Effective line changes are crucial in hockey to maintain player stamina and ensure optimal performance throughout the game. By executing well-timed and strategic line changes, we can keep fresh legs on the ice, maintain defensive structure, and sustain pressure on the opposing team.
Poor line changes lead to breakaways, odd-man rushes and easy goals against.
These rules are especially important in the 2nd Period when we have the long change.
We’d like to keep our shifts under 45 seconds.
1. Never vacate the far side of the ice
- Always ensure at least one player is covering the far side of the ice during line changes to maintain defensive structure and prevent easy breakouts by our opponents.
- It is the responsibility of the first player coming on to the ice to SPRINT straight across to cover the far side of the ice.
2. Always SIGNAL Your Change
- YELL to the bench when you are coming off.
- A stick held high in the air is the signal that you are coming off.
3. Both D should NOT change at the same time
- Defensemen need to stagger their changes.
- If both defensemen wish to change, the second defenseman (D2) should move to the middle of the ice until the first defenseman (D1) is able to complete their change and cover the far side of the ice. Only then would D2 change.
4. Get the puck DEEP on a change
- One of the best times to change lines is when we move into the opponent’s zone. The player with the puck MUST get it DEEP into the zone to allow their linemates to change.
- When dumping the puck into the zone, aim for the corner on the same side as the benches. This makes it harder for the opponents to advance up the far side while we are changing.
- IF you can SAFELY protect the puck and carry it DEEP into the zone, you don’t have to dump it in.
- The player with the puck should be the last player to change. Only change after the far side of the ice is covered by a new player coming on to the ice.
5. Immediately “Find a Man” when you come on
- All oncoming players should immediately find an opponent to cover. Remember, the first player coming onto the ice must cover the far side.
6. With possession in the Offensive Zone, the high F3 can change
- To maintain control in the offensive zone, the high F3 player change. Ideally, all three forwards can rotate to the high F3 position and change while maintaining possession or keeping the puck deep.
7. Forward Changes on the Penalty Kill
On the penalty kill, it is important for the forwards to stay very fresh. We’d like to keep our shifts as short as 20 seconds.
- Unless you’ve just come on the ice, F2 should always try to change every time we clear the puck down the ice while F1 pressures the puck.
- F1 should try to change on the way back up the ice (or if they become F2).
Visualize a situation where each of the rules would work. What happens if the change is well executed? What happens if it isn’t?