NHL

4 Daily Fantasy Hockey Stacks for 2/19/20

When playing NHL DFS -- much like MLB DFS -- stacking is key. Having multiple players from the same team, who correlate together, can give your lineup upside and help you maximize potential points.

You can roster up to four players from the same team in NHL, and you should look to have players from the same forward line or power-play unit together. Shared ice time is the key, as it will maximize their ability to contribute to real-life goals with each other, ultimately leading to more fantasy points for us.

Generally, we don't see late scratches in the NHL, and the team's lines are confirmed at practice or before the game. Two of the best resources for that are LeftWingLock.com or DailyFaceOff.com. That is where you can find updated forward and power-play lines for each team.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks come in with a strong 3.42 implied goal total tonight and should be one of the most popular teams on the slate.

That 3.42 total is the highest on the slate, and with this game against the New York Rangers having an over/under of 6.5, we are in for some scoring tonight. Both teams sit among the worst in the league when it comes to Corsi Against (Shot Attempts Allowed), Expected Goals Against, and the number of High-Danger-Scoring-Chances allowed per 60 minutes.

The forward lines for the Blackhawks aren't fully correlated with the power-play, so you either have to pay up for the four skaters on the power-play -- spread over the first two forward lines -- or simply stack one of the lines. Either option can work tonight, and stacking the second forward line could be a strong option. You get two skaters on the first power-play -- Patrick Kane ($8,100) and Brandon Saad ($5,200) -- along with some savings with Ryan Carpenter ($3,400).

If you have the salary, spending for Jonathan Toews ($6,800) and Dominik Kubalik ($5,000) make for great additions to the power-play stack.

Boston Bruins

Another day, another chance for the Boston Bruins to keep cruising along and scoring goals.

The Bruins come into this game with the most points in the league and the sixth-most goals, where they've been all season. There is no doubt they are on track for another deep playoff run this season, but what about their matchup tonight? They are on the road to take on the Edmonton Oilers, where we see the Bruins carrying a 3.40 implied goal total. If you know anything about the Bruins and stacking in DFS, you go right to their top line and that's it.

The top line for the Bruins is very good -- like, very, very good -- and are the second-rated top line in the league. David Pastrnak ($8,900), Brad Marchand ($7,800), and Patrice Bergeron ($7,700) are one of the most expensive stacks on any single slate -- tonight is no different -- but can certainly pay it off quickly, as they have 19 points and 46 shots in their last five games.

Anaheim Ducks

Let me say this -- the Anaheim Ducks are a bad team but good for DFS tonight.

The Ducks are factually a bad NHL team -- there is no other way to put it. They have the fifth-fewest points and have scored the third-fewest goals this season. However, they have very affordable prices tonight -- making a good secondary stack -- and their matchup is strong versus the Florida Panthers. In the 10 games since the All-Star Break for the Panthers, they have allowed 3.8 goals per game and have the ninth-worst Expected Goals Against. A small sample size, but it generally shows what kind of team the Panthers have been all season -- winning through their offense, not their defense.

If their defense is that bad right now, we can attack them with the Ducks, who make roster construction easier tonight. Sam Steel ($3,600), Jakob Silfverberg ($5,600), and Devin Shore ($3,600) have eight points in their last five games -- along with being super cheap. They are a classic 'secondary' stack. If you pay up for the Blackhawks or the Bruins, you need some savings, and the Ducks bring that tonight.

New York Rangers

The Rangers are on the other side of the Blackhawks tonight and also worth stacking.

Since the All-Star Break, the Rangers' offense has been buzzing, scoring three goals or more in seven of their last 10 games. Also, since January 1st, their power-play success rate is 37% -- the best in the league during that time. They hold a 3.08 implied team total on the road and should be stacked tonight. As noted above with the Blackhawks, both teams are very weak on defense and both teams can score -- why not stack both? Either team is a viable option tonight, along with doing a game stack for tournaments.

If the power-play is this good right now, you want to spend up for Chris Kreider ($6,700), Artemi Panarin ($8,000), Mika Zibanejad ($8,200), and Ryan Strome ($5,300), who have 21 points and 56 shots in their last five games.