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NHL Scratches & Line Changes

Troy Stecher(D)|TOR
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Stecher is expected to be a healthy scratch for the OIlers' season opener on Wednesday.

Stecher will be a healthy scratch in the season opener for the Oilers, allowing Travis Dermott to make his debut with the team. The 30-year-old Stecher joined the Oilers late last season and tallied two points (0G / 2A), a +4 plus/minus, 10 blocks, and 15 hits in seven games.

Source:
Tony Brar 2024-10-09T17:19:01.472Z
Troy Stecher
Travis Dermott(D)|FA
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Dermott is expected to make his Oilers' debut on Wednesday.

Dermott signed with Oilers earlier this week after a successful PTO and will make his debut in their season-opener on Wednesday. The 27-year-old Dermott has 329 games of NHL experience and spent the 2023-24 campaign with the Arizona Coyotes, tallying seven points (2G / 5A), a -14 plus/minus, 64 blocks, and 52 hits. He will line up on the third defensive pair alongside Brett Kulak.

Source:
Tony Brar 2024-10-09T17:17:10.566Z
Travis Dermott
Ondrej Palat(LW)|NYI
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Palat (personal) returned to New Jersey's practice on Tuesday.

Palat was away from the team for several days to attend to the birth of his child and should be ready for their next contest on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 33-year-old Palat is in his third season with the Devils and is coming off his lowest full-season production campaign, scoring only 31 points (11G / 20A) in 71 games.

Source:
Mike Morreale 2024-10-08T16:33:11.173Z
Ondrej Palat
Nate Schmidt(D)|UTA
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Schmidt will be a healthy scratch for Florida's season opener on Tuesday.

Schmidt signed with the Panthers in the offseason but will begin his tenure with his new club as a healthy scratch in their season opener. Schmidt had 14 points (2G / 12A) in 63 games while also racking up 66 hits and 76 blocked shots in the 2023-24 season. Uvis Balinskis will draw in on the third defensive pair for the Panthers.

Source:
Jameson Olive 2024-10-08T15:04:46.328Z
Nate Schmidt
Spencer Stastney(D)|EDM
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Stastney (personal) will begin the season on the Injured/Non-Roster list.

Stastney was absent from Nashville's training camp due to personal reasons and will begin the season on the Injured/Non-Roster list. The 24-year-old signed a two-year, $3.3 million contract extension ($1,650,000 AAV) in the offseason after putting up two goals, four points and a +9 plus/minus in 20 games played in 2023-24.

Source:
Emma Lingan 2024-10-07T21:26:03.730Z
Spencer Stastney
Brandon Saad(LW)|VGK
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Saad (personal) will begin the season on the Injured/Non-Roster list.

Saad is expected to miss the Blues' first road trip of the season as he awaits the birth of his third child and has been placed on the Injured/Non-Roster list to begin 2024-25. The Blues will hope to have their veteran 31-year-old left-winger back soon after he finished 2023-24 fourth in team goals (26) and fifth in points (42).

Source:
Jeremy Rutherford 2024-10-07T21:05:06.798Z
Brandon Saad
Connor Hellebuyck(G)|WPG
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Hellebuyck (personal) will miss practice on Tuesday but is expected to be ready for Wednesday's season opener.

Hellebuyck is away from the team due to a personal family issue but is expected to play in the Jets' season opener on Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers. The 31-year-old American netminder was tremendous last season, winning his second Vezina trophy with a 2.39 GAA and .921 SV% in 60 games (37-19-4).

Source:
Kelly Moore 2024-10-07T18:33:50.472Z
Connor Hellebuyck
Jiri Kulich(C)|BUF
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Kulich will make his season debut on Saturday vs. New Jersey.

Kulich will get the chance to make his season debut in his home country of Czechia after it was announced Zach Benson would be out on Saturday vs. New Jersey. The 20-year-old centre is only making his second NHL appearance ever after making it into one game in 2023-24. He is expected to take Benson's spot in Buffalo's top-six.

Source:
Lance Lysowski 2024-10-05T13:46:17.426Z
Jiri Kulich
Kurtis MacDermid(LW)|OTT
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MacDermid will make his season debut on Saturday vs. Buffalo.

