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The 4 best wingmen in the Conference Finals

Kelvin Kuo / Reuters

Every NHL player needs a good wingman, and not just in the positional sense.

Many players have their production elevated by playing with specific teammates, whether they are linemates or defense partners. Look no further than San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton, who helped winger Jonathan Cheechoo become a 56-goal scorer in 2006.

A good wingman also sacrifices for his teammates, and it's that selfless attitude that makes them valuable members of perennially successful playoff teams.

Here are the four best (figurative) wingmen in the Conference Finals:

Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks

Playing alongside the reigning Norris Trophy winner has worked wonders for Brent Seabrook, who posted the seventh-worst even-strength Corsi For percentage on the team in the regular season but still managed 31 points in 82 games.

Seabrook has six points in 12 playoff contests after piling up 15 in 16 postseason games last year.

When Keith and Seabrook have played together at even-strength in 2014-15, they have a respectable 55.3 Corsi For percentage, according to Puckalytics.com. When Seabrook wasn't paired with Keith, his rating dipped from 52.3 to 49.1.

That shows you how important Keith was to Seabrook, whose production rose despite a less-than-stellar regular season.

Corey Perry, Anaheim Ducks

In addition to being one of the league's most productive scorers when healthy, Perry has a reputation for being a major pest.

The forward has a knack for getting under opponents' skin, whether it's by stealing Alex Semin's stick, pouring water into Jeff Carter's glove or spraying water on Patrick Roy.

Perry will do anything to give his team a psychological edge, and that makes him the ultimate teammate.

Dan Girardi, New York Rangers

The Rangers defenseman has more blocked shots than anyone in the playoffs with 56 after ranking sixth with 184 during the regular season.

Girardi regularly puts his body on the line to prevent scoring chances, and the blue-liner's fearlessness on the defensive end more than makes up for his lack of offensive contributions.

Henrik Lundqvist gets most of the credit for the Rangers' ability to limit goals by the opposition, but the netminder faces fewer shots per game because of Girardi's team-first exploits.

The 'Triplets' line, Tampa Bay Lightning

The entire Lightning trio of Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov is proving to be an incredibly cohesive and co-dependent unit.

The 'Triplets' line has been the league's most productive since the beginning of the season, and it has exploded in the playoffs.

Johnson, Palat and Kucherov have accounted for 25 of Tampa Bay's 47 postseason goals, and their on-ice chemistry is undeniable.

Each of the three forwards is effective on his own, but together, they take each other's game to another level.

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