Fantasy_Matching

NHL.com identifies the 15 most intriguing stacks for fantasy hockey drafts in 2018-19. From line combinations with past chemistry to forward-defenseman duos to new formations based on offseason movement, this list highlights creative, boom-or-bust ideas that could help you win your fantasy championship.
Stacking teammates comes with risk but also reward if enough common points are scored in a given season. Reaching for one player in a potential stack does not guarantee you'll obtain the other player, especially in earlier rounds. Keep team schedule trends in mind before loading up on any single team. For more fantasy coverage, visit NHL.com/Fantasy.

MORE FANTASY COVERAGE:
Top 250
|
Bold predictions
|
Keepers
|
Cheat sheet
NOTES: These are feasible combinations based on Yahoo average draft position, but many hinge on order of selection (pick 1-12) and also whether you're in a snake draft. Any injury concerns and teams with multiple high-end stacking options are noted. Projected rounds are for standard 12-team, non-keeper leagues. These stack rankings take into account lineup stability, past and/or potential fluctuation, team security or concerns, even-strength and power-play usage and how much each team relies on its top combination.
-- Boston Bruins: If you get a pick in the 8-12 range of a snake draft, it's feasible to take elite left wing Brad Marchand or right wing David Pastrnak and then the other on the wraparound. Two rounds later, you can go all-in on the Bruins' top line with center Patrice Bergeron, who's slipping in drafts after an injury-plagued season and dealing with a groin injury and back spasms this preseason. Pastrnak (35 goals in 82 games), Marchand (34 in 68) and Bergeron (30 in 64) each eclipsed 30 goals last season, even with two missing significant time.
-- Toronto Maple Leafs: Having a pick in the 8-12 range also allows for the possibility of a Maple Leafs center stack. Taking center Auston Matthews or John Tavares in the first round and then stacking either with right wing Mitch Marner (Round 3) or William Nylander (Round 8/9) can potentially win you a league championship. Toronto finished second in power-play percentage (25.0) last season and has an even higher ceiling with Tavares.
-- Dallas Stars: Having a mid-range pick (4-9) in the opening round could allow you to obtain dual-eligible forward Jamie Benn and center Tyler Seguin in the second. Because of the abundance of centers in drafts, Seguin and/or Benn can realistically fall outside of the first round, forming one of the most lethal stacks possible, especially if you complete the trifecta with defenseman John Klingberg.
-- Washington Capitals: Grabbing Ovechkin with a top three pick will assure you'll have the NHL's best goal-scorer and category coverage asset (points, shots on goal, power-play points hits). Ovechkin can easily be stacked with center Evgeny Kuznetsov, who's available in the second or third round. Fantasy owners should not forget Kuznetsov (32 points in 24 games) and Ovechkin (27 points) led the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs in scoring and could keep the ball rolling under new coach Todd Reirden. And Nicklas Backstrom still plays with Ovechkin on the first power play, presenting an underrated combination with Backstrom attainable outside the top 50.
-- San Jose Sharks: Defensemen Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns form an unconventional yet intriguing stack after the former was acquired from the Ottawa Senators on Sept. 13. By taking two defenseman to kick off a draft, fantasy owners run the risk of having teammates who could cut into each other's minutes at even strength. That said, this could be the most explosive power-play defenseman duo and first teammates at the position with 70 points each in decades.

How will new teams affect Karlsson and Tavares?

TOP 15 STACKING OPTIONS FOR 2018-19
1. BOS: Pastrnak and/or Marchand (Round 1/2) with Bergeron (Rd. 4/5)
Injury note: Bergeron (back spasms)
2. TOR: Tavares or Matthews (Rd. 1/2) with Marner (Rd. 3) or Nylander (Rd. 8/9)
Contract note: Nylander (RFA)
3. DAL: Benn (Rd. 1/2) with Seguin (Rd. 1/2) and/or Klingberg (Rd. 5/6)
4. WSH: Ovechkin (Rd. 1) with Kuznetsov (Rd. 2 or 3) or Backstrom (5/6)
5. SJS: Karlsson (Rd. 1) with Burns (Rd. 2) or Pavelski (Rd. 4/5)
6. WPG: Laine (Rd. 1) or Wheeler (Rd. 2) with Scheifele or Byfuglien (Rd. 3)
7. PIT: Crosby (Rd. 1) with Guentzel (Rd. 9/10); Malkin (Rd. 1) with Kessel (Rd. 3)
8. TBL: Kucherov (Rd. 1) with Stamkos (Rd. 2) and/or Hedman (Rd. 2/3)
Injury note: Kucherov (lower body)
9. CGY: Gaudreau (Rd. 3) with Monahan (Rd. 7/8)
10. COL: MacKinnon (Rd. 1/2) with Rantanen (Rd. 5/6), Landeskog (8/9) and/or Barrie (8/9)
11. BUF: Eichel (Rd. 3/4) with Dahlin (Rd. 8/9) or Ristolainen (Rd. 9/10)
12. EDM: McDavid (Rd. 1) with Nugent-Hopkins (Rd. 11/12) and/or Rattie (Rd. 15/16)
13. NJD: Hall (Rd. 2) with Hischier (Rd. 11/12)
14. ANA: Rakell (Rd. 6/7) with Getzlaf (Rd. 6/7) and Kase (Rd 15/16)
15. CAR: Aho (Rd. 6/7) with Hamilton (7/8) and/or Teravainen (Rd. 9/10)
Honorable mentions: NSH: Forsberg with Johansen or Fiala; LAK: Kopitar or Doughty with Kovalchuk; PHI: Giroux with Gostisbehere or Couturier; FLA: Barkov with Dadonov or Bjugstad; Trocheck with Hoffman; VAN: Boeser with Pettersson or Horvat; VGK: Pacioretty with W. Karlsson or Stastny