3 Daily Fantasy Hockey Stacks for 2/21/20

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.

Carolina Hurricanes

A high implied team total and strong home favorites make a clear spot to stack in NHL DFS.

That team tonight is the Carolina Hurricanes, who are holding a 3.30 implied team total and sit as -165 home favorites against the New York Rangers. The Hurricanes have been a team to trust on most slates this season, since they take a ton of shot attempts every game -- fifth-highest in the league -- and are sitting with the second-highest Expected Goals For. They create plenty of opportunities, play at a faster pace, and bring a good combination of floor and ceiling -- in terms of FanDuel points.

Recently, the Hurricanes finally put their best players together on the first forward line, giving us full correlation -- as they are all on the first power-play together. This is what I've wanted to see all season, as this three-man stack has evolved into one of the best stacks in NHL DFS.

This is like when Goku Goes Super Saiyan, they aren't messing around anymore. Sebastian Aho ($8,100), Andrei Svechnikov ($6,700), and Teuvo Teravainen ($7,100) is this three-man stack, who come in with 14 points and a very strong 42 shots in their last five games. They are solid in any format tonight and get as much exposure as you can afford.

Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche aren't at home, but have a high implied goal total and should be stacked tonight.

A 3.28 implied goal total is where we see the Avs tonight, and they are on the road to take on the Anaheim Ducks -- who are anything but mighty this season. Anaheim sits near the bottom of the league when it comes to goals allowed and goals per game, along with all of the advanced stats we like to look at -- Corsi Against, Expected Goals Against, and the number of High-Danger-Scoring-Chances allowed per 60 minutes. With all that said, the Avalanche are primed for a bit of a Duck Hunt tonight.

Even with top-line forward Mikko Rantanen out, the Avs have plenty of options for stacking, and that should start with Nathan MacKinnon ($8,900), who has eight points and 25 shots in his last five games -- showing why he is the best fantasy option on this slate. Alongside him, we have Gabriel Landeskog ($6,600) and now Andre Burakovsky ($5,700), who have nine points and 18 shots in their last five games. All three players are on the first power-play -- which makes a great stack tonight -- along with defender and future Calder Trophy winner, Cale Makar ($5,800).

New York Islanders

I guess we have to trust the New York Islanders tonight?

There's no easy way to put this, but the Islanders' offense has looked like a complete dumpster fire as of late. Truly, a gross stretch on their recent four-game road trip -- scoring just two goals in that time. They were shutout in back-to-back games and look lost whenever they get into the offensive zone. Imagine a high school kid at the prom trying to make a move -- he has no idea what he is doing and ends up looking stupid. That is what we have seen from the Islanders in their last four games, but that can all change tonight.

They are back at home to face the Detroit Red Wings, who are having a historically bad season and have a goal differential sitting at -105, which is SIXTY WORSE than the next team -- the Ottawa Senators at -45 this year. Detroit should be relegated at this point and have no business playing in the NHL. Even with how terrible the Islanders have been lately, this is a truly great matchup to attack -- hence their slate-high 3.38 implied goal total and -290 home favorites.

Mathew Barzal ($6,300), Anders Lee ($5,800), and Jordan Eberle ($5,300) are on the first forward line and first power-play together, getting that always important ice-time correlation. They have no recent stats to note in this scoring drought, but they aren't expensive and the Red Wings are garbage.