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.
We've got a massive 12-game slate with loads of good spots for teams. Let's try to find three of the best stacks.
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are in a weird spot right now. They are currently outside the playoffs, but everyone assumes the defending champs will easily make the cut. They also are 25th in goals per game, which is shocking for the talent they have in the lineup. Tonight's matchup should see them show their offensive firepower.
Colorado spent a large chunk of the season without Nathan MacKinnon ($10,300), which is part of the reason they've struggled to score. He's back now and has been good, totaling 39 points in 28 games. Evan Rodrigues ($6,300) and Artturi Lehkonen ($6,500) are his linemates, and both capable offensive players who play on the top power play with MacKinnon. This makes it easier to get the trio into lineups even if you miss out on some other good, high-salary options.
We can feel good about rostering Avalanche players despite them being in a bit of a slump. That's because they're facing the Chicago Blackhawks, who sit dead last in the NHL. Chicago is a bottom-10 team in nearly every defensive metric, including goals against and shots against per game.
The Avalanche have an implied team total of 3.73 goals and should be able to snap out of their funk against this Chicago team.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes have become one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference in the past few seasons. They control expected goals at five on five better than any other team in the NHL. They haven't been the best at turning those expected goals into actual goals, but tonight, that might change.
The Hurricanes got a big addition to the lineup when Max Pacioretty ($9,100) made his season debut last week. He has three goals and 13 shots on goal in his first three games with Carolina. He's on the top line with Sebastian Aho ($7,300), who leads all Canes players (besides Pacioretty) in points per game. Seth Jarvis ($5,100) is the third member of this line, and he also skates on the top power play with these two. Another piece you can add to the stack is Brett Pesce ($4,900), as he's now on the top power play at defense.
This fully correlated line doesn't have a high cumulative salary relative to some other top lines on this slate, and they could be in the best spot of any team tonight.
Carolina will face the Columbus Blue Jackets on the road. Columbus continues to be one of the worst teams in the league, especially defensively. They've allowed 3.93 goals per game, the second-most in the NHL.
Carolina's top line will be a popular stack as the Canes sport an implied total above four goals. They have slate-breaking upside, though.
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are not the playoff contenders that their fans and management had hoped for after the big offseason they had. They would need a ridiculous hot streak to get into contention, but they should be able to score goals today.
Ottawa's top two lines have remained the same for a while now. Brady Tkachuk ($8,300) and Tim Stutzle ($8,300) are on the first line and top power play. They are also the team's top two scorers. Claude Giroux ($6,900) has contributed nicely, registering 36 points in 40 games in his first season in Ottawa.
The second line has two pieces of the first power-play unit in Alex DeBrincat ($7,800) and Drake Batherson ($7,600). They are third and fourth, respectively, in points on the Sens. They get a modest-salaried center Shane Pinto ($5,100), as well, who can also contribute offensively.
Ottawa has a soft matchup against the Arizona Coyotes. Arizona has lost six games in a row and is awful defensively. They allow the third-most expected goals and second-most high-danger chances per 60 minutes in the NHL.
The Senators have a healthy 3.56 implied team total and are a stack worth considering.
Others to Consider: Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators, Winnipeg Jets
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.