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NHL Scratches & Line Changes

Nick Holden(LD)|FA
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Line Change
Avalanche defensemen Nick Holden and Nate Guenin are going to alternate lineup spots in the first two games of the season. Guenin will go Wednesday vs. Anaheim, while Holden goes Friday vs. Nashville.

Holden is 26, and has spent the majority of his pro career in the Columbus Blue Jackets system. He has never registered a point in seven career NHL games.

Source:
Mike Chambers 2013-10-01T16:33:39.000Z
Nick Holden
Nate Guenin(D)|FA
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Line Change
Avalanche defensemen Nick Holden and Nate Guenin are going to alternate lineup spots in the first two games of the season. Guenin will go Wednesday vs. Anaheim, while Holden goes Friday vs. Nashville.

Guenin is a 30-year-old blueliner who is currently with his fifth NHL team. He was a member of the Flyers, Penguins, Blue Jackets and Ducks organizations prior to arriving in Colorado. He has two goals and two assists in 32 NHL games since being drafted 127th overall in 2002.

Source:
Mike Chambers 2013-10-01T16:32:17.000Z
Nate Guenin
Tomas Hertl(C)|VGK
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Tomas Hertl will begin the season on a line with Joe Thornton and Brent Burns.

The 17th overall pick in 2012 showed in the preseason that he’s skilled enough to play at an NHL level, scoring three goals and an assist in four games, and his big six-foot-two, 210-pound frame should help him better withstand the rigors of an NHL schedule. “Tomas being my linemate, it’s been a lot of fun,” Thornton said. “Me and Burnzie have been smiling a lot, just enjoying his company out there. I think with getting some young guys in here, it adds a little bit more enthusiasm in the room.” This is a great opportunity for the 19 year old and is worthy of a roster spot in deep leagues.

Source:
Kevin Kurz 2013-10-01T13:58:27.000Z
Tomas Hertl
Connor Carrick(D)|FA
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Line Change
Hillen-Carrick.

Washington Capitals defenseman Connor Carrick will make his NHL debut tonight alongside Jack Hillen. Carrick had 12 goals and 44 points in 68 games on the Plymouth Whalers blueline last season. He is a great puck distributor with a great shot, if he sticks on the Caps blueline he has a lot of offensive upside.

Source:
Katie Carrera 2013-10-01T13:51:45.000Z
Connor Carrick
Luke Gazdic(LW)|
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Luke Gazdic looks like he is in for Ben Eager with Will Acton and Mike Brown.

Gazdic was just recently acquired by Edmonton via waivers and it looks like he will make his Oilers and NHL debut tonight. He is a 6-foot-4, 240 lbs. tough guy that has spent the last five years in the Dallas Stars system.

Source:
Bob Stauffer 2013-10-01T13:18:10.000Z
Luke Gazdic
Jaromir Jagr(RW)|
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Line Change
Jagr has moved from the fifth line to the second line with Travis Zajac and Adam Henrique.

Jagr did not skate very much during the preseason because of a sore hip and back, but he is good to go for the Devils season opener on Thursday. He will start on their second line as well as their first power-play unit.

Source:
Tom Gulitti 2013-10-01T10:32:54.000Z
Jaromir Jagr
Tomas Tatar(LW)|FA
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Line Change
Tomas Tatar made the Wings’ final roster, but now the question is when will he get in the lineup. It appears Wings coach Mike Babcock will sit Tatar in the season opener, opting to go with a more veteran look as Joakim Andersson will center Todd Bertuzzi and Daniel Cleary.

“I’m out of the lineup right now, but I don’t know what will happen Wednesday, so just wait for a chance,” Tatar said. “I’m the youngest guy in the locker room, so I wait and when chance comes I’m going to grab it and hold it.” Tatar is a tremendous offensive talent and will get his shot soon. He has great speed, great hands and the ability to set up linemates and score.

Source:
Chuck Pleiness 2013-09-30T14:59:48.000Z
Tomas Tatar
Nikolay Kulemin(LW)|
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Line Change
Kulemin looks to be the guy who will initially fill David Clarkson's spot alongside Nazem Kadri and Joffrey Lupul.

Kulemin has some fantasy value even on Toronto's third line, but the 10-game suspension to Clarkson boosts his value for the first few weeks.

Source:
Jonas Siegel 2013-09-30T12:33:22.000Z
Nikolay Kulemin
Seth Jones(D)|FLA
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Line Change
This year's fourth overall pick Seth Jones appears to be set to start the season on the Predators top-pair with Shea Weber.

"It looks like Seth Jones will play in their top-four alongside Weber," David Boclair of the Nashville Post said. Jones is a great puck moving D-man and playing alongside Weber makes him an intriguing late round pick.

Source:
Jason Gregor 2013-09-27T09:51:03.000Z
Seth Jones
Jarred Tinordi(D)|FA
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Line Change
Defenceman Jarred Tinordi will have a place on the #Habs 23-man opening day roster.

Tinordi might not play on October 2nd, but he has cracked the 23-man roster. When Davis Drewiske went down with an injury the door opened for the 6-foot-6, 21 year old. Tinordi had two assists and was a plus-5 in eight games with the Habs last season.

Source:
Priyanta Emrith 2013-09-27T09:46:15.000Z
Jarred Tinordi
Jonathan Drouin(LW)|FA
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Line Change
Drouin once again skating on the wing with Stamkos and St. Louis for practice this afternoon.

Drouin is still skating with St. Louis and Stamkos as he was at the start of training camp. If he can land this gig on the top-line, it would do a ton for his fantasy value. St. Louis and Stamkos finished first and second in scoring last season so there would be a lot of opportunity for Drouin to produce.

Source:
Erik Erlendsson 2013-09-25T14:23:23.000Z
Jonathan Drouin
Nino Niederreiter(RW)|WPG
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Line Change
Niederreiter, the fifth overall pick in the 2010 draft, got a look on the right side with checking-line forwards Matt Cooke and Kyle Brodziak. If Jason Zucker and Charlie Coyle wind up as Dany Heatley’s linemates, Niederreiter had to show the Wild brass that he can play a third-line role if he has any shot to make the team.

Niederreiter, known more for his scoring, had five hits, often came away from board battles with the puck and is getting stronger without the puck every game, coach Mike Yeo said.

Source:
Michael Russo 2013-09-24T11:52:28.000Z
Nino Niederreiter
Brandon Saad(LW)|FA
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Line Change
The Chicago Blackhawks have been experimenting with Brandon Saad at center but the experiment is over, for now.

“I’m a born winger,” Saad said. He struggled in the faceoff circle going 9 for 38 in his two games at center, so he was back on the wing on Sunday. Saad likely will play on the third line, where he spent most of the playoffs. “He’s playing on your top two [lines], then all of a sudden if he plays on your third line, that line is a very dangerous line offensively,” Quenneville said.

Source:
Mark Lazerus 2013-09-23T11:21:59.000Z
Brandon Saad
Boone Jenner(C)|WSH
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Line Change
Rookie Boone Jenner will likely start the season on the first line with Marian Gaborik and Brandon Dubinsky. “I don’t even know right now if it’s (a) hard (decision),” head coach Todd Richards said. “The way he’s playing, he’s fit right in with that line.

The 6-foot-2, 205 lbs. forward had 45 goals and 37 assists in 56 games with the Oshawa Generals last season. Playing on the first line makes Jenner an interesting deep sleeper heading into drafts. He likely won't stay on the first line all year but he is good in all zones which will keep him on the Blue Jackets roster.

Source:
Aaron Portzline 2013-09-22T16:51:13.000Z
Boone Jenner

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.