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NHL Scratches & Line Changes

Cole McWard(D)|NYI
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McWard will make his NHL debut on Thursday.

McWard had nine goals, 12 assists, eight PIMs and a -5 plus/minus through 39 games with Ohio State University (NCAA) this season and has signed a two-year, entry-level contract Tuesday. The 21-year-old undrafted defenseman will make his NHL debut on Thursday vs. the Chicago Blackhawks.

Source:
Jeff Paterson 2023-04-06T18:23:00.397Z
Cole McWard
Adam Raska(RW)|FA
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Adam Raska will make his season debut Thursday vs. Colorado.

Raska had four goals, 11 assists, 121 PIMs and a -6 plus/minus through 53 games with the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) this season and has been recalled with expectations to make his season debut for the San Jose Sharks Thursday. The 21-year-old has previously played in five career NHL games, with seven PIMs and a +1 plus/minus.

Source:
Sheng Peng 2023-04-06T17:49:22.220Z
Adam Raska
Jake Livingstone(D)|FA
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Jake Livingstone will make his NHL debut Thursday vs. Carolina.

Livingstone had eight goals, 27 assists, 30 PIMs and a +10 plus/minus through 39 games with Minnesota State University - Mankato (NCAA) this season and is expected to now make his Nashville debut Thursday vs. Carolina. The 23-year-old defenseman was an undrafted free agent who signed with Nashville last week.

Source:
Emma Lingan 2023-04-06T17:02:11.865Z
Jake Livingstone
Yegor Sharangovich(C)|CGY
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Yegor Sharangovich will draw back into the Devils' lineup Thursday vs. Columbus.

Sharangovich was a healthy scratch for the Devils' previous game but will draw back into the lineup Thursday as they take on Columbus. The 24-year-old has 13 goals, 16 assists, 123 SOG, 14 PIMs and a -6 plus/minus through 71 games so far this season.

Source:
Amanda Stein 2023-04-06T16:03:01.681Z
Yegor Sharangovich
Matthew Kessel(D)|STL
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Matt Kessel has been loaned back down to Springfield (AHL).

Kessel failed to pick up a point but had three SOG, and a -1 plus/minus through a short two-game showing with St. Louis but has been assigned back to Springfield (AHL) on loan Thursday. The 22-year-old has five goals, 26 assists, and 64 PIMs through 66 games with Springfield prior to his original promotion.

Source:
Matthew DeFranks 2023-04-06T14:07:18.117Z
Matthew Kessel
Conor Timmins(D)|BUF
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Connor Timmins will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Columbus.

Timmins has two goals, 12 assists, 15 SOG, eight PIMs and a +1 plus/minus through 23 games with Toronto this season but will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Columbus. The return of Mark Giordano (rest) and Jake McCabe (rest) make Timmins the odd man out of Toronto's lineup.

Source:
David Alter 2023-04-04T21:40:00.387Z
Conor Timmins
Jake McCabe(D)|TOR
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Jake McCabe (rest) will rejoin the Maple Leafs' lineup Tuesday vs. Columbus.

McCabe rested for the Maple Leafs' previous game but will draw back into the lineup Tuesday as the team takes on Columbus. The 29-year-old defender has three goals, 20 assists, 87 SOG, 50 PIMs and a +12 plus/minus through 70 games between Toronto and Chicago this season.

Source:
David Alter 2023-04-04T21:30:43.240Z
Jake McCabe
Mark Giordano(LD)|FA
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Mark Giordano (rest) will return to the Maple Leafs' lineup Tuesday vs. Columbus.

Giordano took a breather for the Maple Leafs' previous game but will be back in the lineup Tuesday as the Maple Leafs take on Columbus. The 39-year-old has been a model of consistency this season, with his four goals, 24 points, 101 SOG, 53 PIMs and +26 plus/minus through 74 games played.

Source:
David Alter 2023-04-04T21:32:19.959Z
Mark Giordano
Mitch Marner(RW)|VGK
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Mitch Marner (rest) will return to the Maple Leafs' lineup Tuesday vs. Columbus.

Marner rested for the Maple Leafs' previous game but will draw back into the lineup Tuesday as they take on Columbus. The 25-year-old star is just two points from his career high in points (97) as he has 28 goals, 67 assists, 180 SOG, 28 PIMs and a +16 plus/minus through 75 games played.

Source:
Jonas Siegel 2023-04-04T21:41:26.472Z
Mitch Marner
MacKenzie Entwistle(RW)|FLA
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MacKenzie Entwistle will draw back into the Blackhawks' lineup Tuesday vs. Calgary.

Entwistle was a healthy scratch for the Blackhawks' previous game and will draw back into the lineup for Anders Bjork on Tuesday vs. Calgary. The 23-year-old right winger has three goals, six assists, 43 SOG, 14 PIMs and a -11 plus/minus through 60 games this season.

Source:
Ben Pope 2023-04-04T18:39:19.362Z
MacKenzie Entwistle
Ian Mitchell(D)|TBL
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Ian Mitchell will draw back into the Blackhawks' lineup Tuesday vs. Calgary.

Mitchell has been a healthy scratch for the Blackhawks' previous three games but will draw back into the lineup Tuesday vs. Calgary as he replaces Wyatt Kaiser. The 24-year-old has a goal, six assists, 23 SOG, six PIMs and a -10 plus/minus through 31 games this season.

Source:
Ben Pope 2023-04-04T18:43:06.403Z
Ian Mitchell
Anders Bjork(LW)|FA
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Anders Bjork will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Calgary.

Bjork has three assists, and nine SOG across nine games with Chicago and Buffalo this season but will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Calgary. The 26-year-old left-winger will be replaced by MacKenzie Entwistle in the Blackhawks' lineup.

Source:
Ben Pope 2023-04-04T18:46:53.413Z
Anders Bjork
Nikita Zaitsev(RD)|FA
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Nikita Zaitsev will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Calgary.

Zaitsev has a goal, six assists, 17 SOG, 20 PIMs and a -10 plus/minus through 43 games played between Chicago and Ottawa but will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Calgary. The 31-year-old will be replaced by Jarred Tinordi in the Blackhawks lineup.

Source:
Ben Pope 2023-04-04T18:48:23.759Z
Nikita Zaitsev

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.