NHL Hockey Player News

Michael Carcone(LW)|UTA
Line Change
Line Change
Carcone will draw back into Utah's lineup on Thursday in St. Louis.

Carcone has been limited to only three games this season after a career-high 21 goal 2023-24 season. He has zero points, a -2 plus/minus, and is averaging 11:19 time-on-ice through three games this season. He will draw in for Robert Bortuzzo on Thursday as Utah HC will revert back to the traditional 12-forward, six-defensemen formation.

Source:
Belle Fraser 2024-11-07T18:21:22.938Z
Michael Carcone
Robert Bortuzzo(D)|UTA
Line Change
Line Change
Bortuzzo will be a healthy scratch on Thursday in St.Louis.

Utah HC will revert from the seven-defenseman formation their used in their previous outing, sending Bortuzzo to the press box as a healthy scratch, with Michael Carcone drawing back into the lineup. The 35-year-old Bortuzzo has a -4 plus/minus, zero points, and 11:11 ATOI through six games.

Source:
Belle Fraser 2024-11-07T18:19:29.696Z
Robert Bortuzzo
Kevin Rooney(C)|CAL
Line Change
Line Change
Rooney will draw back into the Flames' lineup on Thursday in Boston.

Anthony Mantha is battling a lower-body injury and will not play on Thursday, allowing Rooney to re-enter the lineup for the Flames. The 31-year-old Rooney is without a point in five games while averaging 8:13 time-on-ice this season.

Source:
Flames Nation 2024-11-07T18:14:53.719Z
Kevin Rooney
Nils Lundkvist(D)|DAL
Line Change
Line Change
Lundkvist will draw back into Dallas' lineup on Thursday vs. Chicago.

Brendan Smith will head to the sidelines as a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Lundkvist to re-enter the lineup after a one-game absence. The 24-year-old Lundkvist is averaging 14:19 time-on-ice and has zero points in 10 games this season.

Source:
Brien Rea 2024-11-07T16:57:10.179Z
Nils Lundkvist
Brendan Smith(D)|DAL
Line Change
Line Change
Smith will be a healthy scratch on Thursday vs. Chicago.

Nils Lundkvist will draw back into the Stars' lineup on Thursday, resulting in Smith being a healthy scratch. The 35-year-old Smith has played five games for the Stars this season, scoring zero points and averaging 12:42 time-on-ice.

Source:
Brien Rea 2024-11-07T16:56:15.218Z
Brendan Smith
Anthony Richard(C)|PHI
Line Change
Line Change
Richard will make his season debut on Thursday in Tampa Bay.

Richard played nine games with the Boston Bruins last season, scoring three points (1G / 2A), but has primarily been an AHL player since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators. The 27-year-old Richard has nine points (4G / 5A) in seven games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL) this season). Rookie phenom Matvei Michkov will be a healthy scratch on Thursday to accommodate Richard's entry into the Flyers lineup.

Source:
Philadelphia Flyers 2024-11-07T16:26:32.896Z
Anthony Richard
Jacob Bernard-Docker(D)|BUF
Line Change
Line Change
Bernard-Docker is expected to be a healthy scratch on Thursday vs. New York.

Artem Zub (concussion) will make his return from a nine-game absence on Thursday against the New York Islanders, resulting in Bernard-Docker being a healthy scratch. The 24-year-old Bernard-Docker averaged 14:17 time-on-ice and scored two points (0G / 2A) in nine games.

Source:
TSN 1200 2024-11-07T15:45:22.047Z
Jacob Bernard-Docker
David Perron(LW)|OTT
Line Change
Line Change
Perron (personal) has returned to Ottawa's morning skate on Thursday.

Perron has been away from the team since October 21st but made his return to morning skate on Thursday. The 36-year-old veteran has had trouble establishing himself in his first season with the Senators, scoring zero points and recording a -4 plus/minus through five games of playing predominantly on the third line.

Source:
Claire Hanna 2024-11-07T15:37:05.179Z
David Perron
Mark Jankowski(C)|CAR
Line Change
Line Change
Jankowski will be a healthy scratch on Wednesday in Washington.

Michael McCarron and Philip Tomasino will both draw back into the Predators' lineup on Wednesday against the Washington Capitals, sending Luke Evangelista and Mark Jankowski to the sidelines as healthy scratches. The 30-year-old Jankowski was an offensive standout in the AHL last season, scoring 47 points (15G / 32A) in 40 games with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL). That success translated during a 32-game NHL stint last season, scoring 15 points (7G / 8A) in 32 games. That said, Jankowski has scored only one point (0G / 1A) through 11 games with the Predators this season.

