What is/was the most dangerous line in NHL history?

Question

For some of us hockey fans, we have been treated to the exploits of great players and teams over the years. Looking back, I ask this question: which combination of players was the most deadly in terms of absolute punishment upon opposing goalies and defensemen?

Answer 1

The most dangerous line in history was Elmer Lach, Hector Blake, and Maurice Richard. This is the only line in NHL history where all 3 players finished in the top 10 3x or more in scoring.

Nowadays it seems teams pair up players and the third guy is interchangeable. Ottawa is a notable exception with Alfredsson, Heatley, and Spezza.

Other great line combinations....
Bobby Clarke, Reggie Leach and Bill Barber
Guy Lafleur, Steve Shutt, and Jacques Lemaire
Darryl Sittler, Lanny McDonald, and Errol Thompson
Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy, and John Tonelli
Eric Lindros, Mikael Renberg, and John Leclair

(John Tonelli, Brent Sutter, and Mike Bossy played one full year together and was the first line to have all three players score 100 points)

Answer 2

How about Lemieux, Francis & Jagr or the KLM (Krotov - Larionov - Makarov) line of the old Soviet Red Army team of the 80s.

I'm amazed how long it took someone to mention the old Red Wings Production Line of Howe-Abel-Lindsay. The line dominated in the 50s. In 1950 the three finished 1,2,3 in scoring in the NHL, a feat that has NEVER been matched.

EDIT: By the way, the best line name ever - Detroit's "2 kids & a goat" line - Devereaux, Datsyuk & Hull

Canadian Biology Man: They did play on a line - some called it the Great Line. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9407E2DB1F39F93AA35752C0A961958260

Answer 3

I'll go with Blake, Richard, and Lach as well. These guys each scored at a point a game pace when that was nigh impossible to do.

This was eventually supplanted by Richard, Beliveau, and Dickie Moore (and these guys won 5 straight cups).

From a more modern angle, the Nicholls, Gretzky, Robitaille combo in LA was amazing to watch as were Peter Stastny, Anton Stastny, and Michel Goulet.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the GAG line of Ratelle, Gilbert, and Hadfield

Answer 4

Lemiuex played with Jagr and Stevens. I have a framed coloured picture of the trio signed by all three commemorating them as the highest scoring line in Penguin history (I was a season ticket holder in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993 while at U of Pitt).

Francis and Lemieux were both centres and only played together on the powerplay

Answer 5

Well I don't know about the most dangerous in NHL history but the Cheechoo and Thornton line was deadly at one point. Every game they were unstoppable. They need to start doing that again!

Answer 6

You said NHL specifically, so I won't dive waist-deep into the pile of people dropping Red Army, or Canada Cup lines.

I would vote Lemieux, Francis and Jagr, '91-92. No question.

As a side note, Messier wasn't on Gretzky's line with Kurri. Gretzky/Kurri/Semenko was nothing without Wayne. I don't think they even get honorable mention.

Answer 7

i could say C & B, Ovechkin, Backstrom, Semin are fairly proficient and paintings nicely with one yet another. they look to truly comprehend one yet another on the ice. Ovechkin's skills also helps to concentration on how proficient Backstrom and Semin are as well. as for B- Lucic has the enormous undesirable bruins attitude and gives you hit after hit, at the same time as Savard is among the wonderful passers contained in the league. Kessel looks to truly have molded into the phenom participant he once changed into envisioned to be! i imagine those 2 strains are a wide chance to something of the league.

Answer 8

Toronto's production line in the 30's was heavily feared

Kid Primeau, Busher Jackson and Charlie Conacher

Chicago had a pretty good line in 1964-65 with Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, and Phil Esposito

Answer 9

LOL - once again I come in to put up my $.02 worth and LITY beat me to it. I however didn't have the stats to back it up.

Some other great lines have emerged in the NHL and younger fans would not be wrong to exalt them but when all is said and done Lach/Blake/Richard was without a doubt hockey's deadliest line ever.

Answer 10

Looking back in history: Jean Beliveau centering, right wing Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, and left wing Bert Olmstead. Jean, the guy who changes the rules of the power play (advantaged team scores and the penalty ends) He scored 3 goals in 44 seconds against Bostons and all in one penalty. Boom Boom, the guy who invented the slap shot. Bert, scored 8 point in one game (a record in 1954). They were pretty great forwards.