While the Carolina Hurricanes have been extremely steady with their defensive pairings, things haven't been the most stable this season when it comes to their forward deployments.
Only a single line combination has played over 200 minutes together (Jordan Martinook - Jordan Staal - Jesper Fast) and they aren't even together anymore.
The lines have been in a constant state of flux, some parts due to injuries and some parts due to head coach Rod Brind'Amour trying to find the right balance throughout the lineup.
Carolina is a team that wants to roll all four of its lines and they don't want to be too reliant on any one or two, so trying to find the best combinations on all four lines is key.
And perhaps no line fluctuated personnel more than the Hurricanes' second line.
From the centers to the wingers, it's been a puzzle that Brind'Amour has continued to try and find the right pieces for; however, it seems that he may have found what he was looking for.
The line of Michael Bunting - Jack Drury - Martin Necas has been one of Carolina's most dangerous since they were paired up coming out of the All-Star break.
The trio has spent 94.5 minutes together and have a 64.6 expected goals for percentage and 64.8 Corsi For percentage in those minutes (which is the highest out of the team's current line combinations).
"I think it's well balanced," Drury said after the team's win against Arizona. "You have a little bit of everything. Necas has that incredible skill and world-class speed and Bunting is a really smart player who is great around the net. So I think it's just a great balance of three players."
Drury saw the bump up to the second line in early February in place of Jesperi Kotkaniemi who has struggled since the opening two months of the season.
The Harvard product has brought a more dependable, two-way defensive game to the line which complements the offensive natures of Necas and Bunting.
"Jack's really done a nice job there," Brind'Amour said. "He's winning faceoffs and getting puck possession and he just does it right. He's above the puck. Those other guys are a bit more offensive minded and free wheeling — a little more than I'd like sometimes — and he allows them to be. He's certainly a smart player to cover for them."
It also helps that Necas has been playing his best hockey of the season ever since he returned from injury on Jan. 19.
Since then, Necas has eight goals and 14 points in 12 games, which leads all Carolina skaters in both stats during that span.
"I just had a little mental reset," Necas said about his hot streak following his first career hat trick against Colorado. "I don't know, it's tough to say. I try to play the same game. Obviously shooting a little more. That was kind of my thing coming back from injury. I feel like that kind of helped. It's just been a few games but just have to keep it going till the end of the season."
The line has also given Bunting some solid footing for perhaps the first time this season.
There has not been a single player on the Canes who has juggled around the lineup more than Bunting has this season, but now he can finally start to build a bit more chemistry with some consistent linemates.
One of Carolina's Achilles' heels in past years has been a lack of depth scoring, but if this line can keep playing the way they have been, it could be key for a deep playoff run.
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