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 10 games on Thursday on the eve of the trade deadline. Let's see what teams we can stack before things get really crazy tomorrow.
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are one of the best teams we've seen in the salary cap era. They currently have the best points percentage in this era and are third in goals per game. They'll be in a good spot to continue their torrid run tonight.
The Bruins' first line has really clicked when healthy and together this season. They made the move in the middle of last season to put inJake DeBrusk ($7,000), and it's really helped to balance the lines. DeBrusk is third on the team in goals despite missing 18 games and gets time on the first power play with his two linemates. Brad Marchand ($7,200) has been averaging a point per game this season at age 34, and Patrice Bergeron ($7,200) has managed to still be an elite play-driver while being second on the team with 21 goals at age 37.
This first line doesn't include the newly-extended David Pastrnak ($10,200). He signed a deal that will keep him in Boston for the next eight years, which is great news for the Bruins as they get to keep the NHL's second-leading goal scorer around. He's playing with Czech buddies David Krejci ($5,800) and Pavel Zacha ($5,000) at even strength, and these two also connect on the second power play. This second line is a way to get exposure to the Bruins while getting a bit unique, as well.
Boston will face the Buffalo Sabres at home tonight. Buffalo is making a push for the playoffs, but it's not because of their defense. They allow the eighth-most goals per game and will be without top defenseman Rasmus Dahlin for the second consecutive game.
The Bruins carry the second-highest implied team total on the slate, almost getting to four implied goals. Either of their top two lines makes for excellent stacks in this spot.
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings made a splash on Tuesday by trading for defensive and goaltending help. They didn't need to add to their offense because they've been one of the better offensive teams in the league of late, especially on the power play.
The Kings have an affordable top line that has been on fire of late. It includes two players who scored four goals in a game in February. Anze Kopitar ($7,000) did it on Tuesday night and is now second on the team with 24 goals. The team's leader in goals is Adrian Kempe ($6,500), who scored four on February 11th. They play with Quinton Byfield ($3,800) at even strength, giving them a linemate who brings salary relief.
LA will return home after a road trip and play the Montreal Canadiens. Montreal ranks as a bottom-10 team in shots and goals against per game and also has the fifth-worst penalty kill in the league.
The weak penalty kill provides a great matchup for the Kings, as they have the league's second-best power play. Because of this, you could add Kevin Fiala ($7,700), who leads the team in power play points with 22. Drew Doughty ($5,500) also makes sense as the defenseman who will play on the top power play.
The Kings have the highest implied team total tonight and are easy to fit into lineups relative to other top lines on the board.
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are not the most inspiring offensive team this season. However, they have a dynamic top line and a great matchup that we can exploit tonight.
The Wild's superstar Kirill Kaprizov ($9,000) is on pace to beat his 47 goals last season, and he has a shot to score 50. He'll play with an elite playmaker in Mats Zuccarello ($6,900), who has also potted 20 goals while still creating offense with his great passing. Ryan Hartman ($5,200) will look to find his form from last season when he played with this line and scored 34 goals. Kaprizov and Zuccarello play together on the first power play, as well.
Minnesota gets a matchup against the Vancouver Canucks that should see them thrive. Vancouver is the second-worst defensive team in the league by goals against average. They also have a penalty kill that is on track to be the worst we've seen since the 2005-06 season.
The Wild have a modest implied team total of 3.27, but the matchup is good enough and the top line is dangerous enough to consider stacking them in tournaments tonight.
Others to Consider: New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Seattle Kraken
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.