Minnesota Wild dominance: NHL's best line yet to be on the ice for a goal against

Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Matt Boldy have yet to be on the ice for a single goal against through 20 games at five-on-five, making them the league's most dominant line so far this season.

Kaprizov ranks third in NHL scoring with 32 points, behind only Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, as you might expect. Meanwhile, Hughes is the second-highest-scoring defenseman in the league with 27 points, trailing only Evan Bouchard.

Wild head coach John Hynes is among the relatively small group of NHL coaches who understand that putting your best players together can pay significant dividends.

Five-on-five

Boldy and Kaprizov are Minnesota's two best wingers, while Eriksson Ek is the team's top center. Together, they have already logged more than 200 minutes of five-on-five ice time this season.

16–0. That's their combined goal differential so far. Pure dominance!

A 64.8% share of high-danger shot attempts is an outstanding number and further proof that these three currently form the most dominant forward line in the NHL.

Their biggest competition? Edmonton's line of Vasily Podkolzin, McDavid, and Draisaitl. They have also played more than 200 minutes together and have been on the ice for 21 goals for and just six against. Their share of high-danger shot attempts stands at an impressive 60%.

It's also important to highlight the role Hughes has played in Minnesota's success. He has logged more than 166 minutes alongside the Wild's top line. With Hughes on the ice, the numbers become even more impressive, with the group controlling 67.5% of high-danger chances.

All situations

It's hardly surprising that the numbers look even better across all game situations. All four players mentioned above also share the ice on the power play, where they are most frequently joined by Max Shabanov.

Looking specifically at the forward line of Kaprizov, Eriksson Ek, and Boldy, they have already been on the ice for 33 goals for and just two against. And they've done all that in only 20 games.

With Hughes on the ice alongside them, their goal differential is an incredible 25–1.

Can they become the best line of the decade?

If Kaprizov, Eriksson Ek, and Boldy can maintain their current level of play, they have a genuine chance to establish themselves as the best forward line of the past decade.

Back in the 2021–22 season, Calgary's line of Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm, and Matthew Tkachuk was the benchmark. All three played in 82 games together, finishing the season with 72 goals for and 31 against at five-on-five.

However, the current Edmonton line featuring McDavid and Draisaitl also has a chance to challenge the Flames' numbers this season.

Of course, maintaining this level of dominance won't be easy for Kaprizov, Eriksson Ek, and Boldy. Sustaining such an incredible run over an entire 84-game season would be a major challenge. They'll also need to stay healthy and avoid any significant injuries along the way.

Data sources: moneypuck.com, naturalstattrick.com