A situation where a team has fewer players available to participate in a game than the standard roster size. In the National Hockey League (NHL), the standard roster size is 20 players, consisting of 12 forwards, 6 defensemen, and 2 goaltenders. When a team has a short bench, it means they have fewer than the standard number of players dressed and available to play for various reasons, such as injuries, suspensions, or other roster issues.
