Line Change
Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) -- The Sabres Brad Boyes got suspended two preseason games for an elbow in the Leafs game here in Buffalo.
This suspension has no effect on his regular season statistics.
Daily Faceoff is a news site with no direct affiliation to the NHL, or NHLPA
NHL Scratches & Line Changes
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Rookie Matt Frattin was between Colby Armstrong and Darryl Boyce
Frattin has impressed in camp but seemed on the outside looking in due to the numbers game in Toronto. As a senior at the University of North Dakota, Frattin potted 36 goals and finished the season with 60 points in 44 games. He could very well succeed at the NHL level.
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Forward Joey Crabb appeared to be the odd-forward out.
As an AHL veteran, Crabb could be used as a spare forward.
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Free agent centre Tim Connolly wasn’t on the ice at the MasterCard Centre as Nazem Kadri moved in between wingers Jeffrey Lupul and Phil Kessel.
Kadri getting the first shot on the top line is telling for how the organization thinks of him. The 20-year-old managed 17 goals and 41 points through 44 games with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. He could have a great deal of fantasy hockey value if he sticks.
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Meanwhile, Zibanejad is doing everything he can to start the season in the NHL. He scored a nifty goal in tight against the Winnipeg Jets Monday and roofed a one-timer against the Bruins in overtime last week.
Zibanejad could play in the NHL, the question is whether he has earned a spot. Last season he only played 26 games professionally, scoring five goals and nine points with Djurgardens IF Stockholm. Look for him to continue competing with Peter Regin and Stefan Da Costa.
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“In order for him to play here, he has to be able to defend, we have to be able to put him on the ice and he has to be able to defend our net, and those are the things we’re working on him with,” MacLean said. “But to his credit he’s a smart enough player and a good enough player for us to be able to teach him that stuff.”
As a young rookie, the Swedish offensive defenseman will need to play smarter in order to stick in the NHL. Rundblad scored 11 goals and 50 points with Skelleftea of the SEL last season. At this point he likely stays with the team as the Sens fear him returning to Europe.
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Where is TJ Galiardi, you ask? Right now, he’s on a line with Brad Malone at center and Patrick Bordeleau on right wing.
With Galiardi not skating on one of the top two lines, owners should likely keep him out of their lineup. Last season the former 2nd round pick scored seven goals and 15 points through 35 games. Keep an eye on Galiardi as he probably slots back into the lineup upon the first injury.
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Landeskog has replaced Joakim Lindstrom on the top line
The Avs are serious about adding the Swedish import to their lineup. Last season, he scored 28 goals and 60 points while with Skelleftea HC of the SEL, leading his team and the league in scoring. He could produce 40-45 points if used in the right situations.
At practice today, No. 92 skated on a line with Paul Stastny and David Jones.
Certainly a good sign for those invested in the 2nd overall pick. Landeskog captained the Kitchener Rangers last season, leading them in goals with 36 and finishing third on the team with 66 points in 53 games. He remains a front-runner for the Calder Memorial Trophy in the preseason.
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Let's get interesting with line combinations. If Tuesday's practice was any indication, Chris Bourque is a serious candidate (even more serious than anyone thought) to fill the Capitals' final roster spot.
Bourque could make the roster as a spare forward. The former 2nd round pick of the Caps played all of last season away from the NHL, splitting seasons between the KHL and Swiss-A. This lineup change could just be giving their project a legitimate chance to succeed.
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Zac Dalpe isn't going to try and deny it. Playing right wing on a line with Eric Staal and Alexei Ponikarovsky, he said, is pretty cool.
Dalpe played well on the third line, meshing with Jiri Tlusty and Brandon Sutter. The team's top prospect scored 23 goals and 57 points through 61 games, earning 15 games with the big club. He figures to stick with the team all season which should produce a decent rookie year.
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Considered a longshot to make the team, Tangradi gets his big chance tonight to make an impression and show the Penguins something, as he will be put in a top line role with winger Steve Sullivan sitting out his 4th straight preseason game.
Last season, he scored 18 goals and 33 points through 42 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Expect him to receive a call-up at some point with the Pens this season but making the team out of camp is highly unlikely.
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Ehrhoff skating with Leopold and Gragnani.
Gragnani continues to vie for a roster spot. The 24-year-old proved himself capable of an NHL job with his one goal and seven points against the Flyers in the first round. With Jordan Leopold, Christian Ehrhoff and Tyler Myers all capable offensive defensemen, don't get too excited about Gragnani, yet.
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Boyes-Ellis-McCormick
Boyes will start the season on the fourth line, which should limit his overall minutes. Boyes managed five goals and 14 points over 21 games, which would put him around the 20-goal, 50+ points range range over a full season. He is incredibly unlikely to hit those totals on the fourth line.
The Vancouver Giants' Brendan Gallagher is still at the Montreal Canadiens training camp at this writing, even as his peers who have actually signed contracts and were also taken much earlier than 147th overall in the 2010 entry draft have trekked back to their junior clubs.
Gallagher could make the team out of camp as he continues his extended look. The diminutive right wing scored 44 goals and 91 points last season with the Vancouver Giants. If he stays with the big club it would likely be on the third or fourth line, which makes you think he would be better served in the WHL.
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Regardless of whether Neal ends up playing alongside Crosby and Kunitz, Evgeni Malkin and Steve Sullivan or, for that matter, Marc-Andre Fleury and a fire hydrant, the Penguins will be counting on him to generate a minimum of 20 goals, and they'd prefer something a lot closer to 30.
With those linemates, How can Neal not pot 30 goals. The 24-year-old scored 72 goals over three seasons in Dallas and should break out this season. As a natural goal scorer with dual-wing eligibility on a cup contender, Neal should easily make the cut as a #2 winger
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Rinaldo could be seeing more opportunities thanks to Tom Sestito, who may have had the upper hand in getting a roster spot until this point.
The lackadaisical play of Andreas Nodl could clear a roster spot for the gritty Rinaldo. In his first AHL season the left wing scored three goals and nine points but impressed team brass with 331 PIM. If he makes the team, Rinaldo has a high-PIM upside so keep him in mind in fantasy hockey leagues with deeper rosters.
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If they keep Stefan Elliott on defense – which I predict will happen.
With the injury to Jan Hejda, Elliott has become one of the frontrunners to make the team. Last season the younster potted 31 goals and 81 points, establishing himself as one of the WHL's top defensemen. He should quickly take over the role as go-to, puck-moving defender on the Avs blue line.
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Paul Stastny, who I think has looked reasonably good in camp so far. Better quickness with the puck, mostly in his decision-making. Hockey is such a give-and-go game now, and I think he’s gotten better at moving the puck faster.
Stastny will need to step up for his team to re-enter the playoff picture. Coming off a poor year by his standards, the second-generation center scored 22 goals and 57 points. If on his game he can easily add 60 assists to his annual 20+ goals.
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We’re still not ready to hand the seventh overall selection a spot on the opening-night roster, but he’s sure doing his part to make a strong case for inclusion.
Scheifele scored 22 goals and 75 points in 66 games with the Barrie Colts of the OHL. If he makes the team, expect him to play a relatively prominent role on a scoring line.
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.