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NHL Scratches & Line Changes

Antoine Roussel(LW)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Roussel in; Dustin Jeffrey out.

Roussel was a healthy scratch last night, but will return to the lineup tonight vs. the Rangers. Roussel has become on of the NHL's premiere "pests" and is a serviceable asset in leagues that include PIMs. He currently leads all players with a 109 PIMs and his 15 points (8G / 7A) is tops among players in the top-10 in PIMs.

Source:
Mike Heika 2014-01-10T15:39:42.000Z
Antoine Roussel
David Booth(LW)|
Line Change
Line Change
Booth will be a healthy scratch for the second straight game.

Booth has not recorded a point in his last five games and only has 10 points (5G / 5A) in 32 games this season. The one-time 30-goal scorer and three-time 20-goal man is just a shade of his former self.

Source:
Farhan Lalji 2014-01-10T14:39:32.000Z
David Booth
Sam Gagner(C)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Gagner will shift to the wing and play on the Oilers top line tonight.

Gagner will skate with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Taylor Hall against the Penguins tonight. After a breakout year in 2012-13 (14G / 24A), Gagner has taken a step back this season. He has recorded 17 points (5G / 12A) with a terrible minus-17 in 33 games. That puts him on pace for a career-low 36 points, which is two lower than he had in last years shortened campaign.

Source:
@EdmontonOilers 2014-01-10T14:11:53.000Z
Sam Gagner
Dustin Byfuglien(RD)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Byfuglien will play forward against the Blue Jackets on Saturday.

The Jets have been struggling lately, they have lost four straight games and now sit at 19-22-5. They have moved Byfuglien onto the first line with Bryan Little and Andrew Ladd, while Blake Wheeler has been bumped to the third line. Byfuglien played forward during his days in Chicago and at 6-foot-5, 265 lbs. he makes one big power-forward. He has tallied 34 points (10G / 24A) in 46 games this season.

Source:
Darrin Bauming 2014-01-10T13:13:49.000Z
Dustin Byfuglien
Marcus Kruger(C)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Coach Quenneville says they're going to try Kruger at second line center more; he will start there on Saturday.

Kruger has played on the second line sparingly this season and saw some time there last year. He has 18 points (4G / 14A) in 46 games. He receives a boost in fantasy value while he is skating with Patrick Kane and Kris Versteeg. He makes for an interesting choice in one-day fantasy leagues.

Source:
@ESPNChiHawks 2014-01-09T14:25:30.000Z
Marcus Kruger
Jonathon Blum(D)|
Line Change
Line Change
Blum in; Keith Ballard out.

Blum will make his Wild debut tonight vs. the Coyotes. Blum spent his entire career with the Predators organization, he has played three NHL season totalling 22 points (7G / 15A) in 91 games. In Iowa (AHL) this season he has four goals and 13 assists in 31 games.

Source:
Michael Russo 2014-01-09T13:54:27.000Z
Jonathon Blum
Jakob Silfverberg(LW)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Silfverberg will be a healthy scratch tonight; Tim Jackman is in.

Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau is trying to rest his team leading up to the Olympic break and also does not want one player sitting for too long. It is definitely frustrating for fantasy owners, because it can be difficult to keep up with. I don't believe this healthy scratch is performance related seeing as how Silfverberg has recorded four assists in his last five games.

Source:
Eric Stephens 2014-01-09T13:50:57.000Z
Jakob Silfverberg
Jay Harrison(D)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Harrison is taking warmups, but not line rushes, so he will not be in the lineup vs. the Predators.

Despite being activated from IR this afternoon, Harrison will not dress tonight. Having won three straight games, there is no reason for head coach Kirk Muller to shake up his D-pairings. The Hurricanes are in Buffalo on Tuesday, Harrison could return to the lineup then.

Source:
Chip Alexander 2014-01-05T18:46:31.000Z
Jay Harrison
Danny Briere(C)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Briere in; Ryan White out.

Briere is centring the Habs fourth line in the morning skate which suggests he will play tonight after being a healthy scratch in the last two games. Briere has been a big disappointment for Montreal this season, he has 10 points (5G / 5A) in 29 games while averaging just 12:38 TOI.

Source:
Jessica Rusnak 2014-01-04T10:40:49.000Z
Danny Briere
James Neal(RW)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Neal is skating on the Penguins top-line with Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz.

Neal has skated on this line for a few shifts in recent games, but it appears he will skate there in tonight's game vs. the Rangers. Skating with Crosby should obviously help Neal rack up the points. He has four goals and five assists in six games since returning from his five-game suspension. He has totalled 30 points (14G / 16A) in 22 games.

Source:
Shelly Anderson 2014-01-03T11:02:40.000Z
James Neal
John-Michael Liles(D)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
After being traded to the Hurricanes on Wednesday, Liles will be in the lineup tonight.

Liles will be paired with rookie Ryan Murphy and will also play the point on their first power-play unit. Liles is a solid offensive defenseman who has more value with his new club than he did with the Maple Leafs. He should see regular minutes and ample power-play time.

Source:
Chip Alexander 2014-01-02T14:52:01.000Z
John-Michael Liles
Nail Yakupov(RW)|FA
Line Change
Line Change
Yakupov returns to the Oilers lineup tonight.

Yakupov was a healthy scratch in the Oilers last game, but will play tonight vs. the Sharks. He has not played over 10 minutes in his last four games, but should tonight as he jumps onto the second line with Jordan Eberle and Sam Gagner.

Source:
@OilersNow 2014-01-02T14:32:24.000Z
Nail Yakupov
Alex Ovechkin(LW)|WSH
Line Change
Line Change
Alex Ovechkin, who is riding a season-long four game goal scoring drought and hasn’t recorded a point in that stretch either, was skating with Mikhail Grabovski and Eric Fehr on the second line.

Things can only go up for Ovechkin as he looks to spark his offense. Being on the second line should have no bearing in his point production and could reward him with better defensive matchups. Also look for a potential boost for Grabovski on both 5-on-5 and special teams.

Source:
Katie Carrera 2014-01-02T00:30:21.000Z
Alex Ovechkin
Frank Corrado(D)|
Line Change
Line Change
Corrado in; Andrew Alberts out.

Corrado, 20, has five points in 29 games with the American Hockey League’s Utica Comets and is minus-2 with 20 penalty minutes and 43 shots on goal. He was the Canucks' fifth round pick in 2011 NHL entry draft.

Source:
Elliott Pap 2013-12-30T16:29:33.000Z
Frank Corrado

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.