Line Change
Derek Smith will be the odd man out on defence.
Smith likely only draws in due to injury. Last season he registered an assist through nine games.
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NHL Scratches & Line Changes
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Tanguay. Moss Iginla
Moss starts the season centering the top line. Last season he managed 17 goals and 30 points through 58 games for the Flames. Look for around 20 goals in a full season.
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MacLean confirms that Butler will be healthy scratch for Konopka. 5 centers tonight.
Butler was a minus-1 last game after getting lauded for his defensive play during the preseason. He scored 10 goals and 21 points through 36 points but will need to earn his playing time under a new coach.
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MacLean confirms that Butler will be healthy scratch for Konopka. 5 centers tonight.
With a more physical game, Konopka draws into the lineup. Last season he accumulated 307 PIM -- there certainly is some fantasy hockey value as a bench play.
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Despite defensive breakdowns last night, no changes to Ottawa blue line tonight. Rundblad a healthy scratch again.
Shouldn't come as a surprise as Rundblad's defensive play drew a plethora of criticism during the preseason. Last season he posted incredible stats -- 11 goals. 50 points over 55 games played. He figures to go through plenty of growing pains learning defense in his first North American season.
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Terry Murray said he wasn’t entirely pleased with Hunter’s game last night, which was the primary motivation for the change
Hunter draws out after playing on the third line and 2nd PP unit yesterday. Look for Scott Parse, Brad Richardson or a defenseman to fill in on the second unit.
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Other than the goalie change, the Kings will make only one other move, with Kevin Westgarth replacing Trent Hunter.
Westgarth replaces Trent Hunter on the third line. His 105 PIM last season suggest he could be a decent option for that category.
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Torts says Erik Christensen is in #NYR lineup tonight
Last season, Christensen scored 11 goals and 27 points over 63 games, mostly centering Marian Gaborik. He could add some offense off the bench but likely only fills occasionally.
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Milan Jurcina scratched.
Jurcina was scratched for Andrew MacDonald. Last season he scored four goals and 17 points over 46 games, with five points coming on the PP. If he plays every game, he could have some fantasy hockey value.
D Andrew MacDonald in, Milan Jurcina scratched.
Last season he registered four goals and 27 points last season while missing 22 games, playing mostly on the top defensive pairing. With Mark Streit's return, look for him to round out the top-6.
Ovi on top line
Sounds like Ovechkin will play tonight. Last season, the consensus fantasy hockey first overall pick scored 32 and 85 points -- both the lowest totals of his career. Expect him to return to the 50-goal, 100-point range this season.
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Sean Collins equipment is in locker in #Caps room. Dennis Wideman wasn't on ice this morning...
If Wideman can't suit up, he will be replaced by Sean Collins on the third pairing. Last season, the right-handed shooter scored 10 goals and 40 point in what was deemed an off season. With Mike Green and John Carlson manning the right side of the ice, expect Wideman's role to decrease significantly.
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Perreault 2nd line center
Perreault will start the season on the second line. Last season he scored seven goals and 14 points over 35 games with the Capitals. Expect around 20 points this season if he continues to shuffle in the lineup sporadically.
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Certainly appears that Marcus Johansson is healthy scratch tonight for #Caps.
After centering Alex Ovechkin most of the preseason, Johansson is beaten out of a job by Matthieu Perreault. Last season he scored 13 goals and 27 points last season, moving between the first and third line pivot. He should at least climb to the 40-point level this season.
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The 27-year-old left wing had four preseason games and three weeks of training camp practices to shake off the rust and get used to game speed again. He admits it was a bit of an adjustment coming back after the long layoff.
Parise sounds ready for the regular season following the long layoff. In his last full season he scored 38 goals and 82 points. Look for similar production while manning the top line all season.
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"Luckily, it's bang-bang, two back-to-back and I'll be ready to go," said Carcillo, who signed a one-year free-agent contract with the Hawks in July. "I'll just have an 80-game year and everyone else will have 82."
Expect Carbomb to suit up for the Blackhawks' third game of the season. Last season with the Philadelphia Flyers, Carcillo only scored four goals and six points while switching between the press box and fourth line. Expect him to flank Jamal Mayers on the fourth this season and chip in 150 PIM.
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Jeff Woywitka joins NY Rangers for optional skate Saturday morning in Stockholm, doesn't expect to play against Anaheim Ducks
Woywitka likely takes a few days to adapt to coach John Tortorella's tasking system. With eight career goals over 251 NHL games, don't expect much offensively from the former 27th overall pick.
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Winger Magnus Paajarvi may get some work on the point during power plays in Sunday’s opener.
Somewhat of a vague update but Paajarvi certainly has more value on the point. In his rookie season he scored 15 goals and 34 points through 80 games, with three of those goals coming via PP. Expect him to score 20 in his sophomore season.
Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin is expected to arrive on a direct flight from Moscow to Washington-Dulles airport Friday afternoon and the club’s plan is to have him in the lineup Saturday night for its season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Ovechkin could decide not to play the season opener, which would open the door for one of Marcus Johansson or Mathieu Perreault. Last season, the consensus fantasy hockey first overall pick scored 32 and 85 points -- both the lowest totals of his career. Expect him to return to the 50-goal, 100-point range this season.
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Looks like Matt Kassian will be taken off IR Saturday and he'd play depending on the toughness of Columbus' lineup, it sounds like.
Kassian posted 144 PIM over 64 games between the Wild and Houston Aeros. He figures to play more of a regular shift than Brad Staubitz.
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.