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.
Tonight's five-game NHL slate looks like it could be a fun one, so let's dive into some stacks.
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars sit atop the Western Conference. They are seventh in the NHL in goals per game, which is a great improvement from last season with their new head coach. They do have a key player missing but can still be stacked comfortably.
With Roope Hintz out of the lineup, the Stars have promoted Tyler Seguin ($5,600) to play in Hintz's spot on both the first line and top power play. Seguin has performed well, with goals in each of his last three games while skating as a part of this group. Jason Robertson ($10,000) has cooled off a bit this season but is still fifth in the NHL in points. Joe Pavelski ($7,200) has 11 points in his past 10 games. This line links up on the first power play unit for Dallas, as well.
The Stars will face the San Jose Sharks tonight. San Jose has been struggling lately, totaling just two wins in their last 10 games. They have allowed the fourth-most goals per game.
Dallas' top line has a discounted center, which makes them easier to fit into lineups. You'll want to get a piece of them, as their implied team total is the second-highest on the slate.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are on the march toward a fourth straight Eastern Conference championship. They've won four games in a row and eight of their last 10 games. They've been an elite offensive team again this season, as they are up to fifth in goals per game.
The Lightning's top line has been one of the best ones to stack since it came together. Brayden Point ($8,500) has been on fire, with eight goals in his last 10 games. Nikita Kucherov ($10,200) is tied for third in the league in points, and his pace this year is nearly the same as when he won the scoring title in 2019. Brandon Hagel ($6,800) has exceeded expectations as he is averaging 0.88 real-world points per game. This line is also fully correlated on the top power play.
Tampa will play the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. Vancouver has surrendered the second-most goals per game, and their games are usually high scoring. These teams played last week, and the Bolts won 5-4. It wouldn't be surprising to see Tampa Bay score five again tonight.
The Lightning have the highest implied team total on the slate and can go off in this matchup.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been a streaky team this season, and they are currently on a bad streak. They are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games and are barely holding on to the last playoff spot in the East. They should be able to score some goals in this game tonight.
Sidney Crosby ($8,600) leads the team in goals and points, and his salary isn't that bad given his production this season. The same can be said for Jake Guentzel ($7,500), who is second on the team in goals with 18. Bryan Rust ($6,000) is the true value element of this line, as his salary is lower than it has been in the past when he's played in this spot. We can still get Ty Smith ($4,100) as a low-salaried defensive option who will play on the top power-play unit.
Pittsburgh is taking on the Ottawa Senators. Ottawa is a below-average defensive team, which has made them the third-worst squad in the Eastern Conference. They really lack the defensive personnel to match up with Pittsburgh's top line.
The Penguins are actually underdogs in this game on the road, but the salaries on their top line make them a fun team to stack. Their implied team total may keep their overall popularity down, making them a sneaky-good play in 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.