3 Daily Fantasy NHL Stacks for Wednesday 5/4/22
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 -- 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.
We've seen one game of each of these series, so let's see how we can react to those opening games and take advantage of what we know so far.
Edmonton Oilers
It was not the start to the series the Edmonton Oilers wanted. They lost 4-3 on Monday to the Los Angeles Kings and have now lost seven straight playoff games. They should be able to turn things around in tonight's game.
It wasn't all bad for the Oilers in Game 1. Connor McDavid ($10,100) was still able to do his thing, getting a goal and an assist. His five-on-five linemates weren't able to get much going, but Evander Kane ($7,000) did have five shots on goal. Jesse Puljujarvi ($4,500) didn't have the best game but will be right back on the first line. The narrative is that this line was shut down by Phillip Danault, and while it is true to some extent, this line was able to generate some chances.
The Oilers' power play was not in question as it scored twice in four opportunities. Leon Draisaitl ($10,000) had one of the power-play goals. As long as the refs keep calling penalties at a rate that's at least close to the regular season, the power-play stack will be useful. Zach Hyman ($5,800) is a key part of this stack, as he plays with Draisaitl at even strength and on the power play. Tyson Barrie ($5,000) can also be used as a part of this stack on defense.
The oddsmakers did not waver after the Oilers lost Game 1. They are still the biggest favorites on the slate and have the highest implied team total. We shouldn't be afraid to play them on this slate.
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues got off to a great start in their series. They won 4-0 and seem to have the answers for the Minnesota Wild, having won all four meetings this season. They have two lines that are good options to stack tonight.
The Blues' second line is the one that was great in Game 1. David Perron ($6,300) scored a hat trick, with two goals coming on the power play. Ryan O'Reilly ($5,900) had a goal and an assist, and he has five goals in his last three games. He was the Conn Smythe winner in 2019, so he is certainly capable of stepping up in the playoffs. Brandon Saad ($4,900) had an assist and four shots on goal and will play on the power play with these linemates. This stack is a great value with three pretty good offensive players who fully correlate on the power play.
The line that carried the Blues down the stretch of the regular season didn't really get going, but they can definitely do it tonight. Each of Robert Thomas ($5,800), Pavel Buchnevich ($6,500) and Vladimir Tarasenko ($7,800) averaged more than a point per game over their last 10 regular-season games. Buchnevich and Tarasenko each scored more than 30 goals this season. This is another fully-correlated line for the Blues, and they perhaps have a higher ceiling than the O'Reilly line.
St. Louis isn't thought of as an offensive juggernaut, but they finished third in goals this season. They don't have any one player with massive goal or point totals, but they have lots of depth and good players who we can use on either of these top two lines.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs had a fantastic performance on Monday. They beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-0, and some of the players who had playoff struggles in the last few seasons played really well.
The NHL's leader in goals in the regular season carried it over to the playoffs, as Auston Matthews ($10,300) scored twice. His partner-in-crime Mitchell Marner ($9,300) ended a long playoff goal drought and also chipped in with two assists. Michael Bunting ($5,100) is set to return to the lineup -- and top line -- after being injured toward the end of the regular season. When this line was together, it was one of the best in hockey.
With John Tavares ($7,400) and William Nylander ($7,600) not playing together any longer, it's tough to justify stacking any other line on the Leafs. You can throw in one of those guys to get an extra man on the power play, which could make your stack unique. You can also add Morgan Rielly ($6,400) as the defenseman who will play with the power play that finished as the best unit in the league.
The Maple Leafs' top line has been one of the best to stack in the league this season, and they've proven they can thrive against Tampa. They are extremely dangerous and capable of breaking a 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.
