Lagesson will make his Ducks' debut on Tuesday.
Lagesson will place his first game for Anaheim after being claimed off waivers from the Maple Leafs. He'll skate alongside Urho Vaakanainen on the Ducks' third pair.
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NHL Scratches & Line Changes
Vaakanainen will draw back into the Ducks' lineup on Tuesday.
Vaakanainen will be right back in Anaheim's lineup on Tuesday after sitting out Sunday's game against the Islanders. He'll skate alongside the Ducks' newest player, William Lagesson, on the team's third pair.
Line Change
Leonard will make his Coyotes debut on Tuesday.
Leonard has played 64 career NHL games but has spent the 2023-24 campaign exclusively in the AHL, scoring 27 points (11G / 16A) in 54 games with the Tuscon Roadrunners. The 25-year-old Leonard was the sixth-round pick of the San Jose Sharks in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
Gaunce will draw into the Blue Jackets' lineup on Tuesday.
Gaunce will draw in for Kirill Marchenko, who is out with an illness. Gaunce has one goal and two assists in eight games this season.
Line Change
Okposo will make his Panthers' debut on Tuesday in Dallas.
Okposo will make his Panthers' debut on Tuesday night after being acquired via trade from the Buffalo Sabres last week. The 35-year-old Okposo is an impending UFA and has tallied 22 points (12G / 10A), 106 shots, and 60 hits while averaging 13:37 time-on-ice through 61 games this season.
Line Change
Sanford will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday vs. Anaheim.
Sanford performed well in the last three games for the Blackhawks, tallying one point (0G / 1A), seven shots, and three hits. He exits the lineup on Tuesday to allow Andreas Athanasiou (groin) to play his first game since mid-November.
Line Change
Holl will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday in Buffalo.
Holl will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Jake Walman to draw back into the lineup. Holl has only played twice in the last month, recording a +1 plus/minus and six hits.
Line Change
Walman will draw back into Detroit's lineup on Tuesday vs. Buffalo.
Walman did not play in the Red Wings' last outing but will return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres. The 28-year-old defenseman has 20 points (11G / 9A), 99 shots, and 141 blocks in 57 games this season.
Line Change
Beckman will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday vs. Arizona.
Beckman played the last three games for Minnesota but will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday. The 22-year-old has one point (0G / 1A), four hits, and two blocks in three games.
Deslauriers is expected to be a healthy scratch on Tuesday vs. San Jose.
Bobby Brink will draw back into the lineup on Tuesday as Deslauriers will return to the press box as a healthy scratch for the second time in the last four games. Deslauriers has three points (0G / 3A) in 86 penalty minutes in 56 games this season.
Line Change
Brink will draw back into the Flyers' lineup on Tuesday vs. San Jose.
Nicolas Deslauries will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Brink to make his return to the Flyers lineup. Brink has been out of the lineup for the last two games, but has two points (2G / 0A) in his last four contests.
Line Change
Atkinson is expected to be a healthy scratch on Tuesday vs. San Jose.
Atkinson has been held without a point in 15 consecutive contests and will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks. Dennis Gurianov is expected to make his Flyers debut in Atkinson's absence.
Line Change
Rousek will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday vs. Detroit.
Jordan Greenway will return to the lineup from a one-game absence, sending Rousek to the press box as a healthy scratch. Rousek played the last two games for the Sabres, tallying a +1 plus/minus and one shot on goal.
Line Change
Gurianov is expected to make his Flyers' debut on Tuesday vs. San Jose.
Last week, the Flyers acquired Denis Gurianov from the Predators for Wade Allison. Gurianov began the 2023-24 campaign in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admiral, scoring an impressive 30 points (12G / 18A) in 27 games. He was called up to the Predators mid-season and struggled to translate his skills to the NHL level, as has been the case throughout his career, scoring only two points (1G / 1A) in 14 games.
Line Change
Harris will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday vs. Columbus.
Harris has appeared in nine straight for the Canadiens but will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Jonathan Kovacevic to draw back into the lineup. Harris has been held off the scoresheet in all but one of his last 13 games, a two-point effort (1G / 1A) on February 27th.
Kovacevic will draw back into the Canadiens' lineup on Tuesday vs. Columbus.
After playing four straight for the Canadiens, Kovacevic has been a healthy scratch in the last three. He recorded one assist, a +4 plus/minus, and four hits in his last four outings.
Line Change
Kaliyev will be a healthy scratch for Monday's game against the Islanders.
Kaliyev will be the odd-man out on Monday as the Kings opt to dress seven defensemen. Mikey Anderson (upper-body) will return to the Kings' lineup in place of Kaliyev.
Line Change
Martin will be a healthy scratch for Monday's game in Los Angeles.
Martin will be the odd-man out on Monday with Hudson Fasching drawing into the lineup in his place. Martin has two goals and three assists in 41 games this season.
Fasching will draw into the Islanders' lineup on Monday.
Having recently been activated off injured reserve, Fasching will draw into the Islanders' lineup for the first time since January 25th. Matt Martin will sit in his place.
Line Change
Mahura is expected to draw back into Florida's lineup on Tuesday vs. Dallas.
Mahura has not played since February 17th but is expected to draw back into the lineup on Tuesday as Aaron Ekblad is dealing with a lower-body injury. The 25-year-old Mahura has six points (0G / 6A), 23 hits, and 14 blocks in 20 games this season.
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.