Vincent Lecavalier/Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay Lightning:
(The men who are playing like it's 2004)From 2001-2003 and 2005-2009, Levacalier and St. Louis skated on a power line with Vaclav “Vinny” Prospal, known as the “MVP” line (Marty, Vincent, Prospal). This combination was a huge hit with fans, and it definitely produced results. The line molded the shape and identity of the Tampa Bay Lightning post-lockout.
For their first two seasons playing together, the MVP line combined for a total of 497 points. During the 2006-2007 season, immediately following the lockout, Lecavalier won the Rocket Richard Trophy with 52 goals.
In the middle of the 2008-2009 season, the line was dissolved and St. Louis has found himself most commonly playing alongside Ryan Malone and Steven Stamkos.
Some people argue that the Lightning should keep the St. Louis-Stamkos duo, especially since Stamkos has posted higher stats every season he has plays with St. Louis. In my opinion, though, Lecavalier and St. Louis are too much of a force to separate in their upcoming series against the Boston Bruins.
So far this postseason, they lead the Bolts with 10 points each and have combined for nine goals and 11 assists. They led the Lightning to its Stanley Cup title in 2004 and they have the chemistry and determination to do it again.
Henrik Sedin/Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks:
(So if we switch jerseys...)The Sedin brothers have more than their twin factor working in their favor. They have also spent their entire lives playing hockey side-by-side.
They played together for Modo Hockey in the Swedish Elite League of their home country. In 1999, Henrik (C) and Daniel (LW) were chosen as co-recipients of the Golden Puck, awarded to the player of the year in the Swedish Elite League. It was the first time in history the award was given to more than one player.
(In hindsight, they might have confused the Sedin twins with a Swedish boy band)Immediately following that season, they enrolled in the NHL Entry Draft. Brian Burke, the former GM of the Vancouver Canucks, saw the importance in keeping the duo together. Pulling some last minute strings, he was able to acquire the second overall draft pick alongside the third pick they already had and Henrik and Daniel were in Vancouver jerseys before the possibility of being separated materialized.
While similar in size and speed, Henrik is praised for being the Canucks key playmaker and setting up goals, but Daniel is valued for his consistency in putting the puck in the net. They have a very similar style of puck handling and lead their team in scoring. Furthermore, they have very similar statistics.
Since being drafted, Henrik has an average of .774 points per game and Daniel has an average of .765 points per game (take into consideration that Daniel missed 18 games last season due to an injury). This season alone, Hendrik is average 1.34 points per game and Daniel is averaging 1.33. Seriously.
The Canucks haven’t seen the face of the Stanley Cup Finals since 1994, when they lost in seven games to the New York Rangers. The Sedin twins bring fresh energy and uncanny chemistry to the rink every game and they are hungry as ever to bring the Stanley Cup over the border for the first time since 1993.
(Vancouver fans hope that this trip doesn't just result in a Campbell Trophy)Henrik Datsyuk, Pavel Zetterberg, Detroit Red Wings:
(The best two-way players in the game of hockey. Bar none.) Often named as the best all-around forward duo in the NHL, Datsyuk and Zetterberg have been leading the Detroit Red Wings for years. While putting pucks in the net, what these two are really valued for is their ability to execute plays. Watching them play together truly highlights their ability to dictate the outcome of every move. When the lockout resulted in more skating space on the ice, these two forwards’ style only enhanced. It is their speed and stick handling that sets them apart from everybody else in the league, and they are feared by rookies and respected by veterans.
More so than simply working their magic together, Datsyuk and Zetterberg have the effect of making everyone else who plays with them that much better. Coaches and teammates have vocally complimented the duo for caring about the team and not just the numbers. They are just as effective on defense as they are on offense and despite being the central focus of many teams’ defensive game, they are almost superhuman.
During an interview with Zetterberg regarding his friend and teammate he said, “That’s why we’ve created that special bond between us, because we like to play the same style, and when you spend a lot of time together on the ice and off the ice it’s a lot easier to get it working. Most of the time I know where he is and where he should be and I know where I should be when he has the puck.”
Honorable Mentions: Alexander Ovechkin/Nicklas Backstrom (Washington Capitals), Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins) and Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks)
- Oritt Blum
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