3 Daily Fantasy NHL Stacks for Wednesday 2/23/22
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.
It's the last day of elevated prize pools for NHL contests, so let's see which stacks can help us take down a big prize.
Tampa Bay Lightning
After a week off, the Tampa Bay Lightning are back home and ready to play. They are fully healthy, which makes them one of the most dangerous teams in the league. Tonight, they should be in a game environment that will see a lot of goals.
The Lightning's top-six forward group has the benefit of playing with each other for a long time and winning together. The chemistry of the first line is evident, especially between Nikita Kucherov ($9,700) and Brayden Point ($8,200). Kucherov has only played in 14 games this season and has 20 points. Point has 34 points in 35 games and has been much better with Kucherov in the lineup. Ondrej Palat ($5,800) chips in enough to make him a viable third piece to this stack.
The second line contains two options from the top power play. Steven Stamkos ($8,600) leads the team with 23 goals and has scored three times in his last two games. The other member of the line who is on the first man-advantage is Alex Killorn ($6,100), who's quietly third on the team in points and goals. You can also play Victor Hedman ($7,000) with this line as he is second on the team in scoring and third in the NHL for points by a defenseman.
Tampa will face the Edmonton Oilers in a matchup with a lot of star power on both sides. Edmonton was on a bit of a roll under their new coach -- until they allowed seven goals on Sunday. Mike Smith will likely be in net, and he has been brutal this season. He's allowed 6.83 goals above expected in just 12 games this season.
The Lightning's implied team total is up to 3.72 goals tonight. Either the first or second-line stack definitely can be utilized in tournaments tonight.
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings have been a rebuilding team for the past few seasons, but are definitely in a battle for the playoffs this season. They have some impressive forward depth and get a perfect matchup to show it off tonight.
The Kings have been led down the middle by Anze Kopitar ($6,800) since 2006, and it continues to this day. He leads the team with 47 points this season. He's elevated the play of Adrian Kempe ($5,500). The Swede has scored 23 goals this season, including two in each of his last two games. Alex Iafallo ($5,900) plays on this line -- and also on the first power play -- with these guys. Drew Doughty ($6,900) has been great when healthy this season, with seven points in his last five games and 29 in 31 overall.
The Kings get a nice matchup against the Arizona Coyotes tonight. These teams just played on Saturday, and this stack was great. Kopitar had three assists and Doughty and Kempe each had two goals. Arizona is third in goals allowed per game and still sits at the bottom of the Western Conference.
This Kings' line is a relatively good value and should allow another line stack to fit in your lineup. That makes them an enticing stacking option on tonight's slate.
Montreal Canadiens
There were multiple people stating how the Montreal Canadiens could be one of the worst teams of all time if they kept up their pace. A coaching change to a man who had never coached professionally has turned the tide. They have won three games in a row and look to continue their hot streak in a good matchup.
The Canadiens beat the rival Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday 5-2 in a game that sent shockwaves throughout the NHL. They no longer look like the worst team in the league, and the first line has a lot to do with that. Josh Anderson ($4,500) scored two goals and added an assist. Cole Caufield ($4,700) now has five goals in six games under new coach Martin St. Louis. Nick Suzuki ($5,500) leads the team with 30 points and will link up with these two wingers on the power play.
Montreal gets a matchup against the Buffalo Sabres, and it's a good one for their top line. Buffalo has lost three games in a row and has allowed the sixth-most goals per game in the league. They will also be trotting out 40-year-old goaltender Craig Anderson, who has allowed five-plus goals in three of his past six games.
It would shock people even two weeks ago that Montreal would have the third-highest implied team total on a slate with 10 teams, but it's true. If their first line can keep clicking, they provide tremendous value on tonight's 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.
