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NHL Scratches & Line Changes

Trey Fix-Wolansky(RW)|NYR
Line Change
Line Change
Fix-Wolansky will make his season debut on Thursday.

Fix-Wolansky has 16 points (4G / 12A) in 11 games with the Cleveland Monsters this season and 87 points (33G / 54A) in 72 games dating back to the beginning of the 2022-23 campaign. The seventh-round pick of the Blue Jackets in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has yet to make his mark at the NHL level, scoring only three points (2G / 1A) in 15 career games, but could make his Blue Jackets season debut on Thursday.

Source:
Brian Hedger 2023-11-16T23:46:18.127Z
Trey Fix-Wolansky
Colin Miller(D)|WPG
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Line Change
Miller will make his Devils debut in Pittsburgh on Thursday.

Miller has yet to play this season for New Jersey this season due to a lower-body injury. The 30-year-old was acquired in the offseason for a 2025 fifth-round pick from Dallas after he had six goals, 15 assists, 106 SOG, 37 PIMs and a +23 plus/minus through 79 games in 2022-23

Source:
Matt Loughlin 2023-11-16T23:45:28.574Z
Colin Miller
Kevin Labanc(RW)|FA
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Line Change
Kevin Labanc will be a healthy scratch Thursday vs. St. Louis.

Labanc has struggled in 2023-24 with no goals, two assists, 17 SOG, six PIMs and a -8 plus/minus through 12 games and will be a healthy scratch Thursday vs. St. Louis. The 27-year-old right-winger will be replaced by Anthony Duclair (illness) who is returning after a three-game absence.

Source:
Max Miller 2023-11-16T21:09:35.675Z
Kevin Labanc
Marc-Edouard Vlasic(D)|FA
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Line Change
Marc-Edouard Vlasic will be a healthy scratch Thursday vs. St. Louis.

Vlasic has yet to pick up a point through 13 games this season while averaging just 13:54 TOI and will be the odd man out of San Jose's lineup as he is replaced by Kyle Burroughs. The 36-year-old veteran is in his 18th NHL season and has struggled to create any type of offence as he has a -8 plus/minus and only 10 SOG.

Source:
Max Miller 2023-11-16T21:15:23.343Z
Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Alex Laferriere(RW)|LAK
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Line Change
Alex Laferriere will be a healthy scratch Thursday vs. Florida.

Laferriere has played all 14 games with the Kings this season, registering three points (2G / 1A) and 28 shots on goal. The first-year winger has most recently played on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Arthur Kaliyev and will be replaced by Jared Anderson-Dolan on Thursday.

Source:
Zach Dooley 2023-11-16T19:31:39.253Z
Alex Laferriere
Jaret Anderson-Dolan(C)|WPG
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Line Change
Jared Anderson-Dolan will draw back into the Kings' lineup Thursday vs. Florida.

Alex Laferriere will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Anderson-Dolan to draw back into the Kings' lineup and take his spot on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Arthur Kaliyev. Anderson-Dolan has played one game with the Kings this season, recording zero points and firing one shot on goal in 6:51 time-on-ice.

Source:
Zach Dooley 2023-11-16T19:33:39.385Z
Jaret Anderson-Dolan
Isaak Phillips(D)|WPG
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Line Change
Isaak Phillips will draw back into the Blackhawks' lineup vs. Tampa Bay.

With Nikita Zaitsev away from the team, tending to a personal matter, Phillips will draw back into the lineup for the Blackhawks. In his only game this season, Phillips played 17:25 time-on-ice, recorded one shot, four penalty minutes, and a -1 plus/minus.

Source:
Mark Lazerus 2023-11-16T17:58:49.295Z
Isaak Phillips
Michael Pezzetta(LW)|TOR
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Line Change
Michale Pezzetta will draw back into the Canadiens' lineup Thursday vs. Vegas.

Pezzetta will return to the lineup after not playing in the Canadiens' most recent game, drawing in for an injured Rafael Harvey-Pinard (lower body). Pezzetta has two points (1G / 1A) in 12 games, averaging 7:46 time-on-ice, and is expected to suit up on the fourth line with Jesse Ylonen and Jake Evans.

Source:
Arpon Basu 2023-11-16T17:20:22.530Z
Michael Pezzetta
Mark Friedman(D)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Mark Friedman will draw back into the Canucks' lineup Wednesday vs. the New York Islanders.

Friedman was a healthy scratch for the Canucks' previous contest but will draw back into the lineup Wednesday as Carson Soucy (foot) heads to the injured reserve. The 27-year-old defensemen has played solid since being acquired from Pittsburgh in a trade earlier this season, with one assist, six SOG, nine PIMs and a +3 plus/minus in 11 games played. He is expected to pair with Noah Juulsen on Vancouver's third defensive unit Wednesday.

Source:
Jeff Paterson 2023-11-15T20:04:46.577Z
Mark Friedman
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare(RW)|FA
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Line Change
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare will draw back into the Kraken lineup Wednesday vs. Edmonton.

Bellemare has not played since November 7th but will re-enter the Kraken lineup on Wednesday, likely on the fourth line with Tye Kartier and Kailer Yamamoto. In 13 games this season, Bellemare is averaging 9:16 time-on-ice and has a single point (1G / 0A).

Source:
Mike Benton 2023-11-15T18:50:44.433Z
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare
Egor Zamula(D)|CBJ
Line Change
Line Change
Egor Zamula will draw back into the Flyers' lineup Wednesday vs. Carolina.

Zamula will return to the lineup for the Flyers after being a healthy scratch in their most recent contest. The 22-year-old Russian defenceman is off to a solid start this season, tallying four points (1G / 3A), 12 shots, and a +9 plus/minus rating while averaging 16:19 time-on-ice through 14 games.

Source:
Jackie Spiegel 2023-11-15T16:47:41.889Z
Egor Zamula

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.