How Many Players on a Hockey Team? Roster and Ice Numbers Explained

A hockey team normally has six players on the ice at one time: five skaters and one goaltender. In the NHL, a team dresses 20 players for a game, usually 18 skaters and two goalies, while its active roster can contain up to 23 players during much of the regular season.

The exact answer to how many players on a hockey team depends on whether you mean players on the ice, players dressed for a game, or everyone on the active roster.

How many players on a hockey team?

In standard ice hockey, each team normally puts six players on the ice:

• 1 goaltender
• 2 defensemen
• 3 forwards

The three forwards are generally a center, left wing, and right wing. According to Wikipedia, the six players are typically divided into three forwards, two defensemen, and one goaltender.

That means a standard game has 12 players on the ice at once when both teams are at full strength.

The number changes during penalties, overtime, and situations where a team removes its goalie for another skater.

How many players are on an NHL team?

An NHL team can have different numbers depending on which roster you are counting.

Roster type	Number of players
On ice at full strength	6
Dressed for an NHL game	20
NHL active roster	20–23
Skaters dressed for a game	18
Goalies dressed for a game	2

NHL Rule 5.1 states that a team is composed of 20 eligible players for a game, consisting of 18 skaters and two goaltenders.

The NHL’s hockey operations guidelines also state that clubs must carry at least 20 players on their active roster and are generally subject to a 23-player active-roster limit before the applicable late-season roster restrictions change.

So, someone saying an NHL team has 20 players and someone saying it has 23 may both be referring to legitimate numbers. They are simply counting different rosters.

What positions make up six players?

The normal six-player unit includes one goalie and five skaters with different responsibilities.

Goaltender: Protects the net and tries to stop opposing shots.

Defensemen: Two defensemen generally play farther back and help defend their team’s zone while also moving the puck into attack.

Center: Plays through the middle of the ice, takes many faceoffs, and contributes at both ends.

Left and right wings: Usually operate on their respective sides and play major roles in forechecking, passing, and scoring.

Players substitute frequently because hockey is physically demanding and played at high speed. Unlike many sports, substitutions can occur while play continues, commonly called changing “on the fly.”

Why are fewer than six sometimes playing?

A team does not always have six players on the ice.

A penalty can force a team to play shorthanded. For example, a minor penalty commonly leaves the penalized team with four skaters and a goalie while the opponent still has five skaters and a goalie.

Teams can also remove their goaltender and send an additional skater onto the ice. This often happens late in a game when a team is trailing and wants another attacking player.

The total number of players on the ice therefore depends on the game situation.

How many players play in overtime?

Overtime can use fewer players than regulation.

NHL regular-season overtime uses a 3-on-3 skater format, meaning each team typically has three skaters plus one goalie. The reduced number creates more open ice and additional scoring chances. Three-on-three overtime also appears in international competition, as reported by Reuters.

International tournaments can also use reduced-strength overtime. The exact format can vary by league, competition, and stage of a tournament, so the rules for that specific competition determine the number of players.

Do all hockey leagues use the same roster size?

No. Hockey organizations can set different limits for game lineups and full rosters.

USA Hockey, for example, requires a team to begin a game with at least six players under its composition-of-teams rule. International competitions may allow different game-roster totals than the NHL.

Youth, amateur, college, professional, and international hockey should therefore not automatically be assumed to follow identical roster rules.

FAQs

How many hockey players are on the ice?

Six players per team are normally on the ice at full strength. That consists of five skaters and one goalie, for 12 total players between the two teams.

How many players dress for an NHL game?

An NHL team normally dresses 20 players for a game. The official NHL rulebook specifies 18 skaters and two goaltenders.

How many players are on an NHL roster?

An NHL active roster generally contains between 20 and 23 players during the portion of the season when the 23-player limit applies. Players on injured reserve do not count against that 23-player limit.

Can a hockey team play without a goalie?

Yes, a team can replace its goalie with another skater. Coaches commonly use this tactic late in games when they need a goal, giving the team six skaters but leaving its net empty.

Conclusion

So, how many players on a hockey team depends on what you count. Six normally play at once, an NHL team dresses 20 for a game, and its active roster can generally include as many as 23 players.