Line Change
Jakub Zboril will draw back into the Bruins' lineup Thursday vs. Columbus.
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NHL Scratches & Line Changes
Line Change
Jakub Lauko will draw back into the Bruins' lineup Thursday vs. Columbus.
Line Change
Ben Hutton will draw back into the Golden Knights' lineup Thursday.
Hutton was a healthy scratch for the Golden Knights' previous game but will draw into the lineup Thursday vs. San Jose as he replaced the injured Shea Theodore. The 29-year-old has two goals, an assist, 43 SOG, six PIMs and a -2 plus/minus through 23 games this season.
Simon Edvinsson is expected to draw back into the Red Wings' lineup Thursday vs. Carolina.
Edvinsson has a goal, four SOG, six PIMs and a -1 plus/minus through three games played and was a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Pittsburgh but will draw back into the lineup Thursday vs. Carolina. The 20-year-old will replace Gustav Lindstrom in the Wings' lineup.
Line Change
Pyotr Kochetkov has been reassigned to the Chicago Wolves (AHL).
Kochetkov was 12-7-5 with a 2.44 GAA and .909 SV% with Carolina but has been assigned to Chicago (AHL) on Wednesday. The 23-year-old returns to Chicago, where he is .13-5-2 with a 2.39 GAA and .916 SV%.
Line Change
Haydn Fleury will draw back into the Lightnings' lineup Tuesday vs. Carolina.
Line Change
Ian Cole will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Carolina.
Line Change
Arthur Kaliyev will draw back into the Kings' lineup Tuesday vs. Calgary.
Kaliyev has been a healthy scratch for the Kings' previous three games but will draw back into the lineup Tuesday vs. Calgary as he replaces Jaret Anderson-Dolan. The 21-year-old has 11 goals, 13 assists, 104 SOG, 10 PIMs and a -4 plus/minus through 47 games played this season.
Line Change
Jaret Anderson-Dolan will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Calgary.
Anderson-Dolan has seven goals, five assists, 54 SOG, two PIMs and a -10 plus/minus through 44 games played but will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Calgary. The 23-year-old will be replaced by Arthur Kaliyev in the Kings' lineup.
Line Change
Farrell will make his NHL debut on Tuesday.
Farrell had 20 goals, 33 assists, 12 PIMs and a +21 plus/minus through 34 games with Harvard University (NCAA) this season and is expected to make his NHL debut Tuesday. The 21-year-old was the Canadiens' 2020 fourth-round pick (124 overall).
Line Change
Joel Hanley will draw back into the Stars' lineup Tuesday.
Hanley was a healthy scratch for the Stars' previous two games but will draw back into the lineup Tuesday as a replacement for Nils Lundkvist. The 31-year-old has an assist, 13 SOG, 15 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 23 games this season.
Line Change
Nils Lundkvist will be a healthy scratch Tuesday.
Lundkvist has six goals, 10 assists, 94 SOG, 26 PIMs and a -5 plus/minus through 60 games played but will be a healthy scratch Tuesday. Joel Hanley will replace Lundkvist in the Stars' lineup.
Line Change
Billy Sweezey will draw into the Blue Jackets' lineup Tuesday vs. the Rangers.
Sweezey had 11 assists, 62 PIMs and a -12 plus/minus in 52 games with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) and was recalled Monday on an emergency basis and will draw into the lineup Tuesday vs. the New York Rangers. The 27-year-old returns to Columbus for a second time this season, having failed to pick up a point in his one-game showing with the Blue Jackets earlier this season.
Edvinsson will be scratched Tuesday vs. the Penguins.
Edvinsson has a goal, four SOG, six PIMs and a -1 plus/minus through three games played but will be a healthy scratch Tuesday vs. Pittsburgh. The 20-year-old will be replaced by Gustav Lindstrom in the Wings' lineup.
Line Change
Hirose will make his season debut on Tuesday.
Hirose had 15 goals, 39 assists, and 12 PIMs through 64 games with Grand Rapids (AHL) and has been recalled Tuesday with the expectation to make his season debut. The 26-year-old has previously played in 57 NHL games played, with four goals, 20 points and a -15 plus/minus.
Line Change
Greer has served his one-game suspension and is expected to be back in the Bruins lineup on Tuesday.
Greer was suspended for one game for cross-checking Montreal's Mike Hoffman but will return to the Bruins' lineup Tuesday vs. Nashville. The 26-year-old has five goals, six assists, 54 SOG, 85 PIMs and a +9 plus/minus through 53 games played prior to his suspension.
Line Change
Braun will draw back into the Flyers lineup on Tuesday.
Braun has been a healthy scratch since March 11th and will draw back into the lineup Tuesday as the Flyers take on the Canadiens. The 36-year-old stay-at-home defenseman has two assists, 35 SOG, 19 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus through 44 games this season.
Line Change
Jayson Megna will draw back into the Ducks' lineup Monday vs. Colorado.
Megna was a healthy scratch for the Ducks' previous game but will draw back into the lineup Monday vs. Colorado. The 33-year-old has two goals, five assists, 31 SOG, and a -19 plus/minus through 51 games with Anaheim and Colorado this season.
Line Change
Jon Merrill will draw back into the Wilds' lineup Monday vs. Seattle.
Merrill was a healthy scratch for the Wilds' previous game but will draw back into the lineup Monday vs. Seattle as he replaced Calen Addison. The 31-year-old has two goals, eight assists, 39 SOG, 30 PIMs and a -3 plus/minus through 65 games played this season.
Line Change
Calen Addison will be a healthy scratch Monday vs. Seattle.
Addison has three goals, 25 assists, 74 SOG, 22 PIMs and a -16 plus/minus through 60 games played but will head to the press box Monday as a healthy scratch. Jon Merrill will replace the 22-year-old in the Wilds' lineup.
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.