No. A team does not activate a pregame scratch to join a game already underway. If a defenseman is injured or must leave, an eligible player already available to the team can take his place under the in-game substitution rules. Adding a player to the NHL roster through a recall or injured-reserve move is a separate team transaction, not an on-ice replacement.
What happens when a defenseman leaves during a game?
The NHL’s 2022–23 Rule 8.1 text says an injured player, or one compelled to leave during a game, may retire and be replaced by a substitute. Play continues; the teams do not leave the ice to make a roster move. The substitute is a player already available to the team under the game’s rules, not a scratch newly added to the game after it starts. See the NHL Official Rules 2022–23.
There is a special procedure if the departing player is serving a major penalty: a substitute must serve the penalty, and restrictions apply to when that substitute may return to the game. The NHL FAQ links to a 2026–27 rulebook, but its full text was not retrievable for this article; consult the current edition for exact wording and rule numbers. NHL FAQ
Can a scratched player enter as the replacement?
No. A scratch is not a player who can be inserted into an ongoing game by making a mid-game roster transaction. The injured-player rule covers substitution from personnel already available to the team for that game. A recall or other roster move changes who is eligible for a subsequent game; it does not make an undressed scratch eligible to enter the current one.
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How does an ordinary line change work?
For a normal change during play, the NHL’s 2024–25 Rule 74.1 text requires the departing player to be within five feet of the bench and out of the play before the replacement enters. Entering too early can result in a too-many-men penalty. This rule governs a change with a teammate already on the bench; it does not authorize adding a scratched player. See the NHL Official Rules 2024–25.
How is a roster replacement different?
Roster transactions are handled separately from game substitutions. NHL Hockey Operations Guidelines describe a minimum roster of 20 players—18 skaters and two goaltenders—and say a player injured for at least seven days may be placed on Injured Reserve, allowing the club to replace that player on its NHL roster. These are roster-management provisions, not permission to send a scratch onto the ice after the game has started. See the NHL Hockey Operations Guidelines.
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Recalls, emergency recalls and injured reserve can affect a club’s available roster, subject to applicable roster and salary-cap rules. The Carolina Hurricanes’ transaction primer explains these general categories; its COVID-era discussion and season-specific salary figures are historical and should not be treated as current rules.
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At a glance: in-game substitute or roster move?
| Situation | When and how | What it allows |
|---|---|---|
| In-game substitution | During the game, under the injured-player procedure | An eligible player already available to the team can replace a player who is injured or compelled to leave. |
| Roster transaction | Through a club move such as a recall or injured-reserve placement | Changes roster availability for later games; it does not put a scratched player into the game underway. |
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