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 10 games on Tuesday's slate, that means lots of teams we can potentially stack tonight. Let's try to find the three best.
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers made significant additions at the trade deadline that improved their forward group. They already were a fun team to stack, and that's gotten even better lately.
The Rangers have Mika Zibanejad ($8,300) centering the top line, and he leads the team in goals with 37. He's playing with one of the best passers in the game, Artemi Panarin ($7,200), at both even strength and on the top power play. This line has one of the newcomers acquired in a trade, as Vladimir Tarasenko ($5,800) will play on the right side of this trio.
The second line also has three players you'll want to consider. It's headlined by Patrick Kane ($6,800), who's playing with Vincent Trocheck ($6,100) and Chris Kreider ($6,200). Kreider and Kane will play together on the first power-play unit, as well, and this total line's combined salary is relatively affordable.
The Rangers will play against the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight. Columbus is on track to be the second-worst defensive team we've seen since 2005, with only this year's Anaheim Ducks being worse. Columbus also needs a loss if they want to have the worst record in the league again to get the best odds to land the first overall pick in the draft.
New York has the highest implied team total on tonight's slate, and either of these lines could go off.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins clinched a big win on Saturday that looks like it will help them continue their playoff streak. They need to keep playing well to make sure of that, and tonight provides a perfect opportunity for that.
The Penguins have kept the duo of Sidney Crosby ($8,200) and Jake Guentzel ($7,300) together for the season. They are the two leading goal scorers on the team and play together on the power play, as well. They're back to playing with Bryan Rust ($5,000) at even strength, who's a great value at this salary.
Pittsburgh will play the Detroit Red Wings on the road. The Wings have lost seven of their last 10 games and have allowed four goals or more in three of their last five. They sold players before the trade deadline, and it has made their team significantly worse.
The Penguins have the second-highest implied team total tonight and will definitely need this win against an inferior opponent to increase their chances of making the playoffs.
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars have a lot to play for in the remaining games of the regular season. They can potentially win the Central Division, which would lead to an easier round one matchup. If they want to do that, they'll have to capitalize on a matchup like they have tonight.
We know the deal with Dallas when it comes to stacking. They have the most productive top line in hockey at even strength. Jason Robertson ($9,300) needs nine points in the last nine games to get to 100 for the season. Roope Hintz ($7,500) is second on the team with 33 goals and is on pace for a career-high in points. Joe Pavelski ($6,900) has not slowed down all season despite his advanced age, and he's fourth on the team with 67 points. These guys will all link up on the first power play, too.
Dallas will play a divisional game against the Chicago Blackhawks. Chicago has lost five games in a row as they plummet toward the bottom of the league. In those five games, they've allowed 22 goals, and three of the five were against non-playoff teams.
The Stars shouldn't have any problems scoring tonight, and this heavily-correlated top line could combine on all of their goals tonight. That could easily make them a tournament-winning stack on this slate.
Others to Consider: Winnipeg Jets, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks
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.