Source:
Max Herz 2024-11-06T22:10:07.653Z
Mark Jankowski
Luke Evangelista(RW)|NSH
Line Change
Line Change
Evangelista will be a healthy scratch on Wednesday in Washington.

Michael McCarron and Philip Tomasino will both draw back into the Predators' lineup on Wednesday against the Washington Capitals, sending Luke Evangelista and Mark Jankowski to the sidelines as healthy scratches. The 22-year-old Evangelista has five points (1G / 4A) through 12 games this season but has been held off the scoresheet in five straight.

Source:
Max Herz 2024-11-06T22:08:15.906Z
Luke Evangelista
Philip Tomasino(C)|PIT
Line Change
Line Change
Tomasino will draw back into Nashville's lineup on Wednesday in Washington.

Luke Evangelista and Mark Jankowski will be healthy scratch on Wednesday against the Washington Capitals, allowing Philip Tomasino and Michael McCarron to re-enter the lineup. The 23-year-old Tomasino had an impressive 20 points (7G / 13A) in 41 games last season, but has been limited to zero points in four contests so far in the 2024-25 campaign.

Source:
Max Herz 2024-11-06T22:03:45.452Z
Philip Tomasino
Michael McCarron(RW)|NSH
Line Change
Line Change
McCarron will draw back into the Predators' lineup on Wednesday in Washington.

Luke Evangelista and Mark Jankowski will be healthy scratch on Wednesday against the Washington Capitals, allowing Philip Tomasino and Michael McCarron to re-enter the lineup. The 29-year-old McCarron has two points (1G / 1A) and a -9 plus/minus through 10 games this season.

Source:
Max Herz 2024-11-06T22:02:51.288Z
Michael McCarron
Jake Walman(D)|EDM
Line Change
Line Change
Walman will draw back into the Sharks' lineup on Thursday vs. Minnesota.

Walman was a surprise healthy scratch on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets as per a coaching decision. The 28-year-old Walman has been productive from the blueline in his first season with the Sharks, scoring nine points (1G / 8A) in 13 games, highlighted by seven points (1G / 6A) in his last four contests.

Source:
Max Miller 2024-11-07T13:01:45.554Z
Jake Walman
Noah Philp(C)|EDM
Line Change
Line Change
Philp is expected to be a healthy scratch on Wednesday vs. Vegas.

With Connor McDavid set to make his return from a lower-body injury, Philp with take the sidelines as a healthy scratch. Philp made his NHL debut this season and played three games with McDavid was out of the lineup, averaging 10:13 time-on-ice and recording his first career point (0G / 1A).

Source:
Jack Michaels 2024-11-06T18:03:00.341Z
Noah Philp

NHL Line Changes

NHL line changes are essential in keeping a team’s players fresh on the ice over the course of a hard-fought 60-minute matchup. With shift changes occurring rapidly throughout any given game, we are here to provide you with everything you need to know regarding line changes.

Making sure a team is efficiently making line changes can be essential to their success within a matchup, as it ensures that the players needed on the ice to gain the upper hand are ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice. For NHL daily fantasy hockey players, knowing how to track line changes can be important as you look to keep tabs on the players you’ve drafted to your lineup and their production.

On The Fly

Unlike other sports where play must come to a stop in order to make a player substitution, in hockey, players can switch in-and-out of play on the fly. This helps in keeping the breakneck pace of the contest going, increasing the amount of action from whistle-to-whistle and avoiding any unnecessary stoppages.

On the fly changes are generally done when a team is in possession of the puck and are looking to make a transition play from their own end to their opponent’s side of the rink. Players must be aware of the action around them when making an on the fly substitution as a poorly timed switch could leave themselves vulnerable to an odd-man rush on the other end.

In order to make successful line changes on the fly it is up to the team coaching staff to keep players informed on when their line matchups are due to hit the ice. Generally, with both forwards and defensive pairings, line changes go from the first line trickling its way down to the fourth. Depending on the situation of the game, coaches may opt to give a particular line more playing time, increasing the amount of shifts they receive.

