NHL Depth Charts Explained (2025): How Line Combinations Drive Strategy and Cap Efficiency

A hockey GM is ultimately a resource allocator. Their job is to decide how much salary cap space to allocate to different skill sets across the roster, so they can win the Stanley Cup. Since that by itself, would be too easy, they also have to do it under constraints: they can only spend a certain amount of money, and – to be truly successful – they have to do it consistently. To put together a dynasty that wins multiple cups.

Ultimately, franchises are judged on wins and Cups, but interim signals matter. Luck, injuries, and randomness muddy win/loss records. The smarter question is: “Are we getting the expected performance per cap dollar?”

Many analysts reach for the depth chart, but that term covers three distinct views: positional depth charts, projected lineups, and deployed line combinations. At CapWages we focus on the third: actual in‑game lines plus cap impact. Because, we believe, it best answers the performance‑per‑dollar question.

Traditional Positional Depth Charts 📊

A depth chart is a hierarchical listing of players by position, outlining starters, backups, and reserves. It's useful for assessing team talent and depth. For instance, a depth chart might rank centers, wingers, and defensemen, indicating primary players and available substitutes.

What Depth Charts Show:

• Team Structure: They provide a quick overview of the team's lineup, showing starters and backups.
• Depth and Potential: Depth charts highlight the team's roster depth, revealing available talent at each position.

Limitations of Positional Depth Charts:

While depth charts are useful for understanding a team's potential lineup, they do not reflect how players are actually deployed during games. They don't account for in-game strategies, player chemistry, or coach adjustments throughout the season.

Projected Lineups: Game-Day Expectations 📝

A projected lineup predicts which players will start in an upcoming game, typically based on media reports and practice observations. They're most useful if you're betting on a game or updating fantasy hockey rosters.

What Projected Lineups Show:

• Immediate Decisions: They reflect anticipated game-day choices by the coaching staff.
• Starting Players: Indicate which players are expected to take the ice at the game's start.

Limitations of Projected Lineups:

Projected lineups provide a snapshot of expected starters but have drawbacks: they don't reflect historical trends or player chemistry from previous games, and they can't capture the in-game adjustments coaches often make. Lines change based on game flow, performance, or scenarios like power plays, limiting the projected lineup's accuracy beyond the opening shifts. A coach might experiment with a line to start, then revert to a more familiar combination based on performance.

Deployed Line Combinations: Real In‑Game Usage 🏒

When we talk about lines, we mean the actual groupings of forwards or defensemen who play together during a game. Coaches often identify player pairs with strong chemistry and rotate other players around them to adapt to situations.

Why Focusing on Pairs and Their Stats Matters:

Analyzing frequent line deployments and their stats offers a data-driven, search‑friendly path to understanding a team’s strategy:

• Performance Metrics: Examining stats like Corsi For % (CF%), Expected Goals % (xGoals%), and Physicality % (Phys%) reveals how effective the lines are in controlling play, generating scoring opportunities, and impacting the game's physical aspect.
• Contract Status: For lines generating key outcomes (e.g., scoring chances, puck possession), it's important to understand cap allocation and contract situations - will this be sustainable, or is there a ticking time bomb?

Our Approach: Key Pairs, Cap Impact 💡

To understand a team, it's essential to analyze actual line combinations used in games and their stats. Depth charts and projected lineups offer limited perspectives - they don't account for in-game adjustments, evolving strategies, or player chemistry over time. They also lack detailed statistical analysis revealing the effectiveness of player combinations.

We focus on presenting these player pairs on their most frequently used lines and show associated stats. This illustrates how players are actually deployed and helps evaluate their performance. By also looking at contracts and cap allocation, we get an understanding of a team's structure and strategy - not just for this season but for the future.

How We Use These Stats (+ How You Can Too):

• Data-Driven Insights: We provide detailed stats for each player pair, including TOI, GP, CF%, xGoals%, and Phys%, offering a comprehensive view of their performance.
• Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses: By analyzing these metrics, we pinpoint which lines are excelling and which may need adjustments.
• Strategic Analysis: Understanding how much of a team's resources (cap) are allocated to generate particular outcomes helps us better understand the situation a team is in and where they're headed.

Next time you're analyzing a team, take a closer look at how they're actually using their players, what they're getting out of it and how much they're paying for it. Cross‑reference that with our NHL Team Cap Space dashboard and GM Mode Simulator to project future moves. That’s how you turn raw ice‑time into actionable strategy. 🔍

FAQ (tldr;)

What is an NHL depth chart, exactly?

A depth chart is a position-by-position hierarchy (starters, backups, reserves). It’s static, roster-level information.

How is a “line combination” different?

Line combinations track which forwards or defence pairs actually share the ice in games, vital for performance‑per‑cap analysis.

Why do you prioritise deployed lines over projected lineups?

Projected lineups are situational - a player took a puck off his ankle and is not available today. Deployed lines capture real coach decisions, chemistry, and match‑up tactics over the course of a season.

How often are CapWages line‑deployment stats updated?

Nightly during the season, within a few hours of NHL game completion.

Are AHL call‑ups included?

Only if they log NHL ice time. We ignore minors‑only stints to keep analytics relevant to NHL cap management.

Can I filter by special teams units (power play/penalty kill)?

Even‑strength lines are available now; special‑teams units are in beta and will roll out at a later date.

Last updated: November 2024