NHL Scratches & Line Changes

Jakub Vrana(LW)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Vrana is expected to make his season debut on Tuesday vs. Vegas.

Sonny Milano will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Vrana to make his season debut. Vrana is in his second stint with the Washington Capitals, the team that drafted him 13th overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Now 28 years old, Vrana has struggled to establish himself as an everyday NHLer, despite scoring a respectable 41 points (26G / 15A) in his past 72 games across the last three seasons.

Source:
Bailey Johnson 2024-10-15T15:04:16.193Z
Jakub Vrana
Sonny Milano(LW)|WAS
Line Change
Line Change
Milano is expected to be a healthy scratch on Tuesday vs. Vegas.

Milano suffered a -3 plus/minus in only 5:52 time-on-ice in Washington's season-opening 5-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils and will serve as a healthy scratch on Tuesday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Jakub Vrana will draw into the lineup for his season debut in favor of Milano.

Source:
Bailey Johnson 2024-10-15T15:00:50.598Z
Sonny Milano
Jack Johnson(D)|FA
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Line Change
Johnson will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday vs. Florida.

Johnson will serve as a healthy scratch on Tuesday and be replaced in the lineup by Jordan Harris. Johnson, in his 19th NHL season, played the first two games for the Blue Jackets, his second stint with the team, averaging 14:43 time-on-ice while recording one block and two hits.

Source:
Dave Maetzold 2024-10-15T14:53:16.623Z
Jack Johnson
Brandon Saad(LW)|VGK
Line Change
Line Change
Saad (personal) will make his season debut on Tuesday vs. Minnesota.

After missing the first three games of the season, Saad has been activated from Injured Reserve. At practice on Monday, Saad was skating on the Blues' top line alongside Robert Thomas and Jake Neighbours. In a parallel move, Alexandre Texier (upper-body) was placed on IR to make room for Saad.

Source:
Lou Korac 2024-10-14T17:48:41.157Z
Brandon Saad
Adam Gaudette(RW)|SJS
Line Change
Line Change
Gaudette will draw back into the Senators' lineup on Monday vs. Los Angeles.

Ridly Greig will exit the lineup on Monday due to an upper-body injury, allowing Gaudette to draw back in. Gaudette has only played three NHL games since the conclusion of the 2021-22 campaign. The 28-year-old Gaudette had a tremendous 2023-24 campaign in the AHL as a member of the Springfield Thunderbirds, posting a career-high 71 points (44G / 27A) in 67 games.

Source:
Claire Hanna 2024-10-14T16:44:58.282Z
Adam Gaudette
Ryan Shea(D)|PIT
Line Change
Line Change
Shea is expected to make his season debut on Monday in Montreal.

Jack St. Ivany is expected to be a healthy scratch on Monday which could lead to Shea drawing into the lineup for the Penguins. The 27-year-old Shea has not played yet this season. He made his NHL debut with the Penguin last season, score one point (0G / 1A) in 31 games.

Source:
Matt Vensel 2024-10-14T16:35:46.750Z
Ryan Shea
Jesse Puljujarvi(RW)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Puljujarvi is expected to draw back into Pittsburgh's lineup on Monday in Montreal.

Puljujarvi could draw into the Penguins lineup in favor of Rutger McGroarty on Monday against the Montreal Canadiens. The 26-year-old Puljujarvi has draw into the Penguins' lineup for two of three games this season and has one point (0G / 1A) and three shots on goal while averaging 12:29 time-on-ice.

Source:
Matt Vensel 2024-10-14T16:32:30.481Z
Jesse Puljujarvi
Jack St. Ivany(D)|PIT
Line Change
Line Change
St. Ivany is expected to be a healthy scratch on Monday in Montreal.

Ryan Shea will likely be St. Ivany's replacement in the Penguins' lineup on Monday if he is a healthy scratch. The 25-year-old St. Ivany has played all three games for the Penguins thus far, recording a -2 plus/minus and two penalty minutes while averaging 17:02 time-on-ice.

Source:
Matt Vensel 2024-10-14T16:34:24.267Z
Jack St. Ivany
Rutger McGroarty(RW)|PIT
Line Change
Line Change
McGroarty is expected to be a healthy scratch on Monday in Montreal.

Jesse Puljujarvi will likely draw into the lineup on Monday if McGroarty is a healthy scratch. The 20-year-old McGroarty is playing his first NHL season and has zero points, a -1 plus/minus, and two shots on goal while averaging 11:37 time-on-ice through his first three games.

Source:
Matt Vensel 2024-10-14T16:31:00.130Z
Rutger McGroarty
Dylan McIlrath(D)|WAS
Line Change
Line Change
McIlrath will make his season debut on Tuesday vs. Vegas.

With Matt Roy expected to miss a "decent amount of time", Dylan McIlrath will step into the Capitals lineup and make his season debut on Tuesday vs. Vegas. The 32-year-old is entering his ninth NHL season but has only appeared in 75 career games across that span, picking up seven points and 133 PIMs.

Source:
Stephen Whyno 2024-10-14T16:14:34.218Z
Dylan McIlrath
Austin Watson(LW)|DET
Line Change
Line Change
Watson will make his Red Wings' debut on Monday in New York.

Watson signed a two-way, one-year contract with the Red Wings last week but will started the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL), recording three points (0G / 3A) in two games. Since his first full NHL season in 2015-16 as a member of the Nashville Predators, Watson has established himself as one of the premier enforcers in the league and will add some grit and toughness to an up-and-coming Red Wings squad. The 6'4 Watson spent last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, tallying four points (2G / 2A), 85 hits, and 93 penalty minutes in 33 games.

Source:
Helene St. James 2024-10-14T16:15:33.062Z
Austin Watson
Liam O'Brien(C)|UTA
Line Change
Line Change
O'Brien will draw back into Utah's lineup on Monday in New Jersey.

Michael Carcone will be a healthy scratch on Monday afternoon, allowing O'Brien to draw back into the lineup to draw back into the lineup. The hard-hitting O'Brien has not played since Utah's season opener, when he tallied one shot and seven hits in 10:30 time-on-ice.

Source:
Bella Fraser 2024-10-14T15:24:46.023Z
Liam O'Brien
Jonny Brodzinski(C)|NYR
Line Change
Line Change
Brodzinski is expected to draw back into the Rangers' lineup on Monday vs. Detroit.

Matt Rempe will be a healthy scratch on Monday, allowing Brodzinski to draw back into the lineup. In the Rangers' season opener, Brodzinski played 9:52 time-on-ice and registering one assist. The 31-year-old Brodzinski, typically an AHL standout, played a career high 57 games with the Rangers last season, tallying 19 points (6G / 13A).

Source:
Peter Baugh 2024-10-14T15:13:21.164Z
Jonny Brodzinski

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.