Why do teams not always start their #1 line

[Taluss]

This is probably an obvious answer but I’m slow.... At the start of the game why not start your #1 line? Noticed just now that Tor started with Kadri and I’ve noticed other instances where the #1 line hasn’t started

 

[Filthy Dangles]

This is probably an obvious answer but I’m slow.... At the start of the game why not start your #1 line? Noticed just now that Tor started with Kadri and I’ve noticed other instances where the #1 line hasn’t started

Maybe a matchup being chased or you want your 'energy' line to come out banging bodies or your top face off guy to win the opening draw.

 

[solidprospect]

Wouldn't one team have to set their starting roster before the other? Then match accordingly.

 

[Makar Goes Fast]

Wouldn't one team have to set their starting roster before the other? Then match accordingly.

this

 

[Brodeur]

Occasionally you reward one of your other lines for playing well the previous game. Sometimes you might be the visiting team and you're playing in one of the players' hometown. Sometimes you're playing a rival club and you anticipate some shenanigans likely to happen at the opening puck drop. And I forget if the visiting coach has to declare its starting lineup first, so the home coach could opt to put out a shutdown line.

Sometimes you have a prospect call up playing his first game and you want to give him a little more spotlight. I remember going to a Kings game years ago and they had former top prospect Scott Barney in their starting lineup. Barney had missed three straight years due to back injuries and was finally in his first year playing pro. He had meager AHL numbers, but earned a brief call up. It might seem a trivial thing, but I'm sure Barney appreciated standing at center ice during the national anthem. And if his family/friends were in the crowd, I'm sure they enjoyed Barney having his name announced.

 

[Kelly]

Babcock recently said in our four game winning streak earlier he was starting Matthews line because they've been winning games when he does.

So outside of the obvious one like matchups, I feel like superstition could be another for some coaches.

 

[SharksCyclops]

IIRC there was a game between Vancouver and Calgary, almost like 6 years ago and both teams started their 4th lines and it was an instant line brawl the second the puck dropped. Not really sure what I offered with this, but, sometimes teams send messages from the start of the game.

 

[Taluss]

Makes sence, thank you guys!

 

[Taluss]

IIRC there was a game between Vancouver and Calgary, almost like 6 years ago and both teams started their 4th lines and it was an instant line brawl the second the puck dropped. Not really sure what I offered with this, but, sometimes teams send messages from the start of the game.

I remember lmao. Torts was pissed

 

[Anomie2029]

Each team is different, but some teams will have a shut down line which is always matched to the opponents top line, leaving their own top lines to match up against 'weaker' opposition.

Sometimes it's to set a standard for the game, whether it's physicality or speed, etc.

 

[Varan]

IIRC there was a game between Vancouver and Calgary, almost like 6 years ago and both teams started their 4th lines and it was an instant line brawl the second the puck dropped. Not really sure what I offered with this, but, sometimes teams send messages from the start of the game.

that was in 2014 i believe, it was hilarious

 

[Kale Hulls]

Sometimes coaches want to match their 3rd like with the other teams 1st.

 

[None Shall Pass]

I remember lmao. Torts was pissed

The Devils and Rangers did that in 2012, and Torts was the Rangers coach at the time for that one too lmao

 

[cactusjack]

The Devils and Rangers did that in 2012, and Torts was the Rangers coach at the time for that one too lmao

If I remember correctly, one of the players (can't remember who) was playing his first nhl game and was ejected after the brawl. His dad was in the stand and he "played like 2 seconds!

 

[Anglesmith]

IIRC there was a game between Vancouver and Calgary, almost like 6 years ago and both teams started their 4th lines and it was an instant line brawl the second the puck dropped. Not really sure what I offered with this, but, sometimes teams send messages from the start of the game.

Yeah. Hartley had made a habit of starting the fourth line if they had a good game the game before. Maybe it was part of this trend, or maybe it was to push Torts' buttons, but he started the fourth line against Vancouver that game after they'd scored the game before, and Torts decided to turn it into brawl. He flew off the handle yelling at Hartley, and even told Bieksa to take the faceoff so that he could fight whatever Flames player was at centre instead of the rookie.

Then Torts made it a full WWE production by trying to attack Hartley in the dressing room during the intermission.

 

[NyQuil]

I used to love it when the Senators would throw the Pizza Line out there and they'd score on their first shift.

 

[SharksCyclops]

Yeah. Hartley had made a habit of starting the fourth line if they had a good game the game before. Maybe it was part of this trend, or maybe it was to push Torts' buttons, but he started the fourth line against Vancouver that game after they'd scored the game before, and Torts decided to turn it into brawl. He flew off the handle yelling at Hartley, and even told Bieksa to take the faceoff so that he could fight whatever Flames player was at centre instead of the rookie.

Then Torts made it a full WWE production by trying to attack Hartley in the dressing room during the intermission.

Haha, I remember all that. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

 

[Tage2Tuch]

I used to love it when the Senators would throw the Pizza Line out there and they'd score on their first shift.

Those guys were good....scary good.

 

[NyQuil]

Those guys were good....scary good.

There are some great lines out there right now.

It’s fun for the fans.

 

[93LEAFS]

They send out Kadri's line to see how Maurice is going to try to match-up. Is he going to put try to match shut-down line with shut-down line with Lowry, is he going to read the Kadri line as the weak line and try to exploit it by playing Scheifele, or is he going to put out the offensive-tilted line of Connor-Little-Ehlers. Hard to tell what Maurice wanted out of this game, as once the Jets started chasing the game, line-matching went out the door, and every 2nd or 3rd shift was given to Scheifele and Wheeler.

The other question to this is? What is the Leafs first line? It's probably JT-Marner due to firepower but Auston is our best player.

Another generally ignored thing on these boards is how coaches are chasing match-ups with defenders vs forwards.

 

[Atas2000]

This is probably an obvious answer but I’m slow.... At the start of the game why not start your #1 line? Noticed just now that Tor started with Kadri and I’ve noticed other instances where the #1 line hasn’t started

Countermatching lines. Coaches trying to get their top line out against weaker opposition.

 

[behemolari]

Theres a wheel of fortune hidden in the locker room your coach plays before every game, thats how it is decided