A hockey line is a group of three forwards on the same team who play together. Hockey lines are required to work together and focus on the same team strategy when on the ice. A hockey line consists of a left wing, a center and a right wing. Players are often put on the same line as two teammates who play a similar style and have similar strengths as a hockey player.
Defensive Zone
Teams select a left winger, a centerman and a right winger to play together on a forward line. These players each have unique responsibilities in the defensive zone. A left winger's job is to skate to the side of the left face-off circle in the defensive zone when his team has the puck to receive a pass to break the puck out of the zone. The right winger performs the same job at the right circle when his team has the puck. When the opponent has the puck, both wingers cover the opponent's defenseman just inside the defensive zone blue line. The left winger covers the opponent's right defenseman and the right winger covers the opponent's left defenseman. The center acts as a puck supporter in the offensive zone. His job is to go wherever the puck is and to cover one of the forwards who is not covered by his own defenseman.
Offensive Zone
In the attack zone, the right winger, centerman and left winger are allowed more freedom. Their main responsibility is to stay below the top of the two face-off circles. At the higher levels of play, forwards are told to stay in a triangular formation. This means that the forwards' positioning in the attack zone should always form an imaginary triangle. Forward lines at the higher levels of play often cycle the puck to keep possession and set up scoring chances. Cycling occurs when a forward skates up the boards in the offensive zone toward the blue line and leaves the puck behind him for his teammate. The player who drops the puck skates toward the net looking for a pass. The player with the puck can make a return pass to his teammate or drop the puck behind him for the third linemate. The three players are in a constant moving circle and continue to cycle until puck possession is lost or a scoring opportunity presents itself.
On-Ice Chemistry
Teams try to find players with effective chemistry on the ice when forming a forward line. This means teammates should know each other's tendencies. Teams often put skilled skaters at the center position and those who are highly effective passers. Henrik Sedin, a center for the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL, has led the NHL in assists for two consecutive years. Wingers are typically players with great scoring prowess and those who can play a gritty, physical game. Corey Perry, the NHL's goal scoring leader in 2010-2011, scored 50 goals and had 104 penalty minutes. These statistics indicate impressive scoring prowess and an ability to play a tough, physical style.
Famous Hockey Lines
One of the most famous and productive forward lines in NHL history was the trio of Maurice Richard, Elmer Lach and Toe Blake for the Montreal Canadiens in the 1940s. In the 1944-45 season, Richard, Lach and Blake combined for 105 goals in the 50-game regular season. Richard had one of the most prolific seasons in NHL history becoming the first player to score 50 goals in the regular season. The Canadiens trio were the three highest scorers in the NHL at season's end. Another famous line was a Junior hockey line for the U.S.S.R in the 1989 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship. Pavel Bure, Sergei Fedorov and Alex Mogilny were part of one of the most prolific scoring lines in International hockey history. The 1989 tournament saw the line combine for 19 goals and 19 assists in only seven games en route to a gold medal. All three players went on to have highly successful NHL careers.
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