3 Daily Fantasy NHL Stacks for Wednesday 12/29/21

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, as if one player on a line is scoring goals, it's likely that his linemates are getting assists as well. Ideally, we'll want players that 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.

Tuesday's return to the ice saw 32 goals in just three games, so let's hope that offense keeps going nuts on Wednesday. Here are three stacks we can use on tonight's slate.

Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers had been one of the best teams in the NHL for most of the season. That was until they had some injuries and COVID absences and lost three games in a row, and they now sit third in the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division. With their lineup back to full strength, they should get back on track.

As has been the case this season, the Panthers have two lines that are viable, so it doesn't make for a truly clean stack. Their best player, Aleksander Barkov ($8,500), returns from injury tonight and slots back on the top line. He'll play on a line with Carter Verhaeghe ($5,100) and Anthony Duclair ($5,700). This has proven to be an effective line but doesn't give Barkov any power play correlation.

The Panthers' second line is where to go for correlation, as it makes up the first power play unit. Jonathan Huberdeau ($8,400) leads the team with 33 points. He plays with the two Sams, Sam Reinhart ($6,600) and Sam Bennett ($6,600), who each have been solid with nine goals this season. Barkov joins this unit, and if you added him to a second line stack, it could be unique on this slate.

Florida will face the New York Rangers at home tonight. The Rangers have been a good team but can still be shaky defensively at times. They allow the fourth-most shot attempts and scoring chances per 60 minutes. The Rangers will also be without Ryan Lindgren, one of their better defensemen.

The Panthers have the highest implied team total on tonight's slate. You can add Aaron Ekblad ($6,700) to any stack with three forwards, as he is second on the team in points and third among NHL defensemen in goals.

Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals are another team that had the break come at exactly the right time. They were missing several key players due to the COVID outbreak. Not everyone is back just yet, but there are enough players back to make this an enticing stack.

We saw Alex Ovechkin ($10,200) play with some players that were probably below his skill level in the last few games, but it didn't really slow him down. He had two goals and a whopping 24 shots on goal in the three games since the absences started. He'll be back with Evgeny Kuznetsov ($7,800) and Tom Wilson ($5,500), who are both having excellent seasons. This trio will also play on the top power play together.

The Capitals don't get an easy matchup against the Nashville Predators tonight. However, it might be better than it appears at first. Nashville will likely be without their best defensemen, as Roman Josi was placed on the COVID list on Monday. This is obviously a big blow to their ability to defend against Ovechkin and company. The Predators also have struggled on the penalty kill, as their PK unit ranks as the second-worst of teams on the slate tonight.

Washington isn't expected to struggle much even against a good defensive team like Nashville, as their implied team total is currently 3.27 goals. John Carlson ($6,400) is a key part of the Capitals' power play, so he is definitely part of the stack should you want more Washington pieces.

Seattle Kraken

If you want to fit in those expensive stacks or want to play an individual piece with a high salary like Connor McDavid, you'll need some value. We can look to the Seattle Kraken for value, who are set up nicely on Wednesday night.

The Kraken have disappointed some people who thought they could contend for a playoff spot, as they are dead last in the Pacific Division. Three players who can't be counted as disappointments are now united on the top line. Jordan Eberle ($5,600) and Jared McCann ($5,400) are tied for the team lead with 12 goals each. Jaden Schwartz ($4,900) is second behind Eberle in points. These three will all play on the power play together, as well.

Seattle will face the Philadelphia Flyers at home in this game. The Flyers continue to struggle defensively this season, allowing the most expected goals and most high-danger chances per 60 minutes. The news gets even worse for Philly, as Sean Couturier and Ryan Ellis are currently on the COVID list, and they are two of their most important players defensively.

Hopefully, the stink from how the Kraken have played this season will not make them popular tonight. Their implied team total is currently the second-highest on the slate, so it could see their roster rate spike a bit. Either way, they offer good value in a good matchup, putting them squarely in play as a stack on this 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.