NHL Scratches & Line Changes

Oskar Olausson(RW)|COL
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Line Change
Oskar Olausson will make his season debut Tuesday vs. Anaheim.

Olausson has one NHL game under his belt, last season with the Avalanche, being held without a point in the effort, and will play his second in his season debut on Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks. The 28th overall pick of the Avalanche in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft has eight points (5G / 3A) in 20 games with the Colorado Eagles of the AHL this season.

Source:
Evan Rawal 2023-12-05T18:42:17.347Z
Oskar Olausson
Walker Duehr(RW)|WPG
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Line Change
Walker Duehr will draw back into the Flames' lineup Tuesday vs. Minnesota.

Duehr will draw back into the lineup in favour of Martin Pospisil, who will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday. Duehr has not played since November 22nd, serving as a healthy scratch for the last five games. He has four points (1G / 3A) in 14 games and is expected to play on an offensively-minded second line alongside Nazem Kadri and Connor Zary.

Source:
Pat Stienberg 2023-12-05T18:34:42.478Z
Walker Duehr
Ilya Solovyov(D)|CAL
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Line Change
Ilya Solovyov will draw back into the Flames' lineup Tuesday vs. Minnesota.

Solovyov hasn't played since consecutive games on October 26th and 29th, his only two career NHL games, but will return to the Flames lineup on Tuesday as Dennis Gilbert will be a healthy scratch. In two games, Solovyov averaged 16:35 time-on-ice, had one block, and two hits.

Source:
Pat Steinberg 2023-12-05T18:27:08.563Z
Ilya Solovyov
Nikita Zaitsev(RD)|FA
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Line Change
Nikita Zaitsev will draw back into the Blackhawks lineup Tuesday vs. Nashville.

Louis Crevier will be a healthy scratch after making his NHL debut on Sunday, allowing Zaitsev to return to the lineup for the Blackhawks. Zaitsev is expected to play with Jarred Tinordi on the third defensive pair for the Blackhawks.

Source:
Mark Lazerus 2023-12-05T18:03:44.016Z
Nikita Zaitsev
Lukas Reichel(LW)|CHI
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Line Change
Lukas Reichel is expected to draw back into the Blackhawks' lineup Tuesday vs. Nashville.

Reichel was a healthy scratch in the Blackhawks' 4-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Sunday but will return to the lineup to skate on a line with Ryan Donato and Mackenzie Entwistle. The 17th overall pick of the Blackhawks in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft has struggled to find his footing this season, scoring only six points (2G / 4A) and registering a -17 plus/minus through 22 games.

Source:
Ben Pope 2023-12-05T17:59:47.433Z
Lukas Reichel
Matt Benning(D)|TOR
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Line Change
Matt Benning will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. the New York Islanders.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic will re-enter the Sharks' lineup to play only his second game since November 14th as Benning will be a healthy scratch for the first time since November 22nd. Benning is averaging 18:29 time-on-ice this season and has two points (0G / 2A) through 14 games.

Source:
Max Miller 2023-12-05T17:18:55.218Z
Matt Benning
Marc-Edouard Vlasic(D)|SJS
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Line Change
Marc-Edouard Vlasic will draw back into the Sharks' lineup Tuesday vs. the Islanders.

Matt Benning will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Vlasic to return to the lineup for only his second game since November 14th. Vlasic has zero points and -8 plus/minus in 14 games this season and is expected to play on the Sharks' second defensive pair alongside Calen Addison.

Source:
Max Miller 2023-12-05T17:17:28.386Z
Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Ryan Johnson(D)|BUF
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Line Change
Ryan Johnson will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Detroit.

Johnson played 15:23 in the Sabres' last game on Sunday but will return to the press box as a healthy scratch for the second time in their last three games. The 22-year-old rookie is averaging 14:08 time-on-ice and has one point (0G / 1A) and 10 blocks through 13 games this season.

Source:
Paul Hamilton 2023-12-05T16:19:18.312Z
Ryan Johnson
Vinnie Hinostroza(C)|MIN
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Line Change
Hinostroza will be a healthy scratch for Monday's game in Philadelphia.

Hinostroza will sit on Monday after playing just 5:16 against the Flyers on Saturday. He has one goal and two assists in nine games for the Penguins this season. Hinostroza will make way for the recently recalled Alex Nylander.

Source:
@Penguins 2023-12-04T23:35:42.087Z
Vinnie Hinostroza
Evgeny Kuznetsov(C)|FA
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Line Change
Evgeny Kuznetsov will be a healthy scratch Monday vs. Arizona.

Despite averaging a career-high 21:01 time-on-ice, Kuznetsov is pacing for his worst offensive output in a single season with only nine points (4G / 5A) in 19 games. The 11-year veteran has only one point (1G / 0A) in his last six games, most recently centring a line with Sonny Milano and Hendrix Lapierre.

Source:
Bailey Johnson 2023-12-04T19:29:38.730Z
Evgeny Kuznetsov
Patrick Kane(RW)|DET
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Line Change
Patrick Kane practiced in full with Detroit Monday for the first time since signing last week but is not expected to make his debut Tuesday vs. Buffalo.

Kane has been ruled out of Tuesday's game against the Buffalo Sabres but his Red Wings' debut seems imminent as he was a full participant at practice for the first time on Monday. Kane skated alongside Joe Veleno and former Blackhawks teammate Alex DeBrincat on the Red Wings' second line. Kane seems to be a lock, at least for the time being, with DeBrincat, but there will likely be some line shuffling, especially since J.T. Compher was not at practice, as Kane reacclimates himself to gameplay.

Source:
Daniella Bruce 2023-12-05T18:29:27.919Z
Patrick Kane

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.