As much as championship hockey is about goaltending and a strong defense, a deep forward group is an absolute necessity to win a Stanley Cup. The Blackhawks survived last season with a defense that seemed to thin out as the playoffs progressed and still raised the Cup at the conclusion of the tournament.

They did it in part because they had a franchise centerman in Jonathan Toews leading the way, along with superstar scorer Patrick Kane.

The ideal playoff forward group is strong down the middle with a fourth line that can play and a winger or two who can change the game in a moment. With that in mind, here’s the ranking of the 16 Stanley Cup playoffs forward groups.