3 Daily Fantasy NHL Stacks for Thursday 3/31/22
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.
There are a bunch of teams in good spots tonight, so let's try to identify the three best to use.
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins have been playing good hockey in the second half of the season. They have gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Their new lines have been very effective, and they'll look to continue that in a good matchup on Thursday.
This is the longest the Bruins have separated the "Perfection Line" since it was first formed. They also haven't had as much success with breaking that line up as they are having now.
Patrice Bergeron ($7,000) is back in the lineup and has an assist in each of his two games since returning. He also has 44 shots on goal in his last 10 games. Brad Marchand ($8,800) leads the team with 1.2 points per game this season. Jake DeBrusk ($5,200) has contributed since being placed on this line and has goals in the last two games.
The breakup of the top line means a star player slid down to the second line. That star would be David Pastrnak ($8,500), who is the team leader with 38 goals this season. He's still on the top power play along with Taylor Hall ($5,700), who remains a great value for his role and production this season. Erik Haula ($4,100) is also an affordable piece of this stack, making it a dangerous one while still having a low total salary.
Boston will face the New Jersey Devils tonight. New Jersey has been playing up-tempo games all season long, making for great fantasy environments. They also allow the fourth-most goals per game, meaning the Bruins are in a great spot to rack up some goals against them tonight.
The Bruins have an implied team total of 3.88 goals, so they are expected to perform very well in this spot.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes look set to win the Metropolitan Division, as they currently sit in first place. Tonight, they'll have an excellent chance to keep building on their division lead.
The Hurricanes' top line is led by the same Finnish duo that has been dynamic for the last few seasons. Sebastian Aho ($8,000) and Teuvo Teravainen ($6,800) combine on this line and on the first power play, and they are two of the team's top three scorers. They are joined by Seth Jarvis ($4,200), who is having a nice rookie season for himself with 13 goals and comes at a very affordable salary.
Overall, this trio is pretty easy to roster for a first line with immense upside.
The second line can also be considered, as it has two members of the first power play on it. Andrei Svechnikov ($7,200) is second on the team in goals and points. Vincent Trocheck ($5,600) is fourth in both categories. Newcomer Max Domi ($4,400) has been moved to this line and has demonstrated offensive ability in the past, even if he hasn't been at his best this season. This line is a good secondary stack to fit in with another high-end stack.
Carolina will play the Montreal Canadiens at home tonight. Montreal just allowed seven goals in their last game and is the second-worst team in goals against this season. They also continue to be without Jeff Petry, and after they made some moves at the trade deadline, their defense is very thin.
Carolina's implied team total is huge, sitting at 4.21 goals currently. Tony DeAngelo ($6,000) is certainly in consideration, as the defenseman is third on the team with 0.88 points per game and will man the top power play.
Toronto Maple Leafs
There's never a dull moment with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tuesday saw that as they won a wild 6-4 game that also saw their goaltender have to leave the game due to injury. If we can get another chaotic game tonight, it could be beneficial for our fantasy purposes.
The Leafs' top line has been one of the best in the NHL since it's been together. Auston Matthews ($10,300) has goals in his last three games and could hit the 50-goal mark tonight. Mitchell Marner ($9,400) has a stunning 11 points in his last 5 games and 55 points in 33 games in 2022. These guys have played so well together that they've elevated Michael Bunting ($5,300) into the Calder Trophy discussion, as the rookie has cleared both the 20-goal and 50-point plateaus.
Toronto will face the Winnipeg Jets tonight. Winnipeg is coming off a back-to-back game that went to overtime. They allow the third-most high-danger chances per 60 minutes and also have the seventh-worst penalty kill in the league. They also will be without Nate Schmidt on defense, which hurts a blueline that was already thin.
The Leafs showed they can score on anyone when they put six past Boston on Tuesday, so this matchup at home should see them dominate. This line is certainly one of the best ways to allocate your salary on tonight's slate.
Others to Consider: Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, New York Islanders, Dallas Stars
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.
