Buffalo Sabres: Is French Connection the best line name in NHL history?

If you grew up watching the early days of the Buffalo Sabres, you are familiar with the famed French Connection line that graced the ice. 

The French Connection, if you are not familiar with them, was a line that Buffalo Sabres fans are all too familiar with. But this article isn’t going to talk about the line itself. Instead, I am going to answer the question of whether it is the best nickname for a hockey line in NHL history.

But first, let me explain why Gilbert Perreault, Rene Robert, and Rick Martin were called the French Connection. The name is a nod to their French-Canadian heritage, but it also took its name from a 1971 crime-thriller of the same name. But is it the best? Let’s look at some other serious contenders.

Which hockey line nicknames give the Buffalo Sabres French Connection serious competition?

The first one that jumps out at me is The Production Line of the Detroit Red Wings. Featuring the likes of Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay, this line name was definitely a nod to the manufacturing industry, particularly motor production lines that we know Detroit for.

The HBK Line of the modern Pittsburgh Penguins took its name from Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino, and Phil Kessel, hence the name HBK. What makes this name one of the best is that when you read it, you will immediately think of former WWE superstar, Shawn Michaels, who was understandably a fan of the line.

The Triple Crown Line of the Los Angeles Kings is another one that will make you pause. Triple Crown, Kings, get it? Of all the lines listed in this article, the Triple Crown was probably the least successful. But it doesn’t make their nickname any less memorable.

There are other memorable line names, like the Grumpy Old Men Line, the Punch Line, the Grind Line, and the Egg Line. But in my opinion, nothing brings the chills of nostalgia quite like the French Connection. Personally, it was my all-time favorite and most memorable before I even knew who the Buffalo Sabres were.

But what do you think? Do you believe the French Connection is the best hockey line nickname in NHL history? Who do you think comes close in a naming contest? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Article Source: The best hockey line nicknames by Adam Gretz