How it works
This hockey lineup creator makes a shift chart for youth and rec coaches: five skaters on the ice for every shift, two wings, a center and a defense pair, with ice time shared evenly.
Read the full guide
Make the lineup
Replace the sample names with your skaters, one per line, and leave your goalie off. Set how many shifts you expect in a game, then print the chart for the bench door. Read each column as the five who go over the boards together.
How ice time is shared
Five skate, the rest wait. Ten skaters make two full units, so everyone plays every other shift and nobody sits twice running. With twelve over eight shifts there are 56 bench turns: eight skaters sit five times and four sit four. The fair rotation also moves skaters between forward and defense.
Questions and answers
Where does the goalie go?
Not on the chart. The goaltender is the sixth player on the ice and usually stays in net all game, so type only your skaters. Splitting the game between two goalies? Write the change at a period break by hand.
Does it keep my lines together?
No. Older teams keep three forwards together as a line and two defense as a pair. This chart mixes skaters and spots from shift to shift so everyone plays every position, which suits younger teams. For fixed lines, write them by hand.
Can I change players during play?
Yes. Hockey allows substitutions at any time, and a change while play goes on is called changing on the fly. The chart only says who goes out next, not when to change.