Head Coach Trevor Gilligan on the bench at the Olympic Center in 2023. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.
Hockey is a fast-paced game, and many who don’t know the game often have many questions regarding when and how players can go on and off the ice, who they change for, and how do they know.
A hockey team’s roster typically consists of four forward lines and three pairs of defensemen. Each line is made up of three players: a left-winger, a center, and a right-winger. A defensive pairing consists of a left and right defenseman. Throughout the game, the coach is responsible for letting the players know which line or pairing is going out next. The players on that line or pairing are aware of their position and will change for whoever is playing their position on the ice.
Throughout the game, players can change at any time during play or at a whistle due to icing, offsides, penalties, or when the goalie stops the puck.
When players don’t change at a whistle but while the play is going on, that is called “changing on the fly.” Changing on the fly is an important part of the game because it allows the pace to continue, which is not always the case in other sports where substitutions result in a lot of whistles. Players’ shifts typically last 45 seconds to a minute, and they change when they are tired.
Each team is only allowed 5 players and a goalie on the ice. A penalty will be assessed if a team has more than 5 players on the ice. This infraction happens most often when players change for the wrong person or too soon.