An NHL team can carry up to 23 players on its active roster during the regular season. For each game it dresses 20: 18 skaters and 2 goalies. Six players per team are on the ice at a time: three forwards, two defensemen and a goalie. Each organization can hold no more than 50 player contracts.
Hockey teams use more players than you might expect, because nobody plays the whole game except the goalie. Here is how many players an NHL team has, how they are used, and the rules that decide who is on the roster.
How many players are on an NHL roster?
During the regular season an NHL team's active roster can have no more than 23 players. Most teams carry 13 or 14 forwards, 7 or 8 defensemen and 2 goalies, though the mix changes with injuries.
Players on injured reserve do not count against the 23, which is how teams replace injured players without releasing anyone. Teams also have to keep at least 20 players on the roster, including two goalies.
The limit applies from the start of the regular season through the trade deadline. After the deadline the 23-player cap no longer applies, but the number of non-emergency call-ups a team can make is limited.
How many players dress for an NHL game?
Before each game the coach submits a lineup of 20 players: 18 skaters and 2 goalies. The usual lineup is:
| Position | Players dressed | On the ice at once |
|---|---|---|
| Forwards (center, left wing, right wing) | 12, in four lines of three | 3 |
| Defensemen | 6, in three pairs | 2 |
| Goalies | 2, a starter and a backup | 1 |
Some coaches dress 11 forwards and 7 defensemen instead. The players who are on the roster but not dressed that night are the healthy scratches. They watch from the press box.
How many are on a hockey team on the ice?
Six per side at full strength: three forwards, two defensemen and one goalie. Penalties change that: a team serving a minor penalty plays with four skaters, and a team can never drop below three skaters. In regular-season overtime, teams play three skaters plus a goalie. See power plays and penalties and overtime rules.
Skaters change on the fly, without play stopping. A typical NHL shift lasts well under a minute, because skating at full speed is exhausting. Top defensemen often play more than 20 minutes a night; fourth-line forwards may play fewer than 10.
What is the 50-contract limit?
Beyond the 23 players in the NHL, each organization can have no more than 50 standard player contracts at a time. That includes players in the AHL, the NHL's main minor league, and some prospects. Many young draft picks playing junior or college hockey are not under contract yet and do not count.
How do call-ups and send-downs work?
Teams move players between the NHL and their AHL affiliate all season. A player can be "called up" to replace an injured player or to fill a hole in the lineup and "sent down" when he is no longer needed.
The catch is waivers. Most veterans must clear waivers before they can be sent to the minors: for 24 hours, any other NHL team can claim them. Young players are often waiver-exempt for their first few professional seasons, depending on their age when they signed and how many games they have played. That is why you see young players shuttled up and down while veterans stay put.
What is an emergency backup goalie?
If both of a team's goalies are injured or unable to play, the team can use an emergency backup goalie, often called an EBUG. In practice this is usually a local goalie, sometimes an amateur or a team staff member, who is on call at the arena for every game. EBUGs rarely play, but when one does get into a game, it becomes a national story.
How many players are on a team in the playoffs?
The 23-man limit does not apply in the playoffs. Teams often bring extra players from their AHL affiliate, called black aces, to practice with the team and fill in for injuries. The game-day lineup is still 20 players.
How many NHL players are on Team Canada?
At the Olympics and other best-on-best tournaments, teams carry larger rosters than an NHL game-night lineup. When NHL players take part, national teams like Canada and the United States are made up almost entirely of NHL players.
How does the salary cap affect the roster?
Every player on the active roster counts against the team's salary cap, so roster decisions and cap decisions go together. A team near the upper limit may carry only 21 or 22 players to save space. Our salary cap guide explains how it works for 2026-27.
You can see how roster moves affect your team's chances on its team page, from the Philadelphia Flyers to the Winnipeg Jets, and in the playoff picture.
Frequently asked questions
- How many players are on an NHL roster?
- An NHL active roster can have up to 23 players during the regular season. Teams dress 20 for each game: 18 skaters and 2 goalies.
- How many players are on a hockey team on the ice?
- Six players per team are on the ice at full strength: three forwards, two defensemen and one goalie.
- How many players dress for an NHL game?
- Twenty: usually 12 forwards, 6 defensemen and 2 goalies. Some teams dress 11 forwards and 7 defensemen.
- What is the NHL contract limit?
- Each NHL organization can hold no more than 50 standard player contracts at a time, including players in the minor leagues.
- What is a healthy scratch?
- A healthy scratch is a player who is on the roster and able to play but is not in that night's 20-man lineup.
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