The Shot Dude: Stackability
Ever say a word out loud and wonder if it's actually part of our language?
Not sure if this is commonplace, but your favorite Shot Dude does it often, and came close just now.
I think tonight's NHL schedule has great stackability potential. Whether or not that's a real word -- and it is -- I was going to go with it.
As usual, I have a band of blistering stick handlers plus will sprinkle in a teammate to stack these forwards with to maximize your lineup's scoring potential.
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Forwards
Zach Parise, Minnesota ($9200) ... is heating up again, and I want to be aboard his scoring train. With 5 goals in his last 4 contests --and 16 on the year -- Parise has led the Wild to 52 points in the tough Central Division standings. Never afraid to shoot, dude's now has taken 119 shots in 33 games. Stack him with newly appointed linemate Justin Zucker, who's second to Parise with 108 shots, and watch those shots rain down on visiting Buffalo, a team that's given up a healthy average of 2.79 goals per away game and owns the NHL's worst road penalty kill at a meager 71.9%.
Kyle Okposo, New York Islanders ($5700) ... has tallied 31 points in 40 games, including 10 goals on 94 shots. I prefer stacking him with Frans Nielsen, whose 108 shots have resulted in 14 goals. These two form a formidable second scoring line pairing that rarely goes a game without registering at least a point. The Isles skate home ice against the NHL's most generous defense: Columbus, a team that's surrendered an astounding 138 goals in 43 games. No wonder they traded for Seth Jones.
Tobias Rieder, Arizona ($5200) ... has been keeping the desert hot with 8 points in his last 6 contests. The much-improved Coyotes have benefited from Rieder's 26 total points, including 10 goals on 118 shots this season. 'Zona has climbed up into second place, just nine points behind Los Angeles in the Pacific Division. I'll be stacking Rieder with linemate Martin Hanzal (22 points in 28 games) and d-man Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The 'Yotes' home ice matchup looks juicy against Edmonton, a team that's surrendered 67 goals in just 21 road games.
Defensemen
Kris Letang, Pittsburgh ($6100) ... must be the league's hottest blueliner, with 11 points in his last 7 contests. Not only does Letang stay on the ice over 26 minutes per game, but his 25 points in 32 games makes him one of the NHL's most steady scoring d-men. Dude's a matchup nightmare on the power play, where 14 of his points have come. Pittsburgh has the talent to explode offensively on any given night, and Carolina seems ripe for the picking. The Hurricanes have let in 117 goals in 43 games this season and are below average with their 79.8% penalty kill.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona ($5100) ... like Letang, has been quite effective on the power play. Of the 28 points he's registered, 12 have resulted from the man advantage. Overall, dude's lit the lamp 11 times -- 5 game winners -- on 118 shots in 41 games. His 34 penalty minutes have been a boost for his fantasy production on FanDuel, where Ekman-Larsson hasn't displayed a negative score in his last 10. If you do play just one Coyote tonight, make it Ekman-Larsson, whose last four fantasy scores on home ice have been 4.5 or higher.
Goaltender
Brian Elliott, St. Louis ($7300) ... played an inspired game against Los Angeles last time out, only giving up one goal on 27 shots, and he'll be the Blues No 1 netminder for the foreseeable future with Jake Allen injured. That was Elliot's sixth win of the year to go along with a tidy .919 save percentage. The Blues, always tough at home at the Scottrade Center, square off against the goal-starved New Jersey Devils tonight. I love Elliot's chances to win, due to the Devils having scored the third-fewest goals in the league this year, with 95 in 43 games.
Your favorite Shot Dude hopes you cash in on the stackability of these players by stacking some fantasy winnings.
Don't just sit there, get out and give it your best shot!
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