The Rangers best line is… the third line?

The New York Rangers have gotten off to a fiery start in the early part of the 2024-25 season. Large in part, due to their newest and most exciting line, and the one that many can confidently say is the best trio on this team. The Rangers best line is the... third line?

Sorta Uncommon

The common structure for any NHL third-line is that they are a defensive-minded group who are looking to intimidate, but also move the puck end-to-end. They are not as physical as the fourth-liners who are rough and tough, and they are not skilled enough to crack the top-six forwards of the first two-lines.

The Rangers seriously have a special bunch with Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil, and Will Cuylle playing together on that third line. They have been nothing short of productive and successful through the first two contests of the year. So much so, they have the highest xGoalsFor per 60-minutes of any forward line in the NHL, with a minimum of 20 minutes of ice time. At 8.18, they are creating an abundance of chances, in the limited amount of ice time they get per game.

Making all of this happen, has been Cuylle. He has been a lightning bolt of energy and persistence, as he has been seemingly all over the ice in the first two games. With a goal and two assists, he is the second-highest scorer on this team, tied with Jacob Trouba, Adam Fox, and Alexis Lafreniere. His linemates, Chytil and Kakko, have a point-a-piece.

This line generates a ton of offense, and each member can move the puck up-and-down the ice with ease. Many times this season already, we have seen Chytil make a stop and quickly start a rush up the other end of the ice, usually with Cuylle trailing him or going stride-for-stride with him for a scoring chance.

Do you believe this is the best Rangers line of the season thus far, and can it remain sustainable?