Line Change
Wagner will be a healthy scratch for Game 3.
Wagner played in the first two games of the series, registering four shots while averaging 13:00 TOI/gm. Wagner will be replaced by Karson Kuhlman in Game 3.
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NHL Scratches & Line Changes
Line Change
Kuhlman will be back in the Bruins lineup for Game 3.
This will be Kuhlman’s first game in the second-round after being a healthy scratch following the Bruins Game 7 win. Kuhlman has one assist and seven shots while averaging 10:21 TOI/gm in five games in the postseason. Kuhlman, who will skate with David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk, will replace Chris Wagner in the lineup.
Line Change
Kuhlman will be a healthy scratch in Game 1 vs. Columbus.
Kuhlman shuffled in and out of the Bruins lineup vs. Toronto and was held to one assist and seven shots in five appearances in the series. Kuhlman will be replaced by Chris Wagner in Game 1 vs. the Blue Jackets.
Line Change
Wagner will be back in the Bruins lineup for Game 1.
Wagner has been a healthy scratch since Game 5 vs. Toronto but will replace Karson Kuhlman in Game 1 vs. Columbus. Wagner, who is an effective fourth liner, had no points and just five shots in five games against the Maple Leafs.
Clifton will draw back into the Bruins lineup for Game 1 vs. the Blue Jackets.
Clifton has been a healthy scratch since Game 2 vs. Toronto, but will replace John Moore, who is out with an upper-body injury. Clifton had just one shot while averaging 12:14 TOI/gm through two games vs. Toronto.
Line Change
Neal will be a healthy scratch in Game 5.
Neal has struggled to get anything going against the Avalanche, failing to record a point with seven shots and a minus-3 rating. Neal will be replaced by Austin Czarnik on the Flames’ third-line.
Line Change
Czarnik will draw into the Flames lineup for Game 5.
Czarnik has been a healthy scratch for the first four games of the playoffs but will replace James Neal on the third line in Game 5. The 26-year-old had six goals and 12 assists (18 points) in 54 games this season.
Line Change
Thornton (suspension) will be back in the Sharks lineup for Game 5.
Thornton was suspended for Game 4 but will replace Lukas Radil in the lineup for Game 5, and will skate with Marcus Sorensen and Kevin Labanc. Thornton has a point in each game, scoring one goal on eight shots with two assists through three games in the series.
Line Change
Brown is expected to draw into the Hurricanes lineup in Game 4.
Brown will make his season debut in Game 4 of the first-round because Micheal Ferland is out with an upper-body injury. Brown spent the entire season with Charlotte (AHL), where he was tied for fourth on the team in goals (19) and 11th in points (35) through 70 games.
Line Change
Maenalanen is expected to draw into the Hurricanes lineup in Game 4.
Maenalanen split his season between the NHL and AHL, totalling eight points (4G / 4A) in 34 games with the Hurricanes and 14 points (7G / 7A) in 31 games with the Checkers. Maenalanen was a healthy scratch in Game 1 and 3 but will dress for the second time with Andrei Svechnikov scratched due to a concussion.
Line Change
Sanford will be a healthy scratch in Game 4.
Sanford played just 5:09 TOI in Game 3 and will be replaced by Robby Fabbri in the lineup for Game 4. Sanford has not recorded a point or shot in 21:42 TOI total through three playoff games.
Line Change
Fabbri will draw into the Blues lineup for Game 4.
Fabbri has been a healthy scratch for the first three games of the playoffs but will replace Zach Sanford on the fourth line. Sanford had an extremely quiet season, scoring two goals with four assists (six points) in 32 games.
Line Change
Fedun will be a healthy scratch in Game 3.
Fedun averaged just 8:16 TOI/gm through the first two games of the series and will be replaced by Jamie Oleksiak in Game 3. Fedun failed to record a point with one shot and a minus-2 rating in Games 1 and 2.
Line Change
Oleksiak will draw into the Stars lineup for Game 3.
Oleksiak was a healthy scratch for the first two games of the series but will replace Taylor Fedun in Game 3. Oleksiak had 12 points (4G / 8A) in 57 games this season.
Girard (undisclosed) will not play in Game 3.
Girard is dealing with an injury, missed the morning skate and will not play in Game 3 vs. the Flames. Luckily for the Avalanche, they signed top prospect Cale Makar on Sunday and he will replace Girard in the lineup and on the second power-play unit.
Line Change
Makar will make his NHL debut in Game 3.
Makar signed his entry-level contract on Sunday and will immediately draw into the Avalanche lineup in Game 3. Makar won the Hobey Baker Award and will be paired with Patrik Nemeth and quarterback the second power-play unit.
Line Change
Kampfer will draw into the Bruins lineup for Game 3.
Kampfer was a healthy scratch for the first two games of the season but will replace Connor Clifton (undisclosed) in the lineup in Game 3. Kampfer had three goals and three assists (six points) in 35 games this season.
Line Change
Johansson is expected to be a healthy scratch in Game 2.
Line Change
Backes will be back in the Bruins lineup in Game 2.
Backes was a healthy scratch for Game 1 but will play in Game 2 following a 4-1 loss in the series oopener. There is no official word on who Backes will replace in the lineup, but he is expected to take Danton Heinen's spot on the third line.
Line Change
Maatta may be a healthy scratch in Game 2.
Both Maatta and Marcus Pettersson struggled in Game 1 and Jack Johnson is expected to replace Maatta in Game 2. Maata was a minus-2 in 18:44 TOI on Wednesday.
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.