All on the line(s)

Ron Wilson is some jokester.

The Toronto Maple Leafs coach was at his sarcastic best the other night when he was asked about the progress - the chemistry, if you will - of his team's first line.

The reporter making the inquiry was obviously referring to Tim Connolly, Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul. Wilson didn't take it that way, or so he let on.

The question following Friday night's game against Buffalo was: "Was there better chemistry and scoring from your first line tonight?"

Wilson: "Yeah, you're talking about the Grabovski line? No, seriously, in my mind that's the No. 1 line. They had a great game. They're good in their own end; they applied pressure and had a number of chances."

The reality is that if the Maple Leafs are going to make the playoffs then Connolly, Kessel and Lupul will have to lead the team, offensively, at least. Through the first few pre-season games, however, there wasn't much chemistry between the three. Kessel got his scoring chances, like he normally does, and Lupul seems satisfied to do the grunt work, but Connolly has not shown much. For years the Leafs have lacked a true No. 1 centre and if he is the answer, then he has to step it up.

The Grabovski line includes Mikhail Grabovski, Nikolai Kulemin and Clarke MacArthur. You could easily make the case that they formed Toronto's best unit last season and as Wilson suggests, they might just be the team's most valuable trio this season.

"We don't have to label our lines," Wilson stated. "You said the No. 1 line and I knew you were talking about the Connolly line. Why would you label them the No. 1 line when I am the coach of the team? Just say the Connolly line. I don't stand on the bench and say, 'No. 1 line, you're up.' I say, 'TC, you're line is up or Grabo, you're line is up.' "

Then Wilson got around to answering the original question about the Connolly, Kessel and Lupul line.

"They're getting better," he said. "The guy who has to make the biggest adjustment is Tim Connolly. When the game gets to this speed it's different than a scrimmage with junior players mixed in with some minor leaguers and your own teammates who aren't going to be finishing checks. The intensity is there. Considering he missed practice (Thursday) I think he's only going to get better."

You really can't blame Wilson for pumping the tires of his 'No. 2 line' when the reality is Connolly's line is absolutely full of question marks. To imagine this line being a successful No. 1 unit is really a bit of a stretch.

Start with Kessel. He's the marquee player on the line; a trigger man who is supposed to be one of the elite goal-scorers in the NHL. But is he? Not really. Just 23 years old, Kessel has massive offensive instincts. He wants the puck and he wants to score. In his last three seasons he has 98 goals which is not bad. But considering he has no interest whatsoever in playing defence and the majority of his shots hit the opposing goalie in the crest, it's hard to imagine him being a player that will carry a team deep into the playoffs.

Lupul, 28, was the seventh overall pick in 2002 with the Anaheim Ducks, but has been a journeyman who has played with Anaheim (twice), Edmonton and Philadelphia. To his credit, Lupul came to camp in great shape and has embraced his role as the guy who will battle in the corners and down low. He has looked very good thus far.

Connolly is the X Factor on the line. No one will ever question his skill level, but he is injury prone and has consistency issues. In 68 games with Buffalo last season, the Syracuse, NY, native scored 13 goals and 42 points, but in the playoffs, when you need to get down and dirty, he had just two assists in six games.

You could make the case Kulemin is the Leafs best all-around player. The 25-year-old Russian is coming off a career year in which he scored 30 goals and 57 points playing in all 82 games. But his offensive stats don't tell the whole story. This guy has Pavel Datsyuk-like defensive instincts and prides himself in his defensive play. He's a shot blocker and something of a pickpocket when he comes to stripping the opposition of the puck.

Grabovski scored a career-high 29 goals and 58 points in 81 games and seems to be grasping the concept that the game is played at both ends of the rink. Not only that, his contract is up after this season meaning he'll be an unrestricted free agent July first if he doesn't sign an extension with Toronto. Think that might inspire him to have a big year? Ching ching!

MacArthur arrived as a productive NHLer last season and was rewarded with a two-year deal worth $6.5 million. He is determined to prove last season wasn't a fluke.

So it's no wonder Wilson plays games when asked about his No. 1 line - the Connolly line.

"Why wouldn't I consider the other line No. 1, when everybody on that line scored over 20 goals last year and were plus players?" Wilson asked.

The answer to that question may determine whether or not the Leafs do the improbable and make the playoffs. The good news is, if both lines play to potential, Toronto just might be a surprise team.

Veteran hockey columnist Mike Brophy will cover the Toronto Maple Leafs for sportsnet.ca for the 2011/12 season.