The Rangers struggled last season, especially given the talent on their roster, but from a fantasy perspective, Adam Fox should still be a high-upside option. Mike Sullivan's recent comments suggest the team intends on putting Fox in a spot to succeed, keeping him in the Norris conversation. Any other approach would not make sense given his skill level and the fact he is the team's top defenseman.

Fox will likely be paired with Gavrikov, a more defensively responsible partner, which lets him take calculated risks offensively. As long as he stays in that top-pair role, his points floor remains strong. The only real risk to his production would be a role change requiring more defensive focus, but that seems unlikely with his elite ability. From a fantasy standpoint, Fox is set up to deliver both a reliable floor and serious upside this season.

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In one of my fantasy football drafts, I took on the strategy of pairing a quarterback with his top wide receiver or even a pass-catching running back. That thought got me thinking about stacking in fantasy hockey. The concept is similar and simple: target two or more players from the same team whose production is connected. If one has a big night, chances are the other does too which can swing matchups in your favor.

Stacking can be a great strategy, but it does come with a few caveats. NHL coaches shuffle lines constantly, so you may not always get perfect lineup. If you target the right situations, the payoff can be huge. Most stacks worth chasing involve two or three players, and in a 12-team league or higher it is rare to land a full top line unless you are very intentional with your draft strategy. That said, even landing a pair from the same team can give you an advantage.

There are also scheduling factors to consider. Stacking can backfire when your players are all locked into the same busy night, forcing tough lineup decisions. On the flip side, when your stack players on an off-night, you can maximize points without leaving talent on the bench. Looking at team schedules during the stretch run of the season can help you identify which stacks carry the most long-term value. Draft ADP also plays a big role, it’s about balancing upside with cost and finding the best value spots to build a stack.

For this exercise, I am skipping the obvious big guns. Teams like Tampa Bay, Colorado, Edmonton, Dallas, Toronto, Vegas, and Minnesota as they are stacked with early-round stars, while those stacks are powerful and you should definitely target them, I want to focus on stacks from rising teams or situations where the players are more realistically or easily attainable in later rounds. I based this list on my recent mock drafts this week, mostly in 12-team formats, Grabbing a stack is not just possible but can be a league-winning move if it clicks.

Let's take a look at some top line forwards in the league that are worth targeting for stacking purposes:

Carolina Hurricanes: Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Nikolaj Ehlers

The Hurricanes' top line offers a compelling fantasy stack without being the typical elite first-round targets. Sebastian Aho (ADP:62.5) remains the steady centerpiece, a consistent point-per-game option who contributes in every situation and provides a reliable floor. Andrei Svechnikov (ADP: 103) when healthy, combines elite shot volume, physicality, and goal-scoring ability, and as crazy as it is he is just 25, still giving him room to grow.

Nikolaj Ehlers (ADP: 82) adds a fresh element to the line. He is a fast winger who drives play in transition and generates chances off the rush. While the line has not yet been tested in game situations with the team just yet, the Hurricanes acquired Ehlers to contribute at the top level so you can expect to at least see him start the season on the op line. Svechnikov on the other hand has seen time on the second and sometimes even the third line depending on matchups, something to keep in mind.

Utah Mammoth: Clayton Keller – Logan Cooley – Dylan Guenther

The Utah Mammoth present an interesting stack this season, headlining Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, and Dylan Guenther. Not much of a sleeper line anymore but Keller has become one of the NHL's most consistent scoring wingers, flirting with point-per-game production even on weaker rosters. Now in Utah, surrounded by better talent and entering year two with a full top-line role, he could easily approach a 90-point season. His elite puck skills and shot volume make him the clear anchor, and with an ADP of 38.5 on Yahoo!, he is a strong early third-round target in 12-team leagues.

Logan Cooley is the player most likely to unlock this line's upside. After a solid rookie campaign, he has the skill and vision to become a true top-line center, driving play and creating opportunities for Keller and Guenther. Dylan Guenther flashed genuine goal-scoring ability last season, and now in a more prominent role with top-line minutes and power-play exposure, he has the chance to produce at a breakout level.

Both Cooley (ADP 166) and Guenther (ADP 126) are very attainable targets, giving this stack real value in drafts. Utah's schedule lines up nicely, with plenty of off-night coverage that makes them a strong fantasy play all season long.

Montreal Canadiens: Juraj Slafkovsky – Nick Suzuki – Cole Caufield

This Montreal trio isn't on the level of elite stacks, but it has all the ingredients for a breakout fantasy unit. Nick Suzuki (ADP 47) has developed into a steady point-per-game center who contributes in every situation. He has become the standard for Montreal's young core and keeps delivering even when the team around him hits rough patches. Cole Caulfield is the pure finisher of the group. He scored 37 goals last season and has clear potential to reach 35–40 goals again. With an ADP of 56, he offers top-half fourth-round value for a player capable of 70 points and significant goal-scoring upside.

Juraj Slavkovsky 89.5 ADP is not really a sleeper pick but he has no yet fully broken out. After posting two consecutive 50 points seasons, he showed flashes of chemistry with Suzuki and Caulfield, and another step forward could turn this line into one of the league's most improved. He is right at the 200 games breakout threshold and lining him up with these two young stars adds upside. This top line stack is evolving, which is part of what makes it so appealing.

Detroit Red Wings: Alex DeBrincat – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond

The Red Wings finished tied for the league lead in power-play goals last year with 64 and ranked in the top five in power-play efficiency at 27.1%, making this unit a high-upside target for fantasy managers. Larkin (ADP 88) remains the engine of Detroit's offense averaging just over the 70-point mark over the last four season Lucas Raymond has steadily improved, posting 27 goals and 53 points last season. With increased power-play responsibility and growing chemistry with Larkin, he has become a dual-threat scorer and playmaker. At an ADP of 71, Raymond offers strong fifth-round value if he hits another step.

The winger spot provides flexibility. Alex DeBrincat is the proven 40-goal scorer who can sway matchups with multi-goal nights. Even if he is not locked into the top line, his power-play role scoring makes him a solid option. On the other hand, Marco Kasper could emerge as one of the deeper sleepers if given extended top-line opportunities as he saw just over 26% of even strength time on ice with the top unit of Larkin and Raymond last season.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Boone Jenner – Sean Monahan – Kirill Marchenko

Boone Jenner (ADP 173) has an injury history and was out of the lineup for much of last season, however most of his TOI was within the top-six so seeing him anchors this Columbus stack with his physicality, net-front presence is not out of the question. Another veteran, Sean Monahan (ADP 185) whose career has been revitalized in Columbus is proving he can still produce strong numbers. He offers a steady floor with upside especially when paired with linemates who complement his style. Adam Fantilli (ADP 191) is the high-upside element. He fared well during Monahan's injury last year and can potentially challenge him for the lead role this season. If that happens and Fantilli takes the top spot, his ADP becomes a steal in nearly all drafts.  Kirill Marchenko (ADP 112) rounds out the stack after a 74-point breakout season. He brings top-line scoring and consistent power-play production as the top right winger on Columbus. This sleeper stack provides a decent floor, potential high upside, and multi-category value, making it a smart play in deeper leagues or keeper formats if the line clicks, especially if it improves on last season.

Thanks for reading! See you next week! For more fantasy hockey content and analysis, follow me on X @Punters_hockey. If you have any questions about your team or a trade? My DMs are always open, happy to help!