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Lucic had solid stats this season, finishing with 26 goals and 35 assists in 81 games, but there were too many nights where the rugged winger wasn't using his size and scoring prowess to make a consistent impact. It seemed at time like Lucic would try to create intensity with physical play and fail and end up taking undisciplined penalties. When Lucic is skating and playing to his full ability, he can be a prolific power forward. But at times it seems like he gets caught not moving enough, expecting that the game or the puck will come to him. His three assists in the seven-game loss to the Capitals weren't close to what the Bruins need from a player that has his talent. Lucic can open up the paths to the net that the Caps and other teams successfully closed when they beat the Bruins but he didn't utilize his abilities enough.

Krejci also put up decent numbers, with 23 goals and 39 assists in 79 games. But like Lucic, Krejci struggled with consistency and really seemed to let the absence of Horton affect his game too much. Obviously it hurts to take away a player like Horton, but Krejci has shown that he has the ability to carry a team on his shoulders. In the Bruins' 2011 Stanley Cup run, Krejci had 23 points in 25 games and showed that he can be a consistent scoring threat. After signing a four-year extension with the Bruins last fall, Krejci was only able to equal his point total of 62 from a season ago and saw his plus/minus go from a plus-23 to a minus-5. This was a season that Krejci could've have proven himself to be a No. 1 center and he didn't. The heat is on next season or Krejci could find himself playing out the final two seasons of that contract with another team.

Horton was close to getting an "incomplete" grade here. Even before the concussion that ended his season, Horton looked as if he was struggling to make it all the way back from the concussion he suffered in Game 3 of the Cup finals against the Canucks, making it hard to be critical of him. But he and the team both insisted he had fully recovered from that concussion and he ended up playing in more than half of the Bruins' game (46). So he is subject to the same criticism as his linemates were. Like Lucic and Krejci, Horton also battled inconsistency and on too many nights (and again, maybe this was a result of the concussion last June), Horton did not apply his size and strength. He had 17 goals and 15 assists but could never seem to find that groove he was in for most of the 2010-11 regular season and playoffs.

With two power forwards on the wings and a playmaking center that can light the lamp as well, the line of Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Nathan Horton has shown the potential to be one of the most potent scoring lines in the NHL. With Horton and Krejci coming off huge playoff performances in 2011, hopes were high that this line would lead a deep group of forwards for the Bruins in 2011-12. But unfortunately, the trio was inconsistent for much of the season before Horton suffered what ended up being a season-ending concussion on Jan. 22 against the Flyers . With Horton gone, Lucic and Krejci had to play with different players for most of the second half. While that was obviously a factor, both players still failed to play to their potential, especially in the playoffs when they each registered just three points in seven games against the Capitals and were invisible on too many shifts.

Lucic had his best regular season as a Bruin, hitting the 30-goal plateau for the first time and adding 32 helpers for 62 points in 80 games. It was a great bounce-back season for Lucic who was only able to play in 50 games in an injury-ravaged 2009-10 season. The rugged winger showed why he is sometimes compared to the likes of Cam Neely and considered one of the NHL's top power forwards. A healthy Lucic was able to use his size and skating to be a physical and offensive threat on virtually every shift. With another big winger on his line in Horton and a skilled playmaking center in Krejci, opposing teams were forced to divide their attention to each wing and Lucic took full-advantage. But in the playoffs, Lucic found himself suffering through long stretches of futility and then had to battle what turned out to be a broken toe after taking a Tyler Seguin shot off the foot in practice between Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. He would only score five goals and finish the playoffs with 12 points in 25 playoff games. But Lucic did come up with some big games when the Bruins were facing elimination or had a chance to clinch a series.

When Marc Savard went down with a back injury during the stretch run of the 2007-08 season, Krejci stepped in and filled the offensive void left until the star veteran center returned to the lineup. For whatever reason, Krejci seems to play well when the team needs him to step up. That's exactly what he did during the 2010-11 regular season and playoffs. The Czech center finished the season with 49 assists and was tied with Lucic for the team lead in points with 62. Then in the playoffs, Krejci took his game to an even higher level leading his team and the NHL in playoff scoring with 12 goals and 23 points. If this scribe voted on the Conn Smythe Trophy, he would've come in third behind Patrice Bergeron and Tim Thomas. Krejci carried the top line, especially during the Eastern Conference semifinal sweep of the Flyers where he had nine points in four games. He had six points in seven games in the finals. He had some periods of inconsistency in both the playoffs and the regular season, but his all-around game was there and he bounced back every time.

Nathan Horton had numerous stretches of scoring futility during the course of the regular season, but he did finish with 26 goals and 53 points. If not for his clutch scoring in the playoffs with three game-winners, (two in overtime), Horton doesn't get above a B here. But his playoff performance was one for the ages until he was knocked out of action with severe concussion in Game 3 thanks to a blindside hit from Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome. Horton was brought in to add more size and scoring and while he struggled with consistency, he came through in the playoffs. He also played with a mean streak, piling up a career-high seven fighting majors during the regular season. Horton also became a key member of the Bruins dressing room and helped form the tight chemistry and bond that we saw on display when the team rallied behind his injury in the finals. The acquisition of Horton last June could go down as the best move of Peter Chiarelli's career as a general manager.

While they had their stretches of futility, this line still stepped up when it counted most, with Horton becoming Mr. Clutch in the playoffs, Krejci leading the team in points in the playoffs, and Lucic stepping up in numerous elimination games. They brought playmaking, toughness, and scoring, and allowed the team's other lines the freedom of not having to face their opponents' best defensive players. When they were on the ice, everyone noticed because even if they weren't scoring, they were tiring down their opponents. Even if Savard comes back for 2011-12 (which seems unlikely), this line should remain intact.