The Los Angeles Kings roster isn't officially set, but we have a strong idea of what the lines might look like heading into next season.
We even got a sneak peek at what Rob Blake expects the top nine to look like at the start of training camp.
Things can change and Jim Hiller will tell us that there is no first or second line, that ice time will be spread out evenly.
But we all know there is a top line, and for the last 15+ years, that line has been Anze Kopitar's line.
With that in mind, we'll treat Kopitar's line as the first line and use the line suggested by Blake as a starting point.
The line: Alex Laferriere-Anze Kopitar-Adrian Kempe:
Reasons For Optimism:
One thing we know for sure, the top line will feature the pair of Kopitar and Adrian Kempe. They've been a staple on the Kings' top line for the last three seasons and I don't see that changing soon.
Over the last three seasons Kopitar and Kempe as a pair have been a dominant pair, outperforming their opposition in almost every metric, most notably outscoring opponents 122-95 in that span.
Kopitar continues to be a 200-foot force and is still producing at a good clip even in his late 30s.
Kempe is the shining light on this line. He led the team in points last season and is proving he's more than just a pure goal scorer and someone who can drive play for his line.
Kempe led the team in assists and finished second in primary assists while still grabbing 28 goals. He's emerged as a true star in the NHL and a true top line winger.
That combination of Kempe, a star producer, and Kopitar, still a dominant two-way center, will continue to be a strong pair.
The third member of that line is still up in the air, but it appears Alex Laferriere will get the first crack at that spot.
Laferriere is a hard-worker who can complement two skilled players like Kempe and Kopitar. He can recreate the chemistry Alex Iafallo had with Kopitar and Kempe two season ago in a best case scenario.
Reasons For Pessimism:
There are a few reasons this top line could take a step back next season, mainly the removal of Quinton Byfield and potential regression of Kopitar.
Last season Byfield was the main driver on the top line. He was the lines main creative force and puck carrier. Without him, they'll be relying very heavily on Kempe to drive the bus.
As discussed in a previous article, there are reasons to expect a regression from Kopitar which would leave this line severely lacking star power.
Lastly, there's Laferriere. He's a good player with a lot of positive traits, however, it's asking a lot of him to be a top line player. He won't be asked to be a true top-line winger, instead playing a complementary role, but that's still a heavy ask.
He posted underwhelming underlying numbers last season and generally had a negative impact on the lines he played on.
The switch from Byfield to Laferriere is a big swing in the wrong direction for this line, and if coupled with a regression from Kopitar, could be disastrous.
Those are some big ifs though and Laferriere could take a big step in the right direction this summer. If he hits a sophomore slump, the Kings also have a few forwards waiting in the wings for a crack on the top line.