NHL

4 Daily Fantasy Hockey Stacks for 12/23/19

Jack Eichel and the Sabres are primed for a big game against the Senators. Are they the top stacking option with 11 games on the 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.

Tampa Bay Lightning

With a 3.68 implied team total, the Tampa Bay Lightning have the highest implied team total on the slate.

The Lightning aren't the same record-setting team they were last season, but they still have a strong offense. With the over/under set at 6.5 in this game, we should see plenty of scoring. They are up against the Florida Panthers, who are around the league average in most defensive categories, but more importantly, they are also in the top half of the league in Corsi For. The Panthers have a solid offense -- which, in turn -- should cause the Lightning offense to keep their foot on the gas. We could very well see this game end 5-4 for either side.

I really like this matchup for a game stack, and the secondary options on Tampa Bay are stronger than the secondary options on the Panthers. So you can pay up for the Panthers' top options while taking a bit of savings with the Lightning and their second forward line. Steven Stamkos ($8,500) leads the way on that line and is the most expensive option. Anthony Cirelli ($4,700) and Alex Killorn ($5,000) are very affordable tonight and can help round out a game stack. These three players have seven points and 43 shots in their last five games.

Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres have one of the best matchups on the slate, and you want every bit of their top line tonight.

It would be a bit of a stretch to say Jack Eichel ($8,800) is the best player on this slate, but he could be the top scorer come to the end of the night. He has an 18-game point streak currently in the works and is in a great spot to extend that versus the Ottawa Senators. Eichel and the Sabres are on the road, but come in with a 3.32 implied goal total and are -120 favorites. This should tell you enough about the Senators defense -- or the lack thereof -- as they are allowing a 60.01 Corsi Against -- second-worst in the league -- and 10.94 High-Danger-Scoring-Chances per 60 minutes -- the ninth-most in the league.

Eichel is on the top line alongside Victor Olofsson ($7,200) and Sam Reinhart ($5,400), who are all on the first power-play unit together. This trio is among the most productive in the league recently, with 18 points and 43 shots over their past five games, great for any format tonight.

Chicago Blackhawks

Are the Chicago Blackhawks a good hockey team?

I have no idea the answer to that question right now. They are seemingly looking like a team ready to turn the corner and put it all together, while looking completely lost at the same exact time. It's honestly amazing, but that gives us a team who lack on defense but have the offensive power to put up some solid fantasy points. Tonight, they take on the New Jersey Devils, who are actually bad and sit with the second-fewest points in the league. With 11 games on the slate, we shouldn't see too much ownership on any single line or stack, which should make the Blackhawks strong in tournaments tonight.

The forward lines and power-play units lack full correlation, meaning they have their first power-play skaters spread over three different forward lines. This can impact upside, but you can find full ice-time correlation with another stack on this slate. Patrick Kane ($8,500) is the best player on the Blackhawks and has 10 points in his last five games. Dylan Strome ($5,000) is actually on the first power-play unit with Kane and the only spot where they have correlation. Alexander Nylander ($3,500) is very cheap and is on the second power-play.

Philadelphia Flyers

A classic rivalry gets it's first installment of the 2019 season tonight.

We are two months into the season, and this is the first time the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers will be playing. They are separated by only a few points in the standings but are going in very different directions. The Rangers have been a team to stack against all season since they are so weak on defense, and there is no reason to stop that now. As always, the Rangers find themselves among the bottom five in the league in Corsi Against, expected goals against, and the number of High-Danger-Scoring-Chances allowed per 60 minutes. The ideal spot to target for both cash games and tournaments tonight or any night.

You want to be looking right to the Flyers' top line with Claude Giroux ($7,400), Travis Konecny ($6,400), and Sean Couturier ($6,800). They have modest production recently, but they have full ice-time correlation, as they are all on the first power-play unit together.