3 Daily Fantasy NHL Stacks for Thursday 1/20/22
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.
We've got an interesting slate with nine games on the board, so let's take a look at some stacks that make sense.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been charging up the standings. They've gone 8-2 in their last 10 games and are in the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. With the team finally at full strength, they should continue to play well.
The Pens have their first line back together with all of them in the lineup. Jake Guentzel ($9,300) leads the team with 20 goals, good for the eighth-most in the league. Sidney Crosby ($7,700) has been a point-per-game player this season, with 26 points in 26 games. Bryan Rust ($6,500) was on an absolute tear before landing on the COVID list. He had eight goals before having to miss four games, and playing on this dynamic line is a big reason why he was so hot.
Pittsburgh faces the Ottawa Senators. Ottawa is coming off a loss to the lowly Buffalo Sabres and has a must tougher test tonight. The Senators have allowed 3.59 goals per game, the fifth-most in the league.
The Penguins have the rare implied team total above four goals tonight. This top line with full correlation has shown the ability to break slates in the past, and they can definitely do that in this matchup. Kris Letang ($7,200) can also be included in a Pens stack, as the defenseman has 15 points in his last 10 games.
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins sit right behind the Penguins in the standings, occupying the second wild card spot in the East. They also have an 8-2 record in their last 10 games despite a humiliating loss on Tuesday. This might not look like a great spot for the Bruins tonight, but if you dig a bit deeper, it looks better.
Boston has stuck with the same lines for a few weeks now, having the loaded top line separated for the longest time since they were first put together. Patrice Bergeron ($8,900) has been shooting a ton, with 43 shots on goal in his last 10 games. In typical Brad Marchand ($9,800) fashion, he's been making headlines with his antics and with his play. He has nine goals and 16 points in his last 10 games and was named the NHL's first star of the week last week. Craig Smith ($4,700) has historically been a player with a high shot rate, so he continues to fit this line nicely.
The second line is also intriguing, as it will save you a bit of salary and has dangerous players on it, as well. David Pastrnak ($8,800) hasn't slowed down despite not being on the top line, as he has eight goals and 45 shots on goal in the last 10 games. Taylor Hall ($6,600) has 11 points in his last 10 and is now on the top power play, so he fully correlates with Pastrnak. Erik Haula ($4,600) makes sense as a value option if you are playing these two guys.
The Bruins get a matchup against the Washington Capitals, who have been a stellar defensive team this season. However, Washington will be without John Carlson and Dmitry Orlov, who are their top two defensemen in time on ice. They are going to have to slide guys up the lineup to make up for these minutes. The Bruins already beat the Capitals 7-3 last week when they had these two defensemen in the lineup, and Boston could be in for another big game in this one.
Boston's implied team total is up to 3.39 goals, so oddsmakers clearly see this as a spot where the Bruins have an advantage.
Vegas Golden Knights
This season has been a rollercoaster for the Vegas Golden Knights. They were expected to easily win the Pacific, but they initially looked like they might be in a bit of trouble. Injuries have played a huge role in their season and will continue to do so with Jack Eichel and Max Pacioretty. We know they won't be in the lineup tonight, but there are some players who will be on the ice who are worth rostering.
Vegas' original "misfit line" continues to be together from the inaugural season to this fifth season. Jonathan Marchessault ($7,000) has been counted on for shot volume with Pacioretty out of the lineup, and he has produced 42 shots in his last 10 games. Reilly Smith ($5,600) is second on the team in points with 29 this year. William Karlsson ($4,500) hasn't produced all that well in fantasy this season, but he's still an effective player who will play a lot of minutes and appear on the top power play.
The Golden Knights get a rematch of last season's semifinals against the Montreal Canadiens. This isn't the same Canadiens team that they faced in that series -- it's a much worse version. They've allowed the most goals per game in the league. Even in their recent win on Tuesday, Montreal allowed 6.44 expected goals, the most by a team this season.
The first line for the Knights is relatively easy to get to at their salaries. Because of that, you should be able to fit in Alex Pietrangelo ($6,700), who will play on the power play with this line. He's fourth on the team in points and fifth among defensemen in the league with 106 shots on goal.
Others to Consider: Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche
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.
