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NHL Scratches & Line Changes

Tyler Motte(C)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Motte expected to play with Patrick Kane and Artem Anisimov on Friday.

Motte picked up one assist in 12:16 in his NHL debut on Wednesday and will be rewarded by being bumped up to the second line tonight. In the Blackhawks’ morning skate, Motte skated with Kane in Anisimov, a spot usually reserved for Artemi Panarin, who was moved to the top line with Jonathan Toews. Marian Hossa was bumped out of the top-6—this is a look the Hawks gave in the preseason, let’s see how it works out in Nashville tonight.

Source:
Tracey Myers 2016-10-14T12:40:36.000Z
Tyler Motte
Kyle Quincey(D)|
Line Change
Line Change
Quincey (lower-body) has been activated from IR and will make his Devils’ debut on Thursday.

Quincey signed a one-year deal with the Devils a few weeks ago and will play on the third pair with Johann Auvitu on Thursday. Steven Santina will sit in the press box so that Quincey can play. He had just 11 points (4G / 7A) in 47 games with the Red Wings last year.

Source:
@NJDevilsPR 2016-10-13T13:18:51.000Z
Kyle Quincey
Magnus Paajarvi(LW)|
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Line Change
Paajarvi will replace Dmitrij Jaskin in the lineup on Thursday.

Paajarvi sat out of the Blues’ season opener on Wednesday, but will replace Jaskin in the lineup tonight vs. the Wild. The 25-year-old former first round pick had just nine points (3G / 6A) in 48 games last year.

Source:
Lou Korac 2016-10-13T13:08:02.000Z
Magnus Paajarvi
Tobias Rieder(C)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Rieder cleared up his work visa and will play in the Coyotes’ season opener on Saturday.

Rieder had not skated with the Coyotes since signing his two-year extension two weeks go. On Wednesday, he got back on the ice and skated on the Coyotes’ second line with Christian Dvorak and Anthony Duclair. Rieder played well in the World Cup of Hockey and could be poised for a breakout year in the Arizona top-6.

Source:
Sarah McLellan 2016-10-13T10:35:40.000Z
Tobias Rieder
Kris Versteeg(RW)|
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Line Change
Versteeg is expected to make his Flames’ debut on the top line.

Versteeg signed with the Flames on Tuesday and it looks like he will play with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan in his debut tonight. Versteeg has a chance to sting the Oilers right away after deciding to sign with their rival instead.

Source:
Pat Steinberg 2016-10-12T13:55:27.000Z
Kris Versteeg
Travis Konecny(RW)|PHI
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Line Change
Konecny has made the Flyers’ opening night roster.

Konecny, 19, was the 24th overall selection in 2015 and made the Flyers’ opening night roster following a great training camp. Konecny had 101 points (30G / 71A) in 60 games between the Ottawa 67’s and Sarnia Sting (OHL) last year and will star this year in the Flyers’ top-6 on a line with Sean Couturier and Jakub Voracek.

Source:
Dave Isaac 2016-10-10T15:29:04.000Z
Travis Konecny
Connor Hellebuyck(G)|WPG
Line Change
Line Change
Hellebuyck has made the Jets’ opening night roster.

Hellebuyck is the goalie of the future in Winnipeg and they know that, so that’s why the waived Ondrej Pavelec this afternoon and named Hellebuyck to the opening night roster. Hellebuyck had 13 wins with a 2.34 GAA and .918 SV% in his first NHL season and should serve as their No.1 netminder ahead of Michael Hutchinson this season. Hellebuyck gets a huge bump in goalie rankings following this latest development.

Source:
Braeden Jones 2016-10-10T15:22:10.000Z
Connor Hellebuyck
Denis Malgin(C)|FA
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Line Change
Malgin is expected to make the Panthers out of training camp.

Malgin, 19, was a fourth round pick (102nd overall) in the 2015 draft and he is expected to make the Panthers after Nick Bjugstad suffered a hand injury in training camp. Malgin spent last season in his native country of Switzerland, where he registered 17 points (5G / 12A) in 38 games with Zurich SC.

Source:
Harvey Fialkov 2016-10-09T13:36:51.000Z
Denis Malgin
Kris Russell(LD)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Russell to play on Oilers’ second pair with Andrej Sekera.

Following the trade of Nail Yakupov, the Oilers signed Russell to a one-year, $3.1 million deal and he will solidify their second pairing with Sekera. Both are left-handed shots, but both are equally capable of playing the right-side, however Russell will start there. If used in the right capacity, Russell can be a solid second-pair defenseman, but his ugly possession numbers speak for themselves. His signing likely push righty Mark Fayne to the press box.

Source:
Jim Matheson 2016-10-09T11:15:02.000Z
Kris Russell
Scott Wilson(C)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Wilson expected to start the year on Evgeni Malkin’s wing.

Wilson led the Penguins in preseason scoring, picking up two goals and three assists in five games. With Bryan Rust still sidelined with an undisclosed injury, Wilson is expected to start the season with a top six role on Malkin’s wing. The 24-year-old winger had 36 points (22G / 14A) in 34 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) last year and six points (5G / 1A) in 24 games with the Penguins.

Source:
Jonathan Bombulie 2016-10-09T11:10:09.000Z
Scott Wilson
Tyler Motte(C)|FA
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Line Change
Motte likely to start the season with the Blackhawks.

Motte, 21, was a standout at the University of Michigan last season, picking up 32 goals and 24 assists (56 points) in 38 games. His decision to leave Michigan to try and make the Blackhawks appears to have been a good one as it looks like the 21-year-old will not only start the season in Chicago, but start on a line with Artem Anisimov and Patrick Kane.

Source:
Chris Hine 2016-10-09T11:03:37.000Z
Tyler Motte
Ryan Hartman(RW)|MIN
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Line Change
Hartman to make Blackhawks out of training camp.

Hartman has the unenviable task of trying to replaced the beloved Andrew Shaw in Chicago. The former first round pick (30th overall in 2013) had 35 points (15G / 20A) in 61 games with Rockford (AHL) last season and one assist in three NHL games. He is expected to make the team and start on a hybrid checking/scoring line with Marcus Kruger and Marian Hossa.

Source:
Mark Lazerus 2016-10-09T11:01:30.000Z
Ryan Hartman

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.