Line Change
Andrae will draw into the Flyers lineup on Thursday.
Andrae will return to the lineup on Thursday as the Flyers opt to get some fresh legs into the lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Noah Juulsen will sit in his place.
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NHL Scratches & Line Changes
Juulsen is a healthy scratch for Thursday's game in New York.
Juulsen will take a seat on Thursday as the Flyers opt to get some fresh legs into the lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Emil Andrae will play in his place.
Carlile will draw into the Lightning lineup on Thursday.
Carlile will return to the lineup on Thursday as the Lightning opt to get some fresh legs into the lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Emil Lilleberg will sit in his place.
Lilleberg is a healthy scratch for Thursday's game in Carolina.
Lilleberg will take a seat on Thursday as the Lightning opt to get some fresh legs into the lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Declan Carlile will play in his place.
Line Change
Jarnkrok will be a healthy scratch in Florida on Thursday.
Derek Joshua (lacerated kidney) will return from an extended absence on Thursday against the Florida Panthers, sending Jarnkrok to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 34-year-old Jarnkrok is averaging 11:23 time-on-ice and has seven points (6G / 1A) in 38 games this season.
Line Change
Faber (olympics) will play in Colorado on Thursday.
Faber played an important shutdown role in Team USA's Gold Medal performance at the Olympics, scoring two points (1G / 1A) in six games, and is set to return to Minnesota's lineup on Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche. Minnesota's recent acquisition of Quinn Hughes has helped Faber elevate his game to new heights, as he had 16 points (5G / 11A) in 16 games leading up to the Olympic break.
Line Change
Regenda is expected to be a healthy scratch vs. Calgary on Thursday.
Regenda was impressive while representing Team Slovakia in their fourth-place finish at the Olympics, scoring five points (3G / 2A) in six games, but he will be scratch by the Sharks when they return to action on Thursday against the Calgary Flames. The 26-year-old Regenda has nine points (8G / 1A) in 16 games with the Sharks this season.
Line Change
Brisson will make his Rangers' debut vs. Philadelphia on Thursday.
Brisson was drafted 29th overall by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, but has yet to make his presence felt at the NHL level. He has spent the entire 2025-26 season in the AHL, where he has 23 points (13G / 10A) in 46 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Chinakhov (personal) will play vs. New Jersey on Thursday.
Chinakhov did not practice on Wednesday due to a personal matter, but will play in Thursday's game against the New Jersey Devils. With Sidney Crosby (lower body) sidelined for at least four weeks, the Penguins will hope that Chinakhov can elevate his game to help supplement some of the team's missing offensive production. The 25-year-old Chinakhov has 12 points (8G / 4A) in 18 games with the Penguins.
Line Change
Myers will be held out of the Canucks lineup on Wednesday for roster management purposes.
Myers will be held out of the lineup for precautionary reasons as the Canucks look to potentially trade him ahead of next week's deadline. Myers is currently on year two of a three-year contract that includes a full no movement clause and carries an AAV of $3 million. It's worth noting that the no movement clause transitions to just a 12-team no-trade-list on July 1st, 2026.
Line Change
Heinola is expected to make his season debut in Vancouver on Wednesday.
Heinola has spent the entirety of the 2025-26 season in the AHL, where he has 21 points (3G / 18A) in 44 games with the Manitoba Moose. The 24-year-old Finnish defenseman has 12 points (1G / 11A) in 58 career NHL games.
Line Change
Strome will be a healthy scratch vs. Edmonton on Wednesday.
With Leo Carlsson (lower body) returning to Anaheim's lineup, Strome will be the odd man out on Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers. After five consecutive seasons with over 40 points, the 32-year-old Strome has struggled in the 2025-26 season with the Ducks, scoring only eight points (3G / 5A) through 32 games.
Line Change
Finley will make his Blues debut vs. Seattle on Thursday.
Line Change
Hyry will draw back into Dallas' lineup vs. Seattle on Wednesday.
Hyry is an undrafted Finnish forward who made his NHL debut last season, scoring one assist in five games with the Dallas Stars. The 24-year-old has 17 points (7G / 10A) in 26 games with Texas (AHL) this season and has been recalled by Dallas, which finds itself with a myriad of injured players after the Olympics.
Cowan is expected to be a healthy scratch vs. Tampa Bay on Wednesday.
Cowan did not play the final few games for Toronto heading into the Olympic break, and he will remain sidelined when the team returns to action on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 20-year-old rookie is averaging 13:31 time-on-ice and has 17 points (7G / 10A) in 43 games.
Line Change
Bolduc is expected to be a healthy scratch vs. the Islanders on Thursday.
With Alex Newhook (ankle) set to return from a multi-month absence, Bolduc will exit the lineup as a healthy scratch. The 23-year-old Bolduc has 23 points (10G / 13A) in 57 games this season and had five points (0G / 5A) in Montreal’s final seven games heading into the Olympic break.
Hanifin (olympics) will be out vs. Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Hanifin scored three points (1G / 2A) in six games while representing Team USA at the Olympics and will not be ready to return to Vegas' lineup until Friday against the Washington Capitals. The 29-year-old Hanifin's offensive production has been negatively affected by Vegas's deep blue line this season and has been limited to only 20 points (2G / 18A) through 47 games.
Line Change
Eichel (olympics) will be out vs. Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Eichel scored six points (2G / 4A) in six games while representing Team USA during their Gold Medal performance at the Olympics and will not be ready to return to Vegas' lineup until Friday against the Washington Capitals. The 29-year-old Eichel is producing at a career-best rate this season, with 68 points (21G / 47A) through 50 games.
Line Change
Oettinger (Olympics) will not dress on Wednesday vs. Seattle as he returns from Milan.
Oettinger did not see any playing time for the USA at the Olympics but will return home with a Gold Medal after serving as Connor Hellebuyck's backup. The 27-year-old Oettinger should be well rested after the Olympic Break and will be relied upon heavily as the Stars battle for playoff positioning.
Line Change
Tolvanen will draw back into Finland's lineup vs. Slovakia for the Bronze Medal game on Saturday.
With Mikko Rantanen missing Finland's Bronze Medal game on Saturday vs. Slovakia, Eeli Tolvanen will draw back into the lineup for his fifth appearances at the Olympics. The 26-year-old winger has played a complimentary role all tournament and has a goal across four games played to show for it.
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.