Why Line Changes Matter, Featuring Brad Marchand

Leaving the ice in better conditions than you left them

Jul 24, 2022

Line changes matter, from youth hockey all the way to the NHL.

Clip of the day - Bad line changes Focusing for a full shift is critical... no matter how fatigued you become Here is a minute of bad line changes leading to goals against Some are just one person making a bad change... don’t be that person

Often, coaches, parents, and players alike are so focused on ‘skills’ that they forget to talk and think about strategies and tactics... a big reason why every hockey person should subscribe to the Hockey IQ Newsletter!

Brad Marchand

And before you know it, Brad Marchand is making this kind of season-altering line change in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Yikes

You’d think he would be more aware of his changes… and then this happened against Seattle this past season.

Changes Make You Vulnerable

As players shift on and off the ice, there is often a temporary break in the action. This is an excellent time for the opposition to attack a poor changing team.

For this reason, sustaining a long possession in the offensive zone, where the attacking players are able to execute controlled changes is a great competitive advantage.

Here we see Brayden Point (White) coming onto the ice as someone (not pictured) on the Tampa Bay Lightning was able to change while in an offensive zone sequence. Point immediately attacks while the tired Rangers (Blue) change, and leaves their net/ice poorly defended. Nikita Kucherov is the beneficiary of an easy backdoor play.

Quality Line Change Strategies

(1) Leave one behind

Rather than all defensive players going for a change like above, one player stays behind to provide some resistance with the hope of buying time for a change to successfully take place
Setting the edge is a key concept for this player

(2) Change one player at a time

This is most commonly practiced with defensemen swapping places to make for an easier change
The nearest defenseman makes a line change, then the defenseman swaps with the far side defenseman who then ultimately changes.

(3) With possession

Rather than changing when there is a loose puck or out of possession, a team changes with controlled possession. Most commonly, a team retrieves a puck that was dumped out and the defenseman waits behind the net as both teams change.
The thought here is making the change while in the offensive zone with possession. The opponent is fatigued while the attacking team maintains pressure.

Changing With Possession in the Offensive Zone

Rather than dump and change, the Toronto Maple Leafs end up executing a few controlled changes while working in the offensive zone, starting with a detailed play from Nick Abruzzese

Clip 1 - Change No. 1

Abruzzese —> Auston Matthews
First defenseman —> Ilya Lyubushkin

Clip 2 - Change No. 2

TJ Brodie (2nd D change) —> Morgan Reilly

Clip 3 - Goal

A fresh Lyubushkin and Matthews step on the ice and are lively against fatigued opposition.

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