I played a couple of lineups on Tuesday and, right before lock, swapped around some of my tournament exposures. Unfortunately, those changes flopped. Sometimes you’ve got to fade yourself. I like tonight’s slate, though, and I think there are a few strong spots to attack. Let’s dive in.

Slate Preview

Florida Panthers

It was close between Minnesota and Florida for my favorite chalky spot on the slate. While stacking Minnesota’s top line is rarely a bad idea, I’m leaning toward getting heavier exposure to the Panthers.

I don’t love that Florida is playing the second night of a road back-to-back, but the matchup against Pittsburgh is simply too appealing to ignore. If you’ve checked Frozen Tools and looked at our list of “hot” skaters, you’ve probably noticed a lot of Florida players near the top. That’s what’s really catching my attention tonight.

Brady Tkachuk came into last night’s game with 20 shots on goal over his previous four contests, making him one of the first players I’m looking to include in Florida stacks, even with slightly reduced ice time. From there, I’d look to get overweight on Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk, who has seen time on both Florida power-play units.

In single-entry contests, I’m not sure I’ll put all of my eggs in one basket, but in multi-entry formats, I definitely want at least one heavily stacked Florida lineup. On a slate this large, there are plenty of affordable options to pair them with, including Detroit’s second line or pieces of St. Louis’ second line.

Nashville Predators

I don’t think I’ve fully stacked a Nashville line in at least two seasons. Outside of Roman Josi on defense and the occasional Filip Forsberg one-off late last year, I’ve had very little exposure to the Predators. However, tonight may be different.

I have legitimate interest in Nashville’s top line, particularly in single-entry contests. For the first time, they’ll be skating together at all strengths. While I don’t love stacking against Jeremy Swayman on the road in Boston, this Bruins team ranks third in times shorthanded this season, creating potential opportunities for Nashville’s power play. If they can capitalize on a few opportunities tonight, this stack could fly under the radar.

My focus is squarely on Nashville’s top line: Filip Forsberg ($6,800), Steven Stamkos ($6,200), and Ryan O’Reilly ($5,200). They’re logging significant minutes, so for me it’s top line or bust. You can always complete the stack with Roman Josi ($6,400).

San Jose Sharks

My interest here has more to do with the matchup than the Sharks themselves.

San Jose draws Philadelphia and the Flyers are also playing the second half of a road back-to-back.

I like San Jose in this spot, but I’ll probably keep my exposure concentrated. A two-man stack featuring Macklin Celebrini ($8,600) and Will Smith ($6,100) stands out the most.

Celebrini trails only Connor McDavid among forwards in average ice time this season, and there are plenty of ways to build unique tournament lineups if you start with those two Sharks.

Defensemen

At the top of the pricing tier, Evan Bouchard ($8,000) is my favorite option, although that salary may be a little too rich for me tonight. Realistically, Quinn Hughes ($6,500) and Roman Josi ($6,400) are probably the highest-priced defensemen I’ll be targeting most often.

In the upper-midrange, Mikhail Sergachev ($5,600) stands out as an excellent play. He already has 11 points this season and continues to contribute across categories. Charlie McAvoy ($5,300) has looked strong since returning from suspension and is firmly in play. Seth Jones ($5,000) is another excellent option, whether you’re stacking Florida or not. Filip Hronek ($4,700) deserves consideration as well. He leads the NHL in shifts played and, even when the shots aren’t there, remains a strong candidate for the blocked-shot bonus.

For cheaper defensemen, Philip Broberg ($3,300) is one of my favorite values. He’s now quarterbacking the St. Louis power play and should continue to see strong ice time. Noah Hanifin ($3,000) is another solid salary-saving option in a favorable matchup.

Goalies

My preferred pay-up option in goal is Jake Oettinger ($8,300). He’s been outstanding this season, allowing just 1.13 goals per game. I do have some concerns about save volume against Winnipeg, but I’ll never hesitate to roster Oettinger if salary permits.

Daniil Tarasov ($8,100) is another expensive option, but he’s been one of the biggest surprises of the season so far. His elevated salary reflects a matchup against Vancouver, but if you can fit him into your lineup, he makes for a strong tournament play.

I wish Ilya Sorokin ($7,900) were a little cheaper, as I’m generally more comfortable rostering him in the mid-$7K range. That said, he grades out extremely well again tonight. Much like Oettinger, I have some minor concerns about shot volume, but he’s still one of the better goalie options on the slate.

If I’m dropping down for value, Juuse Saros ($7,300) is my favorite lower-priced option. He pairs nicely with Nashville stacks and should see plenty of shot volume from Boston. Even as a standalone play, he offers a strong combination of floor and upside.

That's it for now — best of luck tonight!

For continued fantasy news and notes, follow me on Twitter @ndySanz.