What is a line change in hockey?

In another installment of learning hockey terminology, it's time to learn what changing lines means. The line change in hockey isn't where Keith Richards goes to the bathroom for another hit. Nor is it an acting term where Tom Holland suddenly changes the script for unforeseen circumstances. Instead, it's something that hockey teams like the Vegas Golden Knights do regularly during their games.

Imagine this scenario, dear reader. The top line of Jack Eichel, Ivan Barbashev, and Mark Stone (or Victor Olofsson, for some of you) gets rolled out for the entire sixty minutes. They play together with the top defensive pairing of Noah Hanifin and Alex Pietrangelo and don't get a break. Now imagine that happening for an entire season, where everyone eventually gets tired and becomes prone to injuries.

That's not an ideal situation. It leaves the team dealing with an already-prominent issue, leading to an eventual early playoff exit or missing the playoffs. The fans are irate and the offseason speculation begins. Let's see what changing lines can do to help this situation. How can it keep everyone upright and on the ice longer? What other effects does it have on the team?

The line change in hockey (and how it helps the Vegas Golden Knights)

The line change in hockey is where one line shifts out for a fresher unit, similar to a pit stop in NASCAR. The objective is to keep everyone fresh and upright during the game and throughout the season. This can occur during the game or when the play has stopped, giving teams like the Vegas Golden Knights a chance to catch their collective breath.

That's mainly why the line change is a crucial aspect of hockey. Fresher players on the ice lead to fewer injuries and more energized players. That's especially true in a physical sport like hockey, where players are prone to getting hit numerous times. Therefore, it's imperative to swap out tired units for fresher bodies. It's also a part of a greater strategy, where coaches try to counteract what the opposing team's doing.

There's also the aspect of giving everyone playing time, where hockey players want to score goals and help their team win. It's no fun watching the game from the sidelines when you're a competitive spirit. The line change remedies this issue, giving players like Mark Stone a chance to contribute to the Golden Knights.

Golden Knights hockey is just over a month away, with the preseason rolling into town. The prospect of seeing fan favorites like Jack Eichel and William Karlsson hop onto the ice for a shift is an exciting thought, especially after the weather cools. The line change will be an underrated idea to imagine. Still, it's something for fans to think about since the alternative is much worse (we're not talking about Keith Richards here, although that's also a nightmare).