Play Stoppages

NHL line changes can also be made during stoppage of play, with both sides being given the chance to put fresh bodies on the ice ahead of the upcoming faceoff. Examples of a play stoppage that would allow teams to make line changes are after minor or major penalties, offsides, icing, and puck out of play calls. These line changes are often much more calculated as each coach has time to survey the other team and decide what would be the most advantageous line combination that will provide them with a competitive advantage.

Bench Configuration

It may seem like a confusing and unorganized area of the game, but in hockey there is a fair amount of strategy put into the bench configuration within a matchup. With both benches positioned in the neutral zone, making sure that players can quickly hop the boards and get into the game is key to making successful line changes. Benches are generally set so that players entering into the game on the fly are in the best possible position on the ice to fulfill their role.

Generally, a bench in hockey will have the forwards positioned closest to the attacking zone, whereas the defenceman will be situated closest to their defensive zone. This separates the forward lines and defence pairings from on another on each end of the bench so that groups can easily stay together. From here the rested forwards ready to enter into the game will be placed in the centre of the bench, positioned near the coaches so they can easily receive instruction before hitting the ice. This is also advantageous as players coming off the ice for a line change will often enter from the opposite side they came onto the ice from, preventing any unnecessary traffic or confusion when making a change. While each team may have their own preferences on how to configure their bench, these are the most common ways they are run.

Line Change Rules

Understanding the rules of NHL line changes in hockey is an understated part of the game and when used correctly can swing the tide of a matchup in your favour. Without in-depth understanding of line changes in hockey, this can cause costly mistakes that can result in minor penalties, lengthy shifts, or mismatches off a faceoff.

Last Line Change

The last line change rule exists so that the home team is able to make an adjustment to whatever lineup the visiting team decides to roll out after a stoppage in play. This rule was designed to make NHL line changes efficient, as well as provide both sides with the chance to strategically place their players based on the lines sent out by their opponents.

For example, after the whistle, the home team’s coach can elect to make a line change to the personnel on the ice. After that, the visiting coach will send out any new players into the game off of a line change. Thanks to the last line change rule, the home team coach is now granted the opportunity to make one last line change before play resumes to counter whatever line changes were made by the opposing team.

For daily fantasy sports bettors this is where having ample knowledge of each NHL team can come in handy. You can envision how each team may look to gain a competitive advantage over their opponent during a possession, drafting players who are set up for success within a matchup.

Penalties & Infractions

While NHL line changes are meant to be an efficient and simple way to keep the game being played at a fast-pace with minimal interruptions, there is still room for serious error during these substitutions. It’s not uncommon to see teams assessed for a penalty due to a botched line change, resulting in a power play opportunity for the opposing team.

A common penalty called as a result of a poorly executed line change is “too many men on the ice”. This penalty results when the offending team has six or more skaters (including the goaltender) on the ice at any given time and comes in physical contact with the puck. While players entering in the game during a shift change are eligible to hop the boards and get in on the action once their teammate is within five feet of the bench, they must time this correctly or they could be hit with a premature substitution infraction. When a bench minor penalty such as too many men on the ice is assessed, it is up to the team’s head coach to decide who serves the penalty based on the players currently on the ice at the time of the penalty.

Another line change infraction to be aware of is in the case of an icing call. Icing is called when a team plays a puck from their own side of the red centre line across the red goal line in their opponents end. When icing is called, a faceoff will be taken from the end of the team that committed the infraction. During an icing call the team that was called for icing is not able to make any line changes, meaning they are forced to keep all players who were on the ice at the time of the infraction in the contest. Their opponents however are allowed to make any line change they desire, making this an incredibly beneficial call if they can strategize correctly.

How Line Changes Impact Fantasy Hockey

NHL line changes can come fast and suddenly so it can be challenging to keep track of certain players over the course of a matchup. This can make it difficult for avid fantasy hockey managers and sports bettors to know when the players they’ve wagered on are on the ice. Some broadcasts now incorporate various display mechanics that allow for you to see who is on the ice at any given time, making shift change tracking much simpler than ever before. Be sure to stay up-to-date on the jersey numbers of any players on your fantasy roster or that you bet on as a failsafe so that you can find them quickly while watching the action unfold.

Knowing how long a typical shift for a player entering into a matchup is can be an advantageous piece of knowledge for fantasy managers and bettors alike. The longer a player’s shift lasts, the higher their chances of registering a point or other statistical milestone which can help you in winning your fantasy matchups and/or bets placed on a game.