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.
With six games starting at 8:00 Eastern, we've got a nice slate on Monday. Let's take a look at some of the best stacks.
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames look to ride high going into the playoffs, and they certainly did that in their last game. They scored nine goals in a demolition job of the Arizona Coyotes. While the matchup isn't quite as easy tonight, it isn't exactly a difficult one.
The Flames have messed around with their first line, but they ultimately end up going back to it. Johnny Gaudreau ($9,300) continues his pursuit of the scoring title and is now at 105 points this season. Matthew Tkachuk ($8,400) could also hit 100 points, currently sitting at 96. Elias Lindholm ($8,000) shouldn't be forgotten, as he is tied with Tkachuk for the team lead in goals with 39.
This line has been arguably the best in the NHL, producing a combined 70 goals when playing together at five-on-five, which is 22 more than the second-best line.
If you want a value stack, you could go with the second line as an alternative. Andrew Mangiapane ($5,700) has 32 goals this season and is now on the top power play. He's playing with Mikael Backlund ($4,700) and Tyler Toffoli ($5,500) at even strength, who correlate on the second power play. This is a solid line to pair with an expensive line from another team.
The Flames will take on the Chicago Blackhawks tonight. Chicago has gone 1-7-2 in their last 10 games and has allowed nearly four goals per 60 minutes since the trade deadline. They really have no chance of slowing down Calgary's dominant top line.
Calgary has an implied team total over four goals tonight, and as we've seen in the past, they can explode for a lot more than that.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are now actually in a battle for the Metropolitan Division, as the New York Rangers are even with them in points as things stand. Luckily for Carolina, they get a game against the stone worst team in the league.
The Hurricanes players don't come with astronomical salaries tonight. Sebastian Aho ($7,800) carries the highest, but it's not too bad for a 35-goal scorer. His linemate, Andrei Svechnikov ($7,400) is also a fairly good value for his role on the top line and top power play. Seth Jarvis ($4,400) gives this line a true value piece, and he can definitely contribute on offense at even strength.
The second line also provides salary relief. It includes Vincent Trocheck ($5,100) and Teuvo Teravainen ($6,200), who are together on the first power play. These two or the first line make for a good pairing with Tony DeAngelo ($6,000), who has 48 points in 58 games as a power play quarterback.
Carolina will face the Arizona Coyotes on the road tonight. If you look at most metrics, the Coyotes look like the worst team in the NHL. They have now lost six games in a row and have allowed a mind-boggling 5.26 goals per 60 minutes in their last 10 games.
The Hurricanes have let people down in spots against bad teams of late, but it's hard to imagine them failing in this spot. They have an implied team total of 3.87 goals tonight, and you could see them easily exceeding that total.
Vegas Golden Knights
No one expected the Vegas Golden Knights to have to fight for their playoff lives. In fact, this is the first time in franchise history that they didn't sail into the playoffs easily. If they want to make it again, they need to win easy matchups like they have tonight.
With so many injuries and players in and out of the lineup, lines have not been set for most of the season for Vegas. However, they do have an intriguing top line now with some players back in the lineup.
Jack Eichel ($7,700) has arguably been Vegas' best player since joining the lineup, with 12 goals and 21 points in 28 games. He is now playing with leading scorer Jonathan Marchessault ($6,800) at even strength. Making his return last week was Mark Stone ($5,400), whose salary is way too low for a player of his ability.
You could also play Max Pacioretty ($8,100) and Chandler Stephenson ($5,300) as part of the second line. They are on the top power play together, and Pacioretty is arguably the best goal scorer on the team when healthy. Evgeni Dadonov ($5,100) has been good since his trade failed to go through, and he is on this line, as well.
The Golden Knights will play the New Jersey Devils at home tonight. The Devils have been one of the leakiest teams in the league. They allow the fifth-most goals per game, thanks in part to the worst team save percentage in the league.
Vegas' implied team total is 4.11, which is the highest on the slate tonight. There is no questioning their motivation like you could with other teams. They have the perfect matchup to break the slate tonight.
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.