Line Change
With Michael Latta being reassigned Jay Beagle will make his first 2013-14 appearance for the Capitals.
Beagle has just nine goals and nine assists in 130 career NHL games.
NHL Hockey Player News
Line Change
Brenden Morrow is not on the ice for the Blues morning skate. It looks as if his Visa issue has not been resolved, meaning he will be out tonight.
Vladimir Sobotka will move into Morrow's spot on the third line and Magnus Paajarvi will slide into the lineup on the fourth line.
Line Change
Claude Julien confirms that David Krejci (back spasms) will play tonight vs Tampa Bay Lightning .
Krejci is a solid number-2 centre with a lot of upside heading into 2013-14. Get him in your lineups!
Line Change
Matt Dumba paired with Nate Prosser at skate, signifying Dumba's NHL debut will wait at least a game.
Clayton Stoner will play tonight vs. the Kings and Dumba will sit. He was the seventh overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Dumba is a good skater who likes to rush the puck. His offensive game outshines his defensive game, but he loves to throw big hits, which Wild fans will grow to love.
Line Change
If James Neal can not play tonight, Vitale will replace him on the second line with Evgeni Malkin and Jussi Jokinen.
Neal has not been ruled out just yet, and even if Vitale plays on Malkin's line, he is not fantasy relevant.
Line Change
Mathieu Perreault will start out centering Silfverberg and Selanne in his Ducks debut.
Perreault and Silfverberg combine to be 47 years old while Selanne himself is 43. Perreault is a fast, playmaker while Silfverberg has the quick wrister... And Selanne, well he is Teemu Selanne, 1430 career points, what more can you say. This line has the looks of one that can be very productive as a secondary scoring option for the Ducks.
Line Change
Pat Maroon is in tonight and Dustin Penner is out. Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau said Maroon's showing in camp was better and he earned the game tonight.
Maroon had two goals and an assist in 13 games with the Ducks last season.
Line Change
Dustin Penner will be a healthy scratch for the Ducks tonight.
Penner was given a great chance to succeed when he was reunited with his former line-mates Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry in the preseason. However, Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau was less than impressed with how Penner performed. Boudreau is likely trying to send a message to the 31-year-old winger.
Line Change
Joe Colbourne will not play in the Flames season opener vs. Washington.
Colburne was acquired by the Flames last week, but will be a healthy scratch tomorrow. With the lack of centre depth in Calgary, Colburne will get into the lineup soon enough.
Line Change
Dwight King will open the season on the Kings first line with Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams.
“Well, Dwight King was arguably the best player in training camp, so he gets to play with Anze Kopitar, who is our best player," Kings head coach Darryl Sutter said. "I know how everybody outside falls in love with numbers and names, but it’s based on performance." The move may be temporary while Dustin Brown gets back up-to-speed after missing the preseason.
Line Change
Dustin Brown will open the season on the Kings third line with Jarret Stoll and Trevor Lewis.
After missing the preseason with a hamstring injury, Brown has been bumped down to the third line because of Dwight King's impressive camp alongside Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams. The Kings like to roll all four lines so Brown will still see ample playing time on the third line. This move could be temporary as he works himself back into game shape after not playing in an exhibition game.
Line Change
With Carl Soderberg out with an injury, Jordan Caron takes his spot on the Bruins third line with Chris Kelly and Reilly Smith.
Caron had a goal and two assists in 17 games with the Bruins last season. The 2009, 25th overall pick also had 11 goals and seven assists in 47 games in the AHL.
Avalanche defensemen Nick Holden and Nate Guenin are going to alternate lineup spots in the first two games of the season. Guenin will go Wednesday vs. Anaheim, while Holden goes Friday vs. Nashville.
Holden is 26, and has spent the majority of his pro career in the Columbus Blue Jackets system. He has never registered a point in seven career NHL games.
Line Change
Avalanche defensemen Nick Holden and Nate Guenin are going to alternate lineup spots in the first two games of the season. Guenin will go Wednesday vs. Anaheim, while Holden goes Friday vs. Nashville.
Guenin is a 30-year-old blueliner who is currently with his fifth NHL team. He was a member of the Flyers, Penguins, Blue Jackets and Ducks organizations prior to arriving in Colorado. He has two goals and two assists in 32 NHL games since being drafted 127th overall in 2002.
Line Change
Tomas Hertl will begin the season on a line with Joe Thornton and Brent Burns.
The 17th overall pick in 2012 showed in the preseason that he’s skilled enough to play at an NHL level, scoring three goals and an assist in four games, and his big six-foot-two, 210-pound frame should help him better withstand the rigors of an NHL schedule. “Tomas being my linemate, it’s been a lot of fun,” Thornton said. “Me and Burnzie have been smiling a lot, just enjoying his company out there. I think with getting some young guys in here, it adds a little bit more enthusiasm in the room.” This is a great opportunity for the 19 year old and is worthy of a roster spot in deep leagues.
Line Change
Hillen-Carrick.
Washington Capitals defenseman Connor Carrick will make his NHL debut tonight alongside Jack Hillen. Carrick had 12 goals and 44 points in 68 games on the Plymouth Whalers blueline last season. He is a great puck distributor with a great shot, if he sticks on the Caps blueline he has a lot of offensive upside.
Line Change
Luke Gazdic looks like he is in for Ben Eager with Will Acton and Mike Brown.
Gazdic was just recently acquired by Edmonton via waivers and it looks like he will make his Oilers and NHL debut tonight. He is a 6-foot-4, 240 lbs. tough guy that has spent the last five years in the Dallas Stars system.
Line Change
Gardiner-Franson
Despite having a ton of success alongside Mark Fraser last season, Franson will start the season with Gardiner as his D-partner. This duo has the potential to produce a lot of offence.
Line Change
Tomas Tatar wearing gray at practice. A sure sign he is not playing Wednesday against Buffalo.
Tatar is a great talent who will get into the Red Wings lineup soon, however it will not be in the opener. Detroit will put a veteran roster on the ice on Wednesday.
Line Change
Back from clearing waivers, Cory Emmerton on ice at practice.
With Patrick Eaves going on LTIR the Red Wings have Emmerton back to fill their empty fourth line centre spot.
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.