In daily fantasy hockey, stacking is a key strategy in tournaments. We want to correlate our lineups with up to four players to maximize our upside -- if one player on a line is scoring goals, it's likely that his linemates are getting assists, as well.
Ideally, we want players who will get a lot of ice time together on an even-strength line and a power-play line. Two good resources for line combinations are LeftWingLock.com and DailyFaceoff.com, so be sure to check those sites for updated line information.
It's just a four-game Monday evening in the NHL, but there are still some teams that look good when it comes to stacking.
Calgary Flames
We loved stacking the Calgary Flames last season when they were one of the best teams in the Western Conference. They then had a tumultuous offseason that saw them lose two of their three best offensive players. They averaged 3.55 goals per game last season and now are down to 3.11.
But the matchup is so good tonight that even this worse version is a great stack.
The one consistency from last season on the top line is Elias Lindholm ($6,900). He leads the team with 42 points.Tyler Toffoli ($7,000) was acquired at last season's trade deadline and now has to play a more important role. He's second behind Lindholm with 40 points and links up with him on the first power play. Dillon Dube ($5,000) has made the jump to the top line and played reasonably well, sitting fourth on the team with 11 goals.
The second line also contains two elements of the first power play. Jonathan Huberdeau ($5,600) was acquired in the big offseason trade and hasn't lived up to last season's production. He's still a talented winger and is worth taking a shot on for this low salary. He's playing alongside the other big offseason player acquired, Nazem Kadri ($7,200). Kadri leads the team with 18 goals and also has the most shots on goal. Milan Lucic ($3,900) is not the most fun player to click on but is available for salary relief.
The Flames are at home tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus is one of the leakiest defensive teams in the league, allowing 3.89 goals per game. With Calgary's implied team total sitting well above four tonight, it's safe to say the oddsmakers are expecting them to dominate this matchup.
Calgary's top two lines are relatively affordable for a team with this high of a team total, putting both lines in play on this slate.
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are coming off of a week with three separate 4-0 wins. It was just another good week for a team that is in first place in the Western Conference. They should be able to carry over their stellar play on Monday.
We do have a situation to monitor before tonight's game. Roope Hintz ($8,500) is a game-time decision and could be back on the first line. If he isn't, Tyler Seguin ($6,200) will be once again taking his spot on the first line and top power play. If Hintz is back, it will be tough to switch from him to Seguin, so you might want to start with Seguin in the utility spot and then pivot to someone else.
Jason Robertson ($9,900) is fifth in both goals and points in the NHL and continues to be a sneaky MVP candidate. Joe Pavelski ($7,400) is second behind Robertson in points with 45, showing that the elder statesman still has a lot left in the tank.
The Stars will play the Buffalo Sabres tonight. Buffalo is in the bottom 10 in both goals against and shots against per game. They will have questionable goaltending no matter who is in net, which doesn't bode well against a sniper like Robertson.
Dallas' implied team total only trails Calgary's tonight, and they are worth squeezing into lineups if you can make it work.
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers got off to a shaky start, and with expectations high, fans were upset. They've turned things around and appear to be comfortably in a playoff spot. Tonight, they've got one line that really stands out.
The tricky part about stacking the Rangers the last few years is the lines would have a floating third member who didn't play on the power play. We don't have to worry about that anymore, with the top line now being loaded up with the three best forwards for fantasy. Chris Kreider ($6,900) has moved over to the right side to allow Artemi Panarin ($7,200) to play on the left wing of Mika Zibanejad ($8,900). Zibanejad and Kreider are the two leading goal scorers on the team, with Panarin leading the team in points.
The Rangers will face the Florida Panthers at home on Monday. Florida isn't close to the same they were last season, and they are in the bottom half of most defensive metrics. Tonight, they'll be starting Alex Lyon in net, who's a journeyman with a career save percentage of .896.
The top line for the Rangers offers great correlation and upside in this matchup, and the stack may not be super popular on tonight's slate.
Nicholas Vazquez is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Nicholas Vazquez also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username hbyanksman. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.