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NHL Scratches & Line Changes

Simon Gagne(LW)|
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Gagne, I didn’t plan on that [him playing with Kopitar] when we started the training camp. The move came with a couple of games left in the exhibition season. There seemed to be some nice chemistry.

Gagne has one assist through his first two games as a King. He certainly seems to be helping out Anze Kopitar in the early going, which leads to the team not changing anything up. Look for him to return to the 60-point range if he sticks on the top line over a full season.

Source:
LA Kings Insider 2011-10-11T13:08:20.000Z
Simon Gagne
Raphael Diaz(D)|
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Gorges-Diaz

Just three games into the season and Diaz is already a top-4 defender. Last season, and every season of his career, he played for Zug of the Swiss-A league scoring 12 goals and 39 points over 45 games. He could be yet another Swiss defender to break through with the Canadiens.

Source:
Arpon Basu 2011-10-11T11:24:13.000Z
Raphael Diaz
Lars Eller(C)|FLA
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Line Change
Eller-Engqvist-Palushaj

Eller will return to the lineup and start on the fourth line. Last year, the former 13th overall pick scored seven goals and 17 points over his first 77 games as a Hab. Expected to get the first crack at the top line, Eller continues to get some tough love and will need to re-earn his playing time.

Source:
Arpon Basu 2011-10-11T11:18:13.000Z
Lars Eller
Travis Moen(LW)|FA
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Moen-Pleks-Cole

Moen moves up to the top line and will likely give Erik Cole and Tomas Plekanec some space. Last season he scored six goals and 16 points through 79 games. Through his first two tilts, he already potted a goal and an assist. He could add some short-term value to your fantasy hockey team.

Source:
Arpon Basu 2011-10-11T11:17:00.000Z
Travis Moen
David Rundblad(D)|
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looks like David Rundblad will make his NHL debut tonight. Pairing with Phillips

Rundblad makes his NHL debut tonight, pairing with the reliable stay-at-home defender Chris Phillips. Last season he posted incredible stats -- 11 goals, 50 points over 55 games played. Keep him in the back of your mind should he get valuable offensive minutes.

Source:
Brent Wallace 2011-10-11T11:08:34.000Z
David Rundblad
Clarke MacArthur(LW)|FA
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Clarke macarthur is back at practise and takes usual spot on the grabovski line.

MacArthur is eligible to return to the lineup on Saturday, October 15th. Last season he scored 21 goals and 62 points over 82 games while playing on the Grabovski line. Expect similar production despite his two games missed.

Source:
Paul Hendrick 2011-10-11T10:42:53.000Z
Clarke MacArthur
Alex Ovechkin(LW)|WSH
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“I think he’s got a long way to go to get to where he needs to be and should be,” Boudreau said after Ovechkin was a minus-2 in the Capitals’ wild 6-5 shootout win over the Lightning. “He’s our No. 1 player, but he can be better, there’s no doubt about it.”

The Caps are scoring at a higher rate again but Ovechkin is not contributing enough for coach Bruce Boudreau's liking. Through his first two games, the superstar has contributed to only one of the team's 10 goals and holds a minus-2 rating despite the teams +2 goal differential.

Source:
CSN Washington 2011-10-11T08:08:39.000Z
Alex Ovechkin
Dan Carcillo(LW)|FA
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Carcillo might be asked to take a prime role as Joel Quenneville had him skating on a line with Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane.

Carcillo played on the top lines in Philadelphia, so playing on a scoring line with Hossa and Kane is not a foreign concept. He figures to play more in Chicago then he did at his previous organizations, so expect around double digits in goals as well as well over 100 PIM.

Source:
Chicago Blackhawks Report 2011-10-10T20:24:34.000Z
Dan Carcillo
Jonathan Toews(C)|WPG
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"I want to keep pushing myself," Toews said. "I've always wanted to be a great offensive player and I definitely worked on some things this offseason to improve in that situation. You always want to be one of the best players on your team and across the league. I feel like I could be one of those guys this year. People talk about it, but it's about time to fulfill that potential."

The sky is certainly the limit for Toews, who posted career highs in assists and points last season. At this point in his career, he should continue to improve, landing in the 35-goal, 75-point range. With so many question marks in the first round, the former 3rd overall pick certainly would not have been a reach.

Source:
Chicago Tribune 2011-10-10T20:20:29.000Z
Jonathan Toews
Brent Burns(D)|COL
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I thought he played well,” McLellan said. “He defended well, and that’s the most important thing. I thought he created some pretty good offensive plays as well in five-on-five situations. He looked much more comfortable on the power play than he did throughout the exhibition season.

Burns was apparently nervous in his first game with the Sharks but still finished with an assist. Look for him to approach career highs in his first season in teal, especially if he develops chemistry with the rest of his linemates.

Source:
Working the Corners 2011-10-10T20:17:01.000Z
Brent Burns
Niklas Kronwall(LD)|FA
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Line Change
The 30-year-old Kronwall has already been given a bigger role on the ice. Lidstrom’s not getting any younger, and Kronwall will again be expected to take on more ice-time, which he began to do last season.

Kronwall is expected to lead the team in ice time and almost has, playing roughly a minute less than Ian White and Nicklas Lidstrom. Expect the Stockholm, Sweden native to score around 10 goals and 40 points with a tidy plus/minus and a few PP.

Source:
DetroitRedWings.com 2011-10-10T19:02:05.000Z
Niklas Kronwall
Lars Eller(C)|FLA
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Line Change
Lars Eller, who has recovered from off-season shoulder surgery, will return Thursday, and general manager Pierre Gauthier will have to summon a player from Hamilton or go hunting elsewhere.

Eller will return and play his first game of the season. Last year, the former 13th overall pick scored seven goals and 17 points over his first 77 games as a Hab. He should get the first crack at replacing Cammalleri on the top line.

Source:
Montreal Gazette 2011-10-10T17:51:52.000Z
Lars Eller
Michal Rozsival(RD)|FA
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Coyotes defenseman Michal Rozsival may not play tonight because of an upper-body injury suffered in Saturday’s game.

Rozsival was hit in the face with the puck during Saturday's game and could miss playing time because of it. Look for David Schlemko to take his spot in the lineup tonight.

Source:
PhoenixCoyotes.com 2011-10-10T14:06:30.000Z
Michal Rozsival
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins(C)|EDM
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In Edmonton’s 2-1 shootout victory to open the 2011-12 season, rookie Ryan Nugent-Hopkins didn’t just have a strong game, he was dominating. He scored the crucial tieing goal late in the game, but more than that, of the Oilers’ 18 scoring chances, RNH made significant contributions to 12 of them, an astounding total.

Probably a safe pick to grab if still available in your league. His center-only position is the only thing that may hurt his immediate fantasy hockey value.

Source:
Cult of Hockey 2011-10-10T13:58:37.000Z
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Peter Regin(C)|
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Peter Regin will play tomorrow. Not sure who is coming out.

Look for Regin in the lineup tomorrow, perhaps in place of Nikita Filatov. Last season he only scored three goals and 17 points as he battled through inconsistency and injury. He should improve those totals if healthy all season.

Source:
Bruce Garrioch 2011-10-10T13:57:05.000Z
Peter Regin

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.