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NHL Scratches & Line Changes

Luke Schenn(D)|WPG
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Schenn will be a scratch for Thursday's game against the Lightning.

With this being the final game before the trade deadline and Schenn presumably being healthy, scratching him seems likely to be due to roster management reasons. Logan Stanley will also join Schenn in the press box on Thursday, while Isaak Phillips and Ville Heinola will draw into the lineup.

Source:
Mike McIntyre 2026-03-06T00:34:05.861Z
Luke Schenn
Logan Stanley(D)|WPG
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Stanley will be a scratch for Thursday's game against the Lightning.

With this being the final game before the trade deadline and Stanley presumably being healthy, scratching him seems likely to be due to roster management reasons. Luke Schenn will also join Stanley in the press box on Thursday, while Isaak Phillips and Ville Heinola will draw into the lineup.

Source:
Mike McIntyre 2026-03-06T00:33:26.647Z
Logan Stanley
A.J. Greer(LW)|FLA
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Greer is a healthy scratch for Thursday's game in Columbus.

Given it's the final game before the NHL's trade deadline, there is plenty of speculation that sitting Greer tonight may be due to roster management purposes, but the Panthers have not confirmed that to be the case. Greer has appeared in 61 games this season, tallying 11 goals and 11 assists.

Source:
Jameson Olive 2026-03-05T23:50:54.918Z
A.J. Greer
Connor Murphy(D)|EDM
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Murphy will make his Oilers' debut vs. Carolina on Friday.

Edmonton, one of the NHL's worst defensive teams (3.38 GA/GP), acquired Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday to help them shore up their blueline. In 60 games with Chicago this season, the 32-year-old Murphy averaged 16:34 time-on-ice, recording 13 points (4G / 9A), 62 hits, and 87 blocks. He will make his team debut on Friday against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Source:
Tony Brar 2026-03-05T19:25:23.269Z
Connor Murphy
Andrew Mangiapane(LW)|CHI
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Mangiapane (trade) has potential to make his Chicago debut on Friday vs. Vancouver.

The Blackhawks acquired Mangiapane from the Oilers along with a conditional 2027 first-round pick in exchange for forwards Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach on Wednesday. The 29-year-old Mangiapane had a disappointing campaign with the Oilers and hopes a fresh start with the Blackhawks will serve him well. He scored 14 points (7G / 7A) in 52 games with the Oilers this season.

Source:
CHGO Blackhawks 2026-03-05T19:23:50.800Z
Andrew Mangiapane
John Beecher(C)|CGY
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Beecher is expected to be a healthy scratch vs. Ottawa on Thursday.

Martin Pospisil will draw back into Calgary's lineup on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators, sending Beecher to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 24-year-old Beecher is averaging 10:03 time-on-ice and has four points (1G / 3A) in 29 games this season.

Source:
Pat Steinberg 2026-03-05T18:30:00.939Z
John Beecher
Martin Pospisil(C)|CGY
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Pospisil will draw back into Calgary's lineup vs. Ottawa on Thursday.

Pospisil has not played since February 28th, but he will re-enter the lineup on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators, drawing in for John Beecher. The 26-year-old Pospisil is averaging 10:17 time-on-ice and remains in search of his first point through nine games.

Source:
Pat Steinberg 2026-03-05T18:29:09.686Z
Martin Pospisil
Tyler Myers(D)|DAL
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Myers (trade) has a chance to make his Dallas' debut vs. Colorado on Friday.

Vancouver held Myers out of the lineup for several games as they anticipated trading the veteran blueliner, which came to fruition on Wednesday in a deal sending him to the Dallas Stars. The Texas-born defenseman averaged 20:13 time-on-ice, recording eight points (1G / 7A), 65 hits, and 91 blocks in 57 games with the Canucks this season. Stars' Head Coach Glen Gulutzan suggested that if Myers is unable to play on Friday, he will certainly draw in on Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Source:
Lia Assimakopoulos 2026-03-05T18:24:31.481Z
Tyler Myers
Jordan Harris(D)|BOS
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Harris will draw back into Boston's lineup in Nashville on Thursday.

With Jonathan Aspirot battling an illness, Harris will re-enter Boston's lineup on Thursday against the Nashville Predators. The 25-year-old Harris has not played a game for Boston since late October. He has two points (1G / 1A) in five games this season.

Source:
Jim McBride 2026-03-05T18:22:04.404Z
Jordan Harris

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.