What Is A Hockey Line? (The Greatest Lines Revealed)

The term hockey line is common, yet many people have different ideas about its meaning. As a passionate hockey fan and an admirer of effective hockey lines, I’ll explain what a hockey line is, the meaning of the different lines on a team, and much more! Before I get ahead of myself, what is a hockey line in the first place?

A hockey line is a group of three offensive players on a team that plays together with the two defensive players, the defensemen and the goalie, against the other team. Usually, there are four lines on a hockey team. The coaches tactically choose hockey lines by pairing players who play well together.

The three offensive hockey players or the line make most of the team goals. Sometimes, strong defensemen can shoot the puck from the blue line, which isn’t uncommon either, but the line is the team’s main scorer.

The coaching staff watches the players in training and then pairs three players to a line they have seen playing very well together. Generally, it’s best to have a leftie on the left board side and a righty on the right board side as it will be easier to pick up passes.

However, the opposite can be valuable where lefties play right wing and righties play left wing, as you would be positioned to shoot from the center side rather than the side.

There’s really no right answer here which is why you see both line styles played, although playing on the same side your blade is pointing is more common. The center player can be either or, yet 60% to 70% of NHL players are lefties, surprisingly, so most centers are lefties.

I mentioned that there are generally four lines on a hockey team, so let’s see how they differ.

Related: What Is A Crease In Hockey?

What Are Some Different Hockey Lines?

In professional ice hockey, such as the NHL, KHL, and you name it, the teams always have four lines because the first line can’t play all game, as it would leave the team vulnerable to injuries and be physically too demanding play without breaks. So, what are the four hockey lines?

• The first line is made of a hockey team’s three best offensive players. They receive the most game time as it’s the best bet to score points against the other team. The first line is always on the starting lineup; in most cases, the players are signed with the most valuable contracts.
• The second line features the next three best offensive players of the team and is usually mixed in some way with the first line to spread up the effectiveness of the play. This is especially true when two highly valued players play the same position.
• The third line, the checking line, usually consists of defensive-oriented offensive players. The checking line is used against the rivalry team’s first or second line to wear them out physically, so the own first or second line can easily score afterward.
• The Fourth line or energy line is mainly used to give other players rest. However, they are also very capable players, usually very physical and fast skaters so the rivalry team won’t get it easy. The energy line usually plays in short bursts so the first or second liners can get to the ice after a short break.

In addition to the four main lines of ice hockey, two other special lines are used in case of a penalty. Here’s a brief description.

• The power play unit consists of players the coaching staff has chosen to use when the rivalry team gets a penalty. These players are highly offensive, increasing the chances of taking advantage of the penalty and scoring.
• The penalty kill unit is the opposite of a power play unit and is used when then the own team gets a penalty. This consists of highly defensive players, making it difficult for the attacking team to score.

What Are Some Best Lines In Hockey?

When talking about hockey liens, the best offensive groups are found in the NHL and have gained a reputation as bright celebrities. Next, I’ll show you some of the best lines of all time!

Gordie Howe – Sid Abel – Ted Lindsay

Way back in the history of the Detroit Red Wings from 1977 to 1952, the Howe, Abel, and Lindsay line dominated the league with a synchronizing work amongst each other. This resulted in continuous score production for the Red Wings, ultimately carrying Sid Abel to the Hall of Fame.

This famous line, also called the Production Line, carried the team to two Stanley Cup victories in 1950 and 1952. To this day, they are among the best and most famous hockey lines of all time.

Detroit Red Wings

Wayne Gretzky – Jari Kurri – Esa Tikkanen

The Finnish Sandwich was the nickname of the great line, including the legendary Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurii, and Esa Tikkanen. The unique nickname of this Edmonton Oilers line comes from Kurri and Tikkanen being both Finnish. They played from 1983 to 1988.

The time between 83 and 88 was an unbelievable age for the Edmonton Oilers, where they got Stanley Cup victories in four years in 84, 85, 87, and 88! The oilers dynasty didn’t stop there as they won their fifth Stanley Cup in seven years in 1990; however, this was outside the Finnish Sandwich lineup.

All in all, the Gretzky, Kurri, and Tikkanen line is amongst the best ones of all time and my personal favorite.

Mario Lemieux – Jaromir Jagr – Kevin Stevens

The line of Lemieux, Jagr and Stevens was the pride of the Pittsburgh Penguins, although they weren’t together all that long, at least when compared to other popular lines.

This line played from 1990 to 94 and led the Penguins to two back-to-back Stanley Cup victories in 1991 & 1992. Lemieux and Jarg were an amazing duo, complemented by Stevens and, at the time, probably the best line in the league.

Keep in mind that there are other mention-worthy hockey lines there so these three aren’t nearly all or necessarily the top three in order. However, it can’t be argued that these aren’t some of the best of all time.

How Do Line Changes Work In Hockey?

When watching a hockey game, it might seem that the players randomly go on and off the ice, but this isn’t so. There are rules at play, strategies, and more that are involved in line changes during a hockey game. Next, I’ll explain how line changes work.

Preparation for Line Changes

Before anything, the coaches have organized the lines, so they can easily and naturally be changed. Although, there will be unexpected things during a game.

Anyways, the players are placed on the bench to sit within their lines and groups in a way that the line or offensive players consisting of left-wing, center, and right-wing sit closest to the opposite team’s goal, and defensemen sit closest to their own goal. When players are seated this way, they can quickly get to their position when changing lines.

Then the coaches will instruct when the line change is due and which line goes on the ice. However, the players can decide this sometimes, such as during a break or on the fly. Let’s learn more about both.

Changing Lines During a Break

Changing lines during a break or when the game has stopped after the whistle has been blown is a great time to change lines. This can be done more organized and strategically than on the fly.

Changing lines during the stoppage of play is done by the away team first. The linesman will skate to the rink’s center and hold his arm up for five seconds while facing the away bench, signaling a line change. After five seconds, the linesman will lower his hand to signal that line change time is ended and will repeat the process for the home team so they can also change lines.

In addition to changing lines when the play has stopped, it can also be done during play.

Changing Lines Durning Play

Changing lines during play, also called changing on the fly, is a great way to keep the player’s energy up and keep the play going optimally. Sometimes, a play can last a long time, and considering hockey is extremely demanding, the stamina would quickly run out.

Lines can be changed on the fly anytime during play! However, the player going on the ice isn’t allowed over the bench board until the changing player is within 5 feet of the player’s box. This ensures that the game’s flow will never stop, as the players will change when both are on ice.

The players need to be aware of the 5 feet rule, and if it’s done too soon, it can result in a penalty, depending on the referee’s judgment and the length difference.

In addition, the changing player needs to be fully inside the player’s box before the new player on ice can touch the puck. If not, a penalty can and usually will be issued.

The players on the bench will watch the teammate playing their position so that centers will watch centers, right-wingers will watch right-wingers, and so on, so when the player on the ice is ready to change, the one on the bench is as well.

The players usually strive to change very quickly as lines, so when one player from line 1 goes to rest, the two others quickly follow so the premade lines can play together. However, due to the quick nature of the sport, this isn’t always possible, which is why lines can mix when changing on the fly.