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.
The NHL returns from the all star break with six games on Monday. Let's try to find some stacks that will help us kick off the second half with some tournament winnings.
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils went into the break going 8-1-1 in their last 10 games. They sit comfortably in second place in the Metropolitan Division. They have been great at creating chances, with the third-most expected goals per 60 minutes in the NHL, and they have a dream matchup tonight.
It can be a bit tricky to stack the Devils. They don't have the correlation we really want across their lines. Nico Hischier ($7,700) and Jesper Bratt ($7,400) do play together on the first line and top power play, and they are both in the top three in points on the team. They play with Ondrej Palat ($4,700) at even strength, and Palat is definitely capable of contributing at this friendly salary.
The main problem with this Devils stack is that it doesn't include Jack Hughes ($10,000). Hughes has been excellent all season, as he is fifth in goals and ninth in points this campaign. He gets Yegor Sharangovich ($4,900) and Fabian Zetterlund ($4,100) as linemates -- who you certainly can play along with Dougie Hamilton ($7,800) on defense for some power-play correlation.
Whichever way you choose to stack the Devils has the potential to pay off tonight. They're facing the Vancouver Canucks at home. Vancouver has allowed the second-most goals per game this season and just traded away Bo Horvat, a key center on both sides of the puck.
This is a total mismatch between two teams going in opposite directions, and that is reflected in the odds. The Devils have an implied team total of 3.85 goals, the highest on tonight's slate. You can play either of the top two lines or mix and match power-play components to make things work. Any way you decide to stack up these players could pay off.
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild have moved back into a playoff spot after two consecutive wins. They can be a very exciting, fantasy-friendly team in the right matchups, and tonight's would certainly qualify as one of those.
Since Kirill Kaprizov ($9,500) joined the league two seasons ago, only five players in the NHL have more points than he does. He continues to put up big numbers while playing with Mats Zuccarello ($8,100) at both even strength and on the power play. Sam Steel ($4,200) gets the treat of playing center between two dynamic wingers and comes in at a nice salary. You can also add in Calen Addison ($4,400) at defense on this stack as he is the power-play quarterback for this line.
Minnesota is on the road against the Arizona Coyotes. Arizona allows the third-most expected goals and third-most expected high-danger chances per 60 minutes. They will also be without Shayne Gostisbehere on defense, which won't make things any easier.
The Wild have the third-highest implied team total on this slate and could be the team you need to take down a GPP.
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars sit on top of the Western Conference and have been playing great with their new style under head coach Pete DeBoer. Everything is set up perfectly for Dallas and their top line tonight.
The Stars' first line was one of the best in the NHL last season, and it's been even better this year. They have been the most productive line in the league, even with Roope Hintz ($7,800) missing some time. Despite missing those games, Hintz is second on the team in goals and third in points. Jason Robertson ($9,700) leads the team in both of those categories and is tied for fifth in the league in goals. Joe Pavelski ($7,200) is second on the team in points with 48.
Dallas gets to face the Anaheim Ducks tonight in the best possible matchup out there. Not only is Anaheim allowing the most goals per game this season, no team has allowed more four goals per game in the salary cap era, which the Ducks are currently on track to do.
Robertson had a hat trick against the Ducks earlier this season, and if he can do that again, he is likely to break tonight's slate. If he does, it's very likely he brings along at least one of Hintz or Pavelski to be players you need to win tournaments.
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.