NHL Hockey Player News

Paul Byron(C)|MON
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Paul Byron makes season debut tonight.

There is no word on who will come out for the Flames but Byron is in. Byron has five goals and 13 assists in 23 games with Abbotsford (AHL) this season. Byron is a 24-year-old centre who was drafted 178th overall in 2007 and has spent the three seasons in the Flames system.

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Pat Steinberg 2013-11-30T14:56:14.000Z
Paul Byron
Teemu Selanne(RW)|FA
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Selanne (rest) did not make the trip to San Jose and won't play tonight.

As expected Selanne will sit and rest with the Ducks in the second game of a back-to-back. The veteran has struggled this season, he has not recorded a point since October 27 - a span of 12 games. It has been 15 games since he has scored his last goal.

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Kevin Kurz 2013-11-30T13:22:13.000Z
Teemu Selanne
Martin Erat(RW)|FA
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Erat will be in the Capitals lineup tonight.

This will be the first time that Erat has dressed since demanding a trade earlier in the week. It has been a tough season for the 32-year-old who has tallied just six assists in 23 games. He is expected to dress on the fourth line with Michael Latta being sent down this morning.

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Mike Vogel 2013-11-30T11:43:15.000Z
Martin Erat
Calvin de Haan(D)|NYR
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de Haan will make his season debut tonight against Washington.

de Haan was recalled on Thursday, but was a healthy scratch on Friday. He will be inserted into the lineup tonight with Radek Martinek coming out. The 2009 12th overall pick has just one game of NHL experience (2011-12). In 17 games with Bridgeport (AHL) this season he had one goal and two assists. He was a good offensive defenseman in the OHL, but has yet to excel offensively in the AHL to this point (2G / 18A in 76 games).

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Arthur Staple 2013-11-30T11:05:13.000Z
Calvin de Haan
Josh Bailey(LW)|FA
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Bailey returns to the Islanders lineup tonight after being a healthy scratch on Friday.

The Islanders are hoping that the night off helps spark some offence in Bailey who has just two assists in 13 games in November. He has four goals and 10 points in 25 games on the season, but the Isles are looking for more from a forward who plays in the top-6 on a nightly basis. Brock Nelson comes out of the lineup in favour of Bailey.

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Arthur Staple 2013-11-30T11:00:09.000Z
Josh Bailey
Josh Bailey(LW)|FA
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Struggling Josh Bailey is a healthy scratch; Colin MacDonald is in.

Bailey has four goals and six assists in 25 games, however he has just two assists and a minus-3 rating in 13 games in November. Bailey has 11 goals and eight assists in 38 games last season, so he has clearly taken a step back to begin the season.

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Mark Herrmann 2013-11-29T16:28:20.000Z
Josh Bailey
Peter Holland(C)|
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Holland appears to be a healthy scratch tonight for the Maple Leafs.

It would be the second time in three games that Holland has been scratched. He is expected to take a seat while Jay McClement shifts back to center and Carter Ashton draws in on the wing. Holland has one goal while averaging 12:32 TOI in five games with Toronto since coming over from Anaheim.

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Paul Hendrick 2013-11-29T14:42:24.000Z
Peter Holland
Matt Irwin(LD)|FA
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Matt Irwin in; Jason Demers out.

A healthy scratch for the last six games, Sharks defenseman Matt Irwin will return to the lineup against the Kings on Wednesday. “It’s just time to get him playing again. He shoots the puck a lot, he gives the power play a bit of a pop, and he’ll get that opportunity,” head coach Todd McLellan said. Irwin will be paired with Dan Boyle, while Justin Braun and Marc-Edouard Vlasic will reunite. The third pair will be Brad Stuart and Scott Hannan.

Source:
Kevin Kurz 2013-11-27T15:17:47.000Z
Matt Irwin
Connor Murphy(D)|CHI
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Connor Murphy who was just recalled from Portland (AHL) was on the ice this morning and will play tonight.

The Coyotes placed Rostislav Klesla on waivers yesterday, he cleared so likely going to the AHL, so Murphy will be in the lineup tonight. Murphy played 22:32 and scored his first career goal in his NHL debut on November 16. He scored in the NHL before he scored in the AHL, posting five assists in 12 games with Portland.

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Sarah McLellan 2013-11-27T13:59:02.000Z
Connor Murphy
David Booth(LW)|
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David Booth in; Jeremy Welsh likely out.

Booth was a healthy scratch for the third straight game on Saturday, but will get back in the lineup tonight vs. Los Angeles. In 13 games this season Booth has one goal and two assists. Booth is expected to skate on the fourth line.

Source:
Elliott Pap 2013-11-25T15:09:59.000Z
David Booth

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.