With Ondrej Palat stepping away from the team due to the birth of his second child, Kurtis MacDaermid will make his season debut on Saturday in Prague vs. Buffalo. The 30-year-old bruising left-winger came to New Jersey mid season in 2023-24 and had two goals, three points and 73 PIMs in 45 total games played.

Source:
Lance Lysowski 2024-10-05T13:42:25.777Z
Kurtis MacDermid
Seamus Casey(D)|NJD
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Casey is expected to make his NHL debut on Friday.

With Brett Pesce injured, Casey seized the opportunity to break camp with the Devils and will make his NHL debut in Prague on Friday. The 20-year-old was a second-round pick (No.46 overall) in 2022 and had 45 points (7G / 38A) in 40 games at the University of Michigan last season. Casey, who will man the Devils' second power-play unit, had one assist, three SOG and two hits in his two preseason games.

Source:
Amanda Stein 2024-10-04T14:03:45.551Z
Seamus Casey
Nick Cousins(C)|OTT
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Cousins will be a healthy scratch for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Cousins appeared in the Panthers' lineup for Game 6 for the first time since May 26th but will come back out on Monday as he is replaced by Kyle Okposo. The 30-year-old had seven goals and 15 points in 69 regular season games but has failed to produce at all in the playoffs with only one assist and 20 PIMs in 12 playoff games played.

Source:
Katie Engleson 2024-06-24T18:47:34.300Z
Nick Cousins
Kyle Okposo(RW)|FA
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Okposo is expected to draw back into the Panthers' lineup for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Okposo was a healthy scratch for Game 6 but will get another chance to secure the Stanley Cup as he will return to Florida's lineup in replacement for Nick Cousins. The 36-year-old veteran was acquired at the trade deadline this season from Buffalo and has never won a Stanley Cup in his 17 NHL seasons. In 16 playoff games in 2023-24, he has no goals, two assists and 10 PIMs.

Source:
Doug Plagens 2024-06-24T18:49:53.854Z
Kyle Okposo
Nick Cousins(C)|OTT
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Cousins is expected to draw back into Florida's lineup for Game 6 on Friday in Edmonton.

Cousins hasn't played in nearly a month as his last appearance came on May 26th vs. the New York Rangers but he is expected to draw back into the Panthers' lineup on Friday for Game 6 in Edmonton. The 30-year-old scrappy winger had 15 points in 69 regular season games but has failed to produce in the playoffs, with no goals, one assist, 20 PIMs and eight SOG in 11 games played.

Source:
Jameson Olive 2024-06-20T16:43:53.378Z
Nick Cousins
Kyle Okposo(RW)|FA
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Okposo is expected to be a healthy scratch for Game 6 on Friday.

Okposo took a late penalty in Game 5 and seems to be the odd man out of Florida's lineup for Game 6 on Friday after line rushes in practice on Thursday had Nick Cousins replacing the veteran on the fourth line. The 36-year-old Okposo came to Florida at the trade deadline after captaining the Buffalo Sabres and has just two assists, 10 PIMs and 16 SOG in 16 playoff games.

Source:
Jameson Olive 2024-06-20T16:40:46.138Z
Kyle Okposo
Steven Lorentz(C)|TOR
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Lorentz is expected to be a healthy scratch for Game 5 on Tuesday of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Lorentz had found himself in Florida's lineup for the first four games of the Stanley Cup Finals but will be the odd man out on Tuesday as Ryan Lomberg enters the Panthers' fourth line. Lorentz had appeared in 16 games this postseason, picking up two goals, three points, 30 SOG, 10 PIMs and a -9 plus/minus.

Source:
Jameson Olive 2024-06-18T16:12:40.040Z
Steven Lorentz
Ryan Lomberg(LW)|CGY
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Lomberg is expected to draw back into Florida's lineup for Game 5 on Tuesday.

Lomberg has been a healthy scratch for the Panthers' previous seven games but will draw back into the lineup for some added spark and speed in Game 5 as he replaces Steven Lorentz on Florida's fourth line. The 29-year-old winger has only suited up in five of the Panthers' 21 playoff games so far and is without a point with nine SOG and a -2 plus/minus.

Source:
Jameso Olive 2024-06-18T16:17:17.727Z
Ryan Lomberg

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.