Can you explain Line Changes?

[Cloaky 0]

So a little background on me. Im 25 years old, and as a kid i use to play street hockey out in front of my house. Now that im old enough to afford to play, i want to start playing ice hockey. I think im ok on skates since ive been going to open skate sessions pretty much my whole life. I can skate backwards, stop, pivot, etc...

The deal is that about 4 years ago when i was getting ready to get into hockey, the local rink roof collapsed under the weight of the snow, so i put that plan on the back burner of life. I just found out that theyre rebuilding the rink and it is almost complete!! The grand opening is sometime mid July, and i want to at least have the basic rules of the game down so i know sorta what im doing out there. Ive never really followed the NHL until this past season, so im still learning a lot of the rules.

The thing im confused about most is line changes. I dont know how/when to change, how long to stay on the ice per shift, etc... For now im just gonna play some pick-up hockey and im sure ill learn a bunch of stuff there, but I'd at least like to know how to change shifts so i dont make anyone mad by being out too long, not jumping out when im supposed to, switching at the wrong moment. or something that will generally make me look like an idiot.

Just for fun, heres a video of the old rink after the roof collapsed, and some pictures of the new rink in construction

Heres a full gallery of images from Empty dirt lot all the way to the current progress. Im so excited to start playing!

http://www.kyro.org/...ndx=0&pageid=15

[MyBoxersSayJoe 133]

It depends on you, how many players and where on the ice you are. I'd say ideally, a minute and a half is probably fine as far as shift-length goes. I have shifts that last a minute to two depending how back-and-forth the play is, since I try to keep up with it. If you can go more than two minutes, I'd say you're not playing hard enough. Need to skate more, coast less. I'm usually off the ice before my linemates.

As for the best times to change, when the puck is out of your zone and either dumped into the offensive zone, or if you're gassed, change while it's deep in the offensive zone. Times you don't want to change are if the pucks in your defensive zone, or heading in to your defensive zone. The big thing is to not hop off the ice while the other team is on the rush in to your zone.

[tareatingrat 4]

It does depend on how many players you have, but if you have two lines or more, you shouldn't be out there for more than a minute unless you get caught in your own zone or you're putting on major pressure in the offensive zone.

Two minute shifts will get someone taking the piss out of you.

If you play hard, you should be done after 45 seconds. If you're out there and you're tired, get the redline, and dump the puck into the opposing zone so you can change. As said above, don't change when the play is in your zone.

If you've only got one line and a spare or two, well, you'll have to adjust your playing style a bit, but you should still change relatively quickly so you keep your legs.

Only other thing I can suggest is figuring out who's playing what (LW, C, RW, D, etc.) and make sure you're changing with the appropriate guy. You'll always know when to change, then, because as soon as the guy you're replacing comes to the bench, you hop on.

Oh, and if you're changing, let the guy who's coming on the ice get onto the ice before you jump off. It's quite annoying to crash into the player who's coming off...

[wrangler 157]

Here's the thread about pickup pet peeves, with a lot of posts on line changes. It's a very long thread, but you can get the idea without reading everything, as it gets repetitive.

Ideally, you'd go all-out on the ice, and head for the bench as soon as you're winded. Unfortuately, in practice you have to balance this against the guys on your team that stay out too long, so that you end up with enough playing time.

[splitbtw 2]

If you skate hard, when you are tired. If you are in good shape and skate hard, when you are tired or your line shifts off. Another vairble depends on if you can change without giving up a play the other way. For example, you shouldn't change if doing so would result in an open man or odd man rush. If the puck is deep in the offensive zone and you are or are getting tired, change. If it is in the defensive zone, wait until it gets out.

[Stoop 1]

I'll just add that those rink pictures are great. Beautiful. Are there many outdoor rinks in your area?

[Cloaky 0]

I'll just add that those rink pictures are great. Beautiful. Are there many outdoor rinks in your area?

There arent any outdoor rinks that i know of in my area. The only other rink period is across the washington state border in Spokane. About 30 miles from me (im in northern idaho)

[hunt3rsean 44]

The very basics have been said....

- Only change when the puck is deep in the offensive zone or in a spot (in the o-zone) that you feel comfortable gives you time to make the change. Always factor the time it takes your teammate getting onto the ice and into position. I.e., if you play the far wing and have the longest distance to cover to make the change.

- Do not change if the opposing team is on the rush into your zone. This is my #1 pet peeve for league play. There are two guys on my team who do this and it pisses me off. More often than not it will result in a goal against.

- Keep shifts around 45sec - 1min 30sec. For adult rec league...this is all dependant on how many guys show up. Also, it will depend on the player you're making the change for. I often am put as a center and R.Wing. Based on who shows up for a game I know who takes the long shift and who short shifts. I then know how to regulate my shifts. But, I can do this because I've been playing with the same dudes for almost 3-4 years now. If you're just getting into ice hockey...45sec should be about perfect until your body adapts.

Example: When I play center I know the guy I change for is very fit. He used to play roller hockey (loooong shifts) and has great stamina. This is good for me because I know I can take an extended shift if need be but still have time to recover. Also, as a center you typically play the full length of ice so you're skating almost double of anyone else. While playing wing I usually change for a guy who doesn't stay as long. So I know I need to take shorter shifts because I don't have as much time to sit and recover.

- I suggest using the "backcheck" rule. I doubt there is an official rule, but it's something I made up for myself. If you've been on the ice for awhile and your team starts to make an offensive rush, but you're not 100% you can backcheck if there is a turnover....then you need to change while the offensive rush is getting into the o-zone.

The more you play the more comfortable you'll become. Listen to your line mates and other teammates. If you're doing something they don't like they'll let you know. Hopefully they are good guys and will do so in a constructive way. My teammates always point out little things that anyone of us might be doing wrong to help that person play better for said game. Which includes taking a shift too long or even letting them know they could stay out a little longer if they wanted.

[pittu 15]

All the big points have been made above and if your just playing pond hockey or pickup, just keeping short shifts will probably keep the other guys happy. Sometimes guys who are not good skaters, tend to take looooong shifts and not realize it because they are not skating at a level that wears them out. They are not fast enough to keep up with the play so before they even get there, the play is coming past them the other way. I'm not saying your are a poor skater, I'm just relaying what I have seen.

For pickup hockey it's not a big deal, but if you end up playing in any type of officiated game:

If you are coming off the ice, come off the ice. Even if the puck comes to you while you are getting off the ice, continue to get off the ice, do not play the puck. The guy who just jumped over the boards to take your spot will make "too many men on the ice" if you try to play the puck.

Its cool that you'll finally get to play ice hockey. Best of luck!!