Line Change
Hall-Horcoff-Jones
Hall moves down a line to the second line where he will play with mentor-figure Shawn Horcoff. Through 17 games, the former 1st overall pick continues to break out with three goals and eight points.
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NHL Scratches & Line Changes
Line Change
Smyth-RNH-Eberle
Smyth moves up to the top line to play with two talented youngsters. The Alberta native currently leads the team in goals (10) and points (8).
Line Change
Lightning coach Boucher made it sound as if Malone is a lock to play Saturday vs Devils.
Malone must be cleared for contact as he sheds the no-contact jersey. he Pittsburgh native scored four goals and 10 points through 14 games playing primarily with Steven Stamkos. He would have suited up yesterday if it was a playoff game according to ESPN's Mike Corcoran.
Line Change
Kings say Richardson will play vs Ducks tonight sted of Hunter, for his speed.
If you own either player, make sure to set your lineup accordingly.
Line Change
Scratches
Goc draws out in favor of the team dressing seven defensemen.
Line Change
CBJ d-man John Moore scratched tonight after playing only 9:02 in loss to Minney on Tuesday. He had played in 10 straight games.
Aaron Johnson takes his place in the lineup.
Line Change
Moen-Gomez-Eller
Moen moves back down to the third line where he can be expected to provide solid two-way play.
Line Change
Cammalleri-Plekanec-Gionta
Cammy moves back to the top line which is an indication he is once again fully healthy. Start him with confidence tonight.
Line Change
Pouliot's in it seems. That goal helped his case. Caron seems to be the scratch.
If you own Caron, make sure he stays on your bench tonight.
Line Change
Tedenby will go back in lineup.
As a top prospect in New Jersey, the Swedish prospect needs to play. Thus far he only registered three assists through 16 games.
Line Change
By all indications, Bruan will sit while Demers will be paired with White even though Todd McLellan would not confirm anything.
Braun has found his way into eight consecutive games but sits tonight. He has only posted an assist despite playing a healthy amount of minutes which limits his fantasy hockey value.
Line Change
By all indications, Bruan will sit while Demers will be paired with White even though Todd McLellan would not confirm anything.
Demers has played in only seven of the Sharks 15 games after playing in 75 tilts last year. In those seven he registered only two assists which is unproductive for an offensive d-man.
Line Change
On the fourth line, Cory Emmerton is starting with Drew Miller and Tomas Holmstrom.
Holmstrom moves from the first to the fourth line which should severely affect his fantasy hockey value. Through 14 games, Holmstrom has registered a goal and five points.
Line Change
Danny Cleary is going to be with Henrik Zetterberg and Valtteri Filppula, giving Cleary a chance to be more of a net-front
guy.
Cleary has struggled in the early going despite playing mainly with Pavel Datsyuk. The Newfoundland native has two goals and five points through his fist 16 games this season and should not be aversely effected by moving to the Henrik Zetterberg line.
Line Change
Wants to give Justin Abdelkader a bit of a look with those two.
Abdelkader gets a chance to prove himself on a scoring line. Playing mostly on the third line he has a goal and four points over 16 games.
Line Change
Coach Mike Babcock is, at least for starters, putting Johan Franzen back with Pavel Datsyuk
Franzen moves up to the top line just one game after losing a four-game point streak. He looks to improve on his team leading nine goals and 16 points.
Line Change
Defenseman Mike Commodore sits out, as does forward Patrick Eaves, who'll be replaced by Fabian Brunnstrom.
Brunnstrom is scheduled to play in his fourth game with the Red Wings. He registered an assist over his previous three.
Line Change
Coach Mike Babcock made it official after today's morning skate, confirming that Smith will be in the lineup, paired with Niklas Kronwall, when Detroit plays the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion (10:30, Fox Sports Net Detroit).
Smith will suit up with Niklas Kronwall in a top-four role. His assignment puts him in good position to put up some counting stats.
Line Change
Niklas Hagman is holding out hope that he can play tonight vs. LAK. Needs to hear from consulate by 1 pm if visa paperwork is good to go.
Hagman would likely draw in on the second or third line. Considering rosters will already be frozen before we likely find out his status you should probably bench him tonight.
Line Change
Casey Wellman has been recalled again and is a gametime decision.
Wellman is expected to draw in for either Cal Clutterbuck or Brad Staubitz. He scored 10 goals and five points thus far for the Houston Aeros.
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.