Line Change
Faksa will be a healthy scratch for Game 5.
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NHL Scratches & Line Changes
Line Change
Dellandrea will draw into the Stars lineup for Game 5.
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Carrick is expected to draw back into the OIlers' lineup for Game 5 on Friday vs. Dallas.
Carrick was a healthy scratch for Game 4 after failing to pick up a point in any of Edmonton's previous six games but will draw back into the lineup on Friday as he replaces Derek Ryan for Game 5. The 32-year-old is expected to centre the Oilers' fourth line and has no goals, one assist, four SOG and a -1 plus/minus in eight playoff games so far.
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Ryan is expected to be a healthy scratch for Game 5 on Friday vs. Dallas.
Ryan has appeared in all four games of the Western Conference final but will head to the press box on Friday as he is replaced by Sam Carrick in the Oilers' lineup for Game 5. The 37-year-old veteran centre has failed to produce offensively in 13 games played so far, with one assist, eight SOG, six PIMs and a -5 plus/minus.
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Wheeler is expected to be a healthy scratch on Thursday for Game 5 vs. Florida.
Wheeler made his first appearance since February 15th in Game 4 as he returned from a long injury spell but appears to be the odd-man out for Game 5 as Filip Chytil is expected to return to the lineup. The 37-year-old veteran played a fourth-line role in his first game back in nearly three months and picked up two PIMs across 9:18 TOI.
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Chytil is expected to draw back into New York's lineup for Game 5 on Thursday vs. Florida.
Chytil was a healthy scratch for New York's Game 4 loss but will return to the lineup on Thursday for Game 5 and is immediately expected to take a spot on the Rangers' top line. The 24-year-old is expected to replace Blake Wheeler who will get the night off after returning from a long injury last game. Chytil has been held pointless in four playoff games played so far, with five SOG and two PIMs.
Line Change
Dellandrea will be a healthy scratch for Game 4 on Wednesday vs. Edmonton.
Dadonov will draw back into the Stars' lineup for Game 4 vs. Edmonton.
Line Change
Smith is expected to be a healthy scratch for Game 4 on Wednesday vs. Edmonton.
Smith has appeared in 14 of 16 playoff games for Dallas this offseason but will take a seat on Wednesday as Radek Faksa takes his place in the lineup for Game 4. The 34-year-old veteran has yet to find the back of the net in 14 playoff games played, but has two assists, 14 SOG and two PIMs.
Line Change
Faksa is expected to draw back into the Stars' lineup on Wednesday for Game 4.
Faksa last appeared in Game 1 vs. Edmonton but will return to the lineup on Wednesday as he replaces Craig Smith for Game 4. The 30-year-old has appeared in seven games so far in the playoffs, with one goal, no assists, and six SOG while averaging only 12:05 TOI/GP.
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Broberg is expected to make his 2023-24 playoff debut on Wednesday for Game 4 vs. Dallas.
Broberg has yet to appear in any of Edmonton's 2023-24 playoff games so far but is expected to make his debut as he replaces Vincent Desharnais for Game 4 on Wednesday. The 22-year-old defenseman appeared in 12 regular season games and had two assists, six SOG and a -3 plus/minus.
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Perry is expected to draw back into the Oilers' lineup for Game 4 on Wednesday vs. Dallas.
Perry has been a healthy scratch for Edmonton's previous five games but is expected to draw back into the lineup on Wednesday for Game 4 as he replaces Warren Foegele. The 39-year-old was acquired mid-season by Edmonton but has yet to pick up a playoff point in 10 games played this postseason.
Line Change
McLeod is expected to draw back into the OIlers' lineup for Game 4 on Wednesday vs. Dallas.
McLeod was a healthy scratch for the Oilers' previous game but is expected to draw back into for Sam Carrick ahead of Game 4 on Wednesday. The 24-year-old centre had 30 points in 81 games during the regular season but has yet to pick up a point in 14 playoff games while averaging 13:47 TOI/GP.
Desharnais is expected to be a healthy scratch on Wednesday for Game 4 vs. Dallas.
Desharnais was with the extras after Edmonton's morning skate Wednesday indicating he is likely a scratch for Philip Broberg ahead of Game 4. The 28-year-old stay-at-home defenseman has an assist, 12 PIMs and a -8 plus/minus in 15 games played so far.
Line Change
Carrick is expected to be a healthy scratch for Game 4 on Wednesday.
Carrick has gone seven games without a point in the playoffs and is likely the odd-man out of Edmonton's lineup on Wednesday for Game 4 as he is replaced by Ryan McLeod. The 32-year-old has struggled this postseason, with only one assist, four SOG and a -1 plus/minus in eight games played.
Foegele is expected to be a healthy scratch for Game 4 on Wednesday vs. Dallas.
Foegele was amongst the extras at morning skate on Wednesday indicating he is expected to be a healthy scratch for Game 4 on Wednesday vs. Dallas. The 28-year-old winger has appeared in every game this playoffs for the Oilers, picking up a goal and three points alongside his 22 SOG and -8 plus/minus in 15 games played.
Line Change
Chytil will be a healthy scratch for Game 4 in Florida.
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Cousins is expected to be a healthy scratch for Game 4 on Tuesday vs. New York.
Cousins has struggled in this year's playoffs with only an assist in 11 games played and will head to the press box as a healthy scratch for Game 4 as he is replaced by veteran Kyle Okposo. The 30-year-old grinding fourth-liner had seven points in 21 playoff games in 2022-23, but has failed to duplicate his success while on Florida's fourth line this year.
Line Change
Okposo is expected to draw back into the Panthers' lineup for Game 4 on Tuesday vs. New York.
Okposo has been a healthy scratch for Florida's previous four playoff games but will jump back into the lineup on the fourth line for Nick Cousins on Tuesday. The 36-year-old veteran winger was acquired from Buffalo at the trade deadline and has appeared in eight post season games so far, with two assists, six SOG, and two PIMs while averaging just 8:54 TOI/GP.
Line Change
Lorentz is expected to draw back into Florida's lineup for Game 4 on Tuesday.
Lorentz has not played since Game 5 of Florida's second-round series vs. Boston but looks to draw back into the lineup for Ryan Lomberg on Tuesday for Game 4 of the ECF. The 28-year-old has matched his regular season point production in just nine playoff games with two goals and three points while averaging just 7:23 TOI/GP.
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.