NHL Scratches & Line Changes

Nate Schmidt(D)|UTA
Line Change
Line Change
Schmidt is expected to draw back into the Jets' lineup on Thursday.

Schmidt has not played the last six games but will draw back into the lineup for the Jets' final game of the season. The 32-year-old Schmidt has 13 points (2G / 11A), 64 hits, and 76 blocks in 62 games this season.

Source:
John Lu 2024-04-18T16:18:21.456Z
Nate Schmidt
Colin Miller(D)|WPG
Line Change
Line Change
Miller is expected to draw back into the Jets' lineup on Thursday.

Miller has not played the last five games but will re-enter the lineup for the Jets' final game of the season. Miller was acquired by the Jets before the trade deadline and has only scored one point (0G / 1A) while being limited to only four games.

Source:
John Lu 2024-04-18T16:16:31.074Z
Colin Miller
David Gustafsson(C)|WPG
Line Change
Line Change
Gustafsson is expected to draw back into the Jets' lineup on Thursday.

With the Jets resting several regulars in their final game of the season before the start of the playoffs, Gustafsson will draw back into the lineup. Gustafsson has played two of the last three for the Jets, scoring three points (1G / 2A) in those games.

Source:
John Lu 2024-04-18T16:11:46.880Z
David Gustafsson
Mats Zuccarello(RW)|MIN
Line Change
Line Change
Zuccarello (personal) will return to Minnesota's lineup on Thursday vs. Seattle.

Zuccarello has missed the last three games but will return to the lineup for Minnesota's final contest of the season. Zuccarello has six points (0G / 6A) during a four-game point streak and has 62 points (11G / 51A) in 68 games this season.

Source:
Jessi Pierce 2024-04-18T15:34:37.042Z
Mats Zuccarello
Cutter Gauthier(LW)|ANA
Line Change
Line Change
Gauthier will make his NHL debut on Thursday vs. Vegas.

Gauthier was acquired in a trade from the Philadelphia Flyers earlier this season and will make his NHL debut on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights. The 20-year-old Gauthier was the fifth overall pick of the Flyers in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and has spent the last two seasons playing collegiate hockey. He scored an impressive 65 points (38G / 27A) in 41 games with Boston College this season.

Source:
NHL 2024-04-18T14:43:52.867Z
Cutter Gauthier
Luke Glendening(C)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Glendening is listed as a scratch for Wednesday's regular season finale against the Maple Leafs.

Glendening will draw out of the Lightning lineup on Wednesday as Tampa Bay opts to give him the night off ahead of their playoff run. Anthony Cirelli and Victor Hedman will join him in the press box tonight

Source:
Chris Krenn 2024-04-17T22:34:41.285Z
Luke Glendening
Morgan Rielly(D)|TOR
Line Change
Line Change
Rielly will be out of the lineup and rest for game 82 of the season vs. Tampa Bay.

With Wednesday's game vs. Tampa Bay seemingly meaning nothing, Morgan Rielly will rest as Conor Timmins steps back into Toronto's lineup. Rielly finishes his 2023-24 season with seven goals, 58 points, 173 SOG, 27 PIMs and a +7 plus/minus in 72 games played.

Source:
David Alter 2024-04-17T21:40:15.755Z
Morgan Rielly
Jake McCabe(D)|TOR
Line Change
Line Change
McCabe will rest for Toronto's final game of the season on Wednesday vs. Tampa Bay.

With Toronto's playoff picture already set, Jake McCabe will rest for game 82 of the regular season vs. Tampa Bay. The 30-year-old closes out his second season in Toronto with career highs in goals (8), assists (20), PIMs (56) and plus/minus (+20) across 73 games played.

Source:
David Alter 2024-04-17T21:37:56.604Z
Jake McCabe
Joel Edmundson(D)|LAK
Line Change
Line Change
Edmundson will rest for the final game of the season vs. Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

Edmundson has played just two games since March 24th due to injury and will take a seat in the press box as he rests for game 82 of the regular season on Wednesday. The 30-year-old was acquired by Toronto at the trade deadline and will end his regular season without a point in nine games with the Maple Leafs but with five SOG and a +3 plus/minus.

Source:
David alter 2024-04-17T21:35:31.882Z
Joel Edmundson
T.J. Brodie(D)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Brodie will draw back into the Maple Leafs' lineup on Wednesday vs. Tampa Bay.

Brodie was a healthy scratch for Toronto's previous contest but will draw back into the lineup for game 82 vs. Tampa Bay on Wednesday. The 33-year-old has struggled mightily lately and will look to take steps forward in righting the ship before the playoffs. Through 77 games played this season, he has yet to score but has 25 assists, 51 SOG, 40 PIMs and a +17 plus/minus.

Source:
David Alter 2024-04-17T21:32:47.532Z
T.J. Brodie
Mark Giordano(LD)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Giordano will draw back into Toronto's lineup on Wednesday in Tampa Bay.

Giordano was a healthy scratch for the Maple Leafs' previous two games but will draw back into the lineup for the final game of the season on Wednesday in Tampa Bay. The 40-year-old has produced his lowest point totals since 2006-2007 this season, with three goals, nine points, 56 SOG, 49 PIMs and his +10 plus/minus through 45 games played.

Source:
David Alter 2024-04-17T21:21:54.091Z
Mark Giordano
Conor Timmins(D)|BUF
Line Change
Line Change
Timmins will draw back into Toronto's lineup on Wednesday vs. Tampa Bay.

Timmins has been a healthy scratch for the Maple Leafs' previous three games but will take the spot of Morgan Reilly for Toronto's final game of the season. The 25-year-old missed a large chunk of the season due to Mono but has been productive when called upon, with his one goal, nine points, 24 SOG, 14 PIMs and +7 plus/minus through 24 games played.

Source:
David Alter 2024-04-17T21:30:43.696Z
Conor Timmins

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.