each, including one that may score up to 50 goals? The truth is there aren’t a lot of, if any, top lines that can truly compete with just how good the Slafkovsky-Suzuki-Caufield line has been. Sure, there are nights where they may get outscored by other top lines, but it has been really rare that this line gets heavily outchanced as a trio. The truth is, in terms of pure production as a line, there may not be a trio out there that connects so well for incredible career years. It could be hard to find another line where everyone on it has at least 30 goals and 75 points, but if Slafkovsky ups his point pace a bit and Suzuki does the same with his goals, the Habs top line can do it.

In terms of the total production per player, there is no other line in the NHL that has scored more goals, as there is a player who may lag behind points-wise from his linemates. In the past, Slafkovsky was sort of that guy, but he went down to the second line, where he could develop his play-driving skills, and now it’s as if all three players are unstoppable. Since being reunited as a line on March 5th against the Anaheim Ducks, Suzuki has the second most points in the league with 16, while Caufield and Slafkovsky are tied for fourth with 14 each. There has been no line that has come close to all three players’ combined production during that time. The reality is that only Nikita Kucherov on his own has been playing better hockey than any of the Habs’ big 3 forwards. Right now, the Canadiens may have three of the best five forwards in the NHL over the past 2.5 weeks.

When looking at some of the league’s top lines that have played at least 300 minutes together, the Canadiens’ top line has the 5th highest expected goals percentage at 56.8%. While this is still good, the analytics likely downplay the impact that they have as a trio for the Habs, as a lot of what the three players do is with each other on the power play in the past couple of games.

Either way, they are way above an average top line in the NHL; the only line in the Eastern Conference that has been better in expected goals among top lines over 300 minutes is the Carolina Hurricanes’ 2nd line of Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven, and Andrei Svechnikov. There are some lines that have done better in smaller samples, but either way, tonight will see two of the best lines in the Eastern Conference go head-to-head.

Although if we were to plug in power-play time when the trio is on the ice together, the numbers would likely change because they completely dominate the man advantage between the three of them along with defenseman Lane Hutson. Many could argue those numbers don’t count, but they have scored a ton of tic-tac-toe goals just among the trio itself. This fact has played a huge role in Ivan Demidov not producing much on the power play, considering how the trio are creating all the offence together.

We shouldn’t be surprised if all three players hit big milestones by season’s end. For Suzuki, that is becoming the first 100-point scorer in 40 years, while Caufield chases not only 50 goals but the Rocket Richard Trophy as well. Finally, Slafkovsky, in just his 4th season, is looking like a top power forward that could hit 30 goals and 75 points. It’s incredible to see what they are accomplishing as a trio.

All in all, the Habs’ top line is among the top five best lines in all of hockey, and they could be argued to be the best based on their offensive production right now.

Do you think the Canadiens’ top line can be the best three-man unit in all of hockey?