MacDonald is listed as a scratch for Tuesday's game against the Jets.
MacDonald well sit on Tuesday as Luke Kunin (upper-body) is set to return to the lineup. MacDonald has four goals and one assist in 13 games this season.
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NHL Scratches & Line Changes
Line Change
DeSimone will draw into the Flames' lineup on Tuesday.
DeSimone will play in Vegas on Tuesday, marking his first appearance since November 20th. He has no goals and four assists in eight games this season.
Solovyov is listed as a scratch for Tuesday's game in Vegas.
Solovyov will sit in favour of Nick DeSimone on Tuesday night. Solovyov has zero goals and two assists in six games this season.
Chaffee will make his Lightning debut on Tuesday in Vancouver.
Chaffee has just two NHL games to his name, both of which came in the 2021-22 with the Minnesota Wild. He has impressed with Syracuse (AHL) this season, registering nine goals and ten assists in 21 games.
Aston-Reese is listed as a scratch for Tuesday's game in St. Louis.
Aston-Reese will be the odd-man out on Tuesday as the Wings opt to dress seven defensemen. He played less than seven minutes in his Red Wings debut in Dallas on Monday.
Line Change
Holl will draw back into the lineup for Tuesday's game in St. Louis.
Holl will re-enter the Red Wings' lineup on Tuesday as Detroit opts to dress seven defensemen for the tail-end of their back-to-back. He has zero goals and three assists in 20 games with the Red Wings this season.
Line Change
Sanford will draw into the lineup in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
Sanford will play in Pittsburgh on Tuesday after being recalled by the Coyotes earlier in the day. He's played one game with the Coyotes earlier this season, recording one point (0G / 1A), but has spent most of his time with the Tuscon Roadrunners of the AHL, where he has four points (1G / 3A) in 16 games.
Line Change
Brown is listed as a scratch for Tuesday's game in Pittsburgh.
Brown will sit this one out as the Coyotes look to keep things fresh on the tail-end of their back-to-back. He has one goal and two assists in 20 games with the Coyotes this season.
Line Change
Lemieux is listed as a scratch for Tuesday's game in Ottawa.
After playing in each of Carolina's last two games, Lemieux is the odd-man out on Tuesday as the Hurricanes opt to dress seven defensemen on Tuesday. Lemieux has two goals and zero assists in 11 games with the Hurricanes this season.
DeAngelo is expected to draw back into the Hurricanes' lineup on Tuesday.
DeAngelo will return to the lineup for the first time since November 18th as the Hurricanes opt to dress seven defensemen on Tuesday. DeAngelo has one goal and six assists in 16 games with the Hurricanes this season.
Jacob Moverare will make his season debut Wednesday vs. Winnipeg.
Moverare had five assists, six PIMs and a +1 plus/minus in 16 games played with Ontario (AHL) to start the season but will make his season debut with the Los Angeles Kings Wednesday as he replaces Vladislav Gavrikov. The 25-year-old defensemen appeared in two games for the Kings in 2022-23, failing to pick up a point.
Line Change
Cody Glass will draw back into the Predators' lineup Tuesday vs. Philadelphia.
Glass was a healthy scratch for the Predators' previous game but will draw back into the lineup Tuesday as he replaces Philip Tomasino on Nashville's fourth line. The 24-year-old centre has struggled offensively thus far in 2023-24, with no goals, one assist, 18 SOG, two PIMs and a -4 plus/minus in 10 games played.
Line Change
Nate Schmidt will draw back into the Jets' lineup Tuesday at San Jose.
Logan Stanley will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Schmidt to return to the lineup for the first time since November 30th. Schmidt is expected to skate on the third defensive pair alongside Dylan Samberg.
Line Change
Axel Jonsson-Fjallby will draw back into the Jets lineup Tuesday vs. San Jose.
Line Change
Reese Johnson will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Edmonton.
Johnson will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Ryan Donato (illness) to make his return after a two-game absence. Johnson has two points (2G / 0A) while averaging 11:45 time-on-ice through 17 games with the Blackhawks this season.
Line Change
Brayden Pachal will draw back into the Golden Knights' lineup Tuesday vs. Calgary.
Kaedan Korczak will not play on Tuesday due to a lower-body injury, allowing Pachal to return to the lineup for the first time since November 25th. Pachal is averaging 15:22 time-on-ice through 13 games this season and has been held without a point in 12 straight.
Line Change
Radim Zohorna will draw back into the Penguins' lineup Tuesday vs. Arizona.
Marc Johnstone will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Zohorna to re-enter the lineup. Zahorna has been held off the scoresheet in eight straight games while playing primarily alongside Lars Eller and Drew O'Connor.
Line Change
Ryan Shea is expected to be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Arizona.
Pierre-Olivier Joseph will re-enter the lineup after a brief conditioning stint with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL), as Shea will watch the game from the press box as a healthy scratch. Shea has zero points in 22 games this season, averaging 12:28 time-on-ice.
Line Change
Marc Johnstone will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Arizona.
Johnstone is an undrafted 27-year-old forward who has spent parts of the last three seasons in the AHL, between the Toronto Marlies and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, tallying 27 points (11G / 16A) in 94 games. He was recalled from the AHL last week and has played one game, averaging 7:19 time-on-ice and recording two hits.
Line Change
Zac Jones will draw back into the Rangers' lineup Tuesday vs. Toronto.
Jones will re-enter the Rangers lineup as K'Andre Miller will not suit up due to personal reasons. The 23-year-old Jones has not played since November 27th and has three points (0G / 3A), averaging 13:16 through 11 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.