Line Change
Tyson Barrier will make his Predators' debut Thursday vs. Florida.
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NHL Scratches & Line Changes
Gavrikov will make his Kings debut on Thursday.
Gavrikov was dealt to Los Angeles on Tuesday and will make his Kings' debut Thursday vs. Montreal. The 27-year-old has not played since February 11th, but has three goals, seven assists, 61 SOG and 30 PIMs through 52 games with Columbus this season.
Line Change
Anderson will be a healthy scratch on Thursday.
Anderson has two goals, three points, 13 SOG and a -1 plus/minus through 16 games with Toronto and Chicago but will be a healthy scratch Thursday vs. Dallas. The 24-year-old was traded as part of the Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty deal earlier in the week.
Mitchell will be a healthy scratch on Thursday.
Mitchell has a goal, four assists, 20 SOG, and a -11 plus/minus through 24 games this season but will be a healthy scratch Thursday as Chicago takes on Dallas.
Line Change
Seney will be back in the Blackhawks lineup on Thursday.
Seen was a healthy scratch for the Blackhawks' previous game but will draw back into the lineup Thursday vs. Dallas as he takes Ian Mitchell's spot in Chicago's lineup. The 27-year-old has a goal, seven SOG, and a -1 plus/minus through six games this season when in the lineup.
Line Change
Reichel will draw into the Blackhawks lineup on Thursday.
Reichel had 17 goals, 29 assists, 12 PIMs and a -13 plus/minus through 51 games with Rockford (AHL) and has been recalled to Chicago for his second time Thursday and will draw into the lineup. In his previous callup, the 20-year-old had a goal and two assists through four games.
Line Change
Vrana will be a healthy scratch on Thursday.
Vrana has failed to pick up a point in three games since getting the call-up to Detroit in late February but will be a healthy scratch Thursday as he is replaced by Adam Erne in Detroit's lineup. The 27-year-old has a goal and an assist to go along with seven SOG through five games played this season.
Jakob Chychrun will be a game-time decision Thursday vs. the New York Rangers.
Chychrun was traded to the Senators' on Wednesday and is back at the team hotel Thursday, making him a game-time decision for his debut. The 24-year-old had seven goals, 21 assists, 114 SOG, 22 PIMs and a +8 plus/minus through 36 games with Arizona.
Rasmus Sandin will not make his debut Wednesday vs. Anaheim.
Line Change
Lars Eller will make his Colorado Avalanche debut Wednesday.
Eller has seven goals, nine assists, 101 SOG, 36 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus through 60 games played with the Washington Capitals and has been traded to the Avalanche for a 2025 second-round pick Wednesday and will draw into Colorado's lineup.
Line Change
Nick Bjugstad will be a healthy scratch Wednesday due to trade-related reasons.
Line Change
Sam Lafferty will make his Maple Leafs' debut Wednesday.
Lafferty had 10 goals, 11 assists, 83 SOG, 28 PIMs and a -10 plus/minus through 51 games played with the Blackhawks but has been dealt alongside Jake McCabe, a conditional 2024 5th round pick, and a conditional 2025 5th round pick from the Blackhawks for Joey Anderson, Pavel Gogolev, a conditional 2025 1st round pick, and a 2026 2nd round pick. He will make his Toronto debut on Wednesday.
Line Change
Marcus Johansson will make his Minnesota debut Thursday vs. Vancouver.
Shayne Gostibehere will be a game-time decision to make his Hurricanes' debut Wednesday vs. Vegas.
Gostisbehere has 10 goals, 21 assists, 115 SOG, 28 PIMs and a -6 plus/minus through 52 games this season with Arizona and has been traded to Carolina for a 2026 3rd-round pick and is attempting to make it the Hurricanes' game in Vegas Wednesday. He is considered a game-time decision prior to the matchup.
Line Change
Mattias Ekholm will make his Oilers debut Wednesday vs. Toronto.
Ekholm had five goals, 13 assists, 99 SOG, and 24 PIMs across 57 games played with the Nashville Predators and has been acquired alongside a sixth-round pick from the Predators for Tyson Barrie, Reid Schaefer, a 2023 first-round pick and a fourth-round pick. He will make his Oilers' debut Wednesday vs. Toronto.
Line Change
Sam Carrick will draw back into the Ducks' lineup Wednesday vs. Washington.
Carrick was a healthy scratch for the Ducks' previous game but will draw back into the lineup Wednesday vs. Washington. The 31-year-old has three goals, two assists, 42 SOG, 68 PIMs and a -19 plus/minus through 43 games this season.
Line Change
Jayson Megna will be a healthy scratch Wednesday vs. Washington.
Megna has a goal, five assists, 25 SOG, four PIMs and a -13 plus/minus through 33 games this season but will be a healthy scratch Wednesday. Sam Carrick will take his spot in the Ducks' lineup.
Line Change
Scott Harrington will make his Ducks' debut Wednesday vs. Washington.
Harrington was traded from San Jose as part of the Timo Meier blockbuster move and waived and claimed Tuesday and is expected to make his Ducks' debut Wednesday. The 29-year-old defenseman has a goal, six assists, 22 SOG and a -7 plus/minus through 28 games with the San Jose Sharks this season.
Line Change
Lars Eller will be a game-time decision Wednesday after being traded from Washington earlier in the day.
Eller has seven goals, nine assists, 101 SOG, 36 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus through 60 games played with the Washington Capitals and has been traded to the Avalanche for a 2025 second-round pick Wednesday and has a chance to draw into Colorado's lineup.
Line Change
Colton White is expected to draw back into the Ducks' lineup Wednesday.
White has been a healthy scratch for the Ducks' previous two games but is expected to draw back into the lineup Wednesday. The 25-year-old has four assists, 20 SOG, six PIMs and a -8 plus/minus through 26 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.