NHL

3 Daily Fantasy Hockey Stacks for 10/30/19

Can Nathan MacKinnon carry the Avalanche top line after it was hit with a few injuries? What other stacks should we look at on this six-game slate?

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.

Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche have been hit with a number of injuries, but now we have some value options in their lineup.

Both Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog have gone out for the Avalanche, who were both on the top line and the first power-play unit. They are both All-Stars, they can both post multiple points on a nightly basis, and now they are both out. This changes things somewhat drastically for the Avalanche, who now have Nathan MacKinnon ($8,700), Nazem Kadri ($5,200), and Joonas Donskoi ($4,000) on the top line and the top power-play unit. It's no doubt a downgrade for the line overall but isn't nearly as expensive, and they come in with a 3.42 implied goal total tonight.

A six-game slate should have ownership decently spread out, and specifically, this stack should be lower owned. But why? Well, MacKinnon and Kadri are both listed as 'centers' which means you will be taking up both center spots for the same stack. Most people don't do this, so this combination of players should be lower-owned. You can also add in rookie defender Cale Makar ($4,900), who is on the first power-play and now has an opportunity to step up and produce more on his way towards a Calder Trophy this season.

Montreal Canadiens

A lower 2.86 implied goal total is what the Montreal Canadiens have tonight, but I like them to hit the over.

This season, the Canadiens come in with the third-highest Corsi For (Shot Attempts) this season, the fifth-highest xGoals For (Expected Goals For), and the fifth-highest High-Danger-Scoring-Chances For per 60 minutes. They generate plenty of offense, have valuable scoring-chances, and aren't too expensive. They seemingly check all the boxes tonight but have a lower implied goal total due to their matchup. They are up against the Arizona Coyotes, who are a good defensive team, but I'm not sure we will be seeing that tonight. Both teams come in 12th or higher when it comes to Corsi For, meaning we could be in for a sneaky fast-paced game with shots going back and forth.

Jonathan Drouin ($5,500), Max Domi ($6,300), and Joel Armia ($4,700) are on the second forward line, with the latter two on the second power-play together. Drouin is up on the first power-play unit, so we lose a bit of ice-time correlation, but you now have exposure to both units. As a lower-priced stack -- who are certainly in a good spot tonight -- they could be paired with another higher-priced option. If you are playing one lineup tonight, this stack might not make the cut, but you should be looking towards them as you expand your lineups and player pool.

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets are at home and against the Edmonton Oilers, who are on the second night of a back-to-back.

The Oilers should almost certainly have Mike Smith in net tonight, which is a good thing for the Blue Jackets. Smith has allowed three goals in two straight games, and this is nothing new for him -- he hasn't been consistent over the past few NHL seasons. Smith is a good goalie to stack against, which should be obvious with the Blue Jackets' 3.32 implied goal total tonight.

I don't think the Blue Jackets are some amazing offensive team -- I truly don't expect much from them this season -- but this is a spot where they can shine. Cam Atkinson ($7.400) is the best player on the team, and it's not even remotely close, so starting a stack with him is a must, you shouldn't look anywhere else on this team. He is on the first forward power-play with Pierre-Luc Dubois ($5,500), Alexander Wennberg ($4,100), and Zach Werenski ($5,300). As you can see, Atkinson is the most expensive option by a good margin, but overall, this stack is easy to fit into lineups.