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NHL Scratches & Line Changes

Pierre-Marc Bouchard(RW)|FA
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Line Change
“Butch” sat out the last two Wild games after serving a two-game suspension for a highsticking incident in the Wild’s home opener.

Bouchard returns to the lineup and should play LW on the second line. In his only game played this season, Bouchard posted two assists. Look for the former 8th overall pick to post at least 30 assists this season.

Source:
MinnesotaWild.com 2011-10-13T14:24:50.000Z
Pierre-Marc Bouchard
Bobby Butler(RW)|
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Looks like Butler will be in for Condra today - based on lines this morning

Butler has played in only one of the team's four games as his new coach mentioned his failed defensive play. Last season he scored 10 goals and 21 points through 36 games. Don't expect too much from him until he gets out of the fourth line.

Source:
Brent Wallace 2011-10-13T11:28:36.000Z
Bobby Butler
Nikita Nikitin(D)|FA
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Line Change
Nikitin saw 20 minutes, 5 seconds of ice time in the Blues' 4-2 loss to Nashville, and although he finished a plus-1 the defenseman led the Blues with four blocked shots. He showed the coaches something because two nights later, he was assigned to defend Iginla and Co.

Nikitin is currently paired with defensive stalwart Roman Polak creating a reliable shutdown pairing. This addition to the lineup should help Jaroslav Halak out but won't turn the dial in most fantasy hockey leagues.

Source:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch 2011-10-13T10:40:00.000Z
Nikita Nikitin
Mattias Ekholm(D)|EDM
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There’s a possibility that Trotz could insert rookie defenseman Mattias Ekholm into the lineup for Thursday’s home opener. Ekholm was unavailable for Saturday’s game against St. Louis after catching the flu Friday.

Ekblom could fill in for Teemu Laakso on the blue line tonight. Last season he scored 10 goals and 33 points through 55 games with Brynas IF Gavle of the SEL. He could boost the team's offense from the third defensive pairing.

Source:
Predators Insider 2011-10-13T10:43:13.000Z
Mattias Ekholm
Viktor Stalberg(LW)|
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After skating on his own earlier this week, Viktor Stalberg returned to practice for the first time since suffering a knee injury during a Sept. 28 exhibition with the Red Wings. Coach Joel Quenneville said Stalberg is close to returning to game action.

Stalberg is close enough to returning that the club sent down Brandon Saad. Last year he scored 12 goals and 24 points while seeing action next to Jonathan Toews. Look for him to improve on those totals in his third full season.

Source:
Chicago Tribune 2011-10-13T10:28:42.000Z
Viktor Stalberg
Colin Greening(LW)|
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"There’s lots of skilled players in the league, but he’s such a physical specimen that he’s hard to control, he’s intimidating, he can hurt guys on the forecheck and he creates lots of space for himself and his wingers."

Over the first two games, Greening has played on one of the team's top two lines producing two goals in the process. A power forward with skill to boot, the 25-year-old could pot 20 goals while playing with his talented linemates.

Source:
OttawaSenators.com 2011-10-12T20:23:03.000Z
Colin Greening
Toni Lydman(D)|INA
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Carlyle: #NHLDucks D Toni Lydman clear for contact, expected availablilty at some point this weekend. Decision Fri. after morning skate

The Ducks play both Sunday and Monday with coach Carlyle likely eyeing Lydman's return for one of the days. If the team's first two games were any indication, they could use his solid, defensive work in their own zone.

Source:
@AnaheimDucks 2018-07-18T17:53:34.658Z
Nick Grossmann(D)|FA
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FRISCO -- Defensemen Adam Pardy (rib) and Nicklas Grossman (groin) both practiced today, but it's still up in the air if they'll be ready to play Thursday when the Stars host the St. Louis Blues.

Grossman battled injuries most of last season, playing only 59 games. In those contests he managed to post a goal and 10 assists. Probably not too relevant in your fantasy hockey league.

Source:
Andrew's Stars Blog 2011-10-12T16:45:47.000Z
Nick Grossmann
Adam Pardy(D)|
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Line Change
FRISCO -- Defensemen Adam Pardy (rib) and Nicklas Grossman (groin) both practiced today, but it's still up in the air if they'll be ready to play Thursday when the Stars host the St. Louis Blues.

Pardy was expected to play tomorrow but he did not practice with in his regular pairing. In his first season in Dallas he is expected to suit up on the top pairing next to Alex Goligoski. His one goal and seven points over only 30 games indicate he could have some value in deeper leagues.

Source:
Andrew's Stars Blog 2011-10-12T16:45:24.000Z
Adam Pardy
Ryan Callahan(RW)|FA
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Ryan Callahan gets some maintenance time off for some "bumps and bruises" after taking part in the power play session.

The way Callahan plays almost guarantees him to get hurt every season, in this situation the Rangers want to limit that as much as possibile. In his first two games as the team's captain, Callahan scored a goal while taking 13 shots, blocking three shots and registering nine hits. For deeper leagues with expanded categories, he's a goldmine.

Source:
Andrew Gross 2011-10-12T15:12:12.000Z
Ryan Callahan
Erik Karlsson(D)|PIT
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Ottawa Senators defenceman Erik Karlsson is 21 years old. And tiny. He’s also the undisputed No. 1 on this team, showing poise beyond his years and blue line scoring ability the Senators haven’t seen since Wade Redden was good at hockey.

In case you didn't know, Karlsson is the number one defenseman on the young Sens. His point totals of last season -- 13 goals and 45 points through 75 games -- could easily be topped as the 21-year-old already has five assists through three games.

Source:
Senators Extra 2011-10-12T14:44:24.000Z
Erik Karlsson

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.