what is healthy scratch

A healthy scratch is a term used in hockey to describe a player who is eligible to play but is not dressed in uniform for a game. The player is not injured or physically unable to play, but the coach has decided not to use them for that particular game. Being a healthy scratch can be a tough pill to swallow for players, as it means they are not contributing to the teams efforts on the ice. The reason for a player being a healthy scratch can vary, from the coach wanting to rest the player to wanting to give other players a chance to play.