It may be hard to believe that NHL teams dressed just one goaltender many years ago and it wasn’t until the 1965/66 season that the league introduced a rule which stated clubs must dress two netminders.
But even two goalies isn’t enough some nights as injuries and illness can force goaltenders out of a game midway through it. Let’s check out how the league deals with goaltender shortages in different scenarios.
What is the NHL Emergency Goalie Rule? (EBUG)
The term EBUG stands for emergency backup goalie and it’s now mandatory that each team has a netminder on standby in their building for every home game. The NHL rule book states that each team is allowed to dress 18 skaters and two goalies per game.
In addition, Rule 5.3 states that each team’s backup goalie must be fully dressed and ready to play when needed at any time during a game. No skater other than the goaltender may wear goalie equipment unless both of the team’s netminders have been injured or aren’t able to continue to play for any reason.
If both goaltenders are incapacitated, that team can have any goalie that is able to play get geared up and get in the net. This goalie is often the EBUG as they will be in the arena.
In both the regular season and the playoffs a team may dress any available goaltender if both of their starting goalies have had to leave the game. If both of a club’s regular goalies are unable to play due to suspension a netminder can be called up from one of its minor-league affiliates.
This enables the team to dress a full lineup including two netminders and it’s ruled as an emergency recall. A team may go over its 23-man active roster just twice per season when using an emergency replacement netminder.
Does the Emergency Goalie Get a Warm-up?
If an NHL team needs to dress a third goalie during a game he’s allowed a reasonable amount of time to dress in his equipment and is also allowed a two-minute warm-up before taking over in net. However, if the goalie enters the contest to defend against a penalty shot, no warm-up is allowed.
Also, if a team’s third goaltender is already dressed and on the bench after the starting or backup goalie had to leave the game he isn’t allowed a warm-up.
What Happens if the Emergency Backup Goalie Gets Injured?
If an emergency backup becomes ill or is injured during a game the team may replace him with anybody they choose after signing them to a contract. It has yet to happen in the NHL but the team would likely use its goaltending coach as a replacement if there was no other goalie available in the arena.
The last choice would be to place one of the squad’s forwards or defensemen in net.
Can a Skating Player Become an Emergency Goalie?
The rules states that if both goalies are unable to play then that team is entitled to dress any goalie that is able to play. If the EBUG goalie is available he will play, if he is not then a search begins for a real goalie. Often a goalie coach would be chosen next, or if a goalie is found within the arena.
However, the rule does say:
“Except when both goalkeepers are incapacitated, no skater on the playing roster in the game shall be permitted to wear the equipment of the goalkeeper.”
In rare and exceptional circumstances, a forward or a defenseman can play in net if both designated goaltenders are unavailable and no emergency backup goalie is present.
In my opinion, I don’t think we will ever see something like this happen. If it never happened during the covid season, I doubt it will happen with thousands of people in the arenas.
Jerry Toppazzini
The last known skater to play in net for his NHL team was forward Jerry Toppazzini of the Boston Bruins when he took over from starter Don Simmons in an away game against the Chicago Blackhawks. The incident took place on October 16, 1960 when Simmons left the ice win an injury with just 30 seconds remaining in the contest.
Chicago was up 5-2 and as the game was almost over Toppazzini volunteered to play net rather than wait for Chicago to find an emergency replacement at their rink and finished it off without facing a shot.
What Happens if Both Teams Need an EBUG During the Same Game?
Since each NHL rink has had to have a third-goalie on standby since 2016/17, there’s always somebody ready to enter the crease for either team. If the EBUG is being used by one of the clubs and the opposing team then loses both of its netminders to injury or illness they would be able to scour the rink quickly for a replacement netminder.
Another option would be to play the remainder of the game with six skaters and no goalie.
What Perks Does an Emergency Backup Goalie Get?
Many emergency goalies are employed by NHL clubs as practice goalies for either their NHL or minor-league affiliate team. They typically attend the games for free and receive team jerseys/paraphernalia and equipment, and are available to play for either the visiting or home team when needed.
Do EBUGs Get Paid if they Play a Game?
An emergency backup netminder isn’t signed to a full NHL contract but is typically signed to a professional tryout contract (PTO) if they are needed for a game. The current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) states that goalie player will be paid $500 per game when needed.
If the emergency goalie signs an amateur tryout contract prior to entering the contest he isn’t entitled to any pay.
How Does Someone Become an EBUG?
The current CBA between the NHL and NHLPA states that an emergency backup goaltender must already be under contract to any other team or terminate a contract to play as an emergency backup.
Therefore just about any goalie who isn’t under contract can serve as an EBUG but many of them are former junior, senior or college/university players.
Can an EBUG Play in a Playoff Game?
The NHL rules concerning emergency backup goalies are the same for both the regular season and playoffs. However, no team has ever used an EBUG in the playoffs as of the beginning of the 2022/23 postseason.
Before the NHL adopted the two-goalie rule, Lester Patrick made the headlines on April 7, 1928 when he took over in net in the second game of the Stanley Cup Final series. Patrick was the head coach of the New York Rangers and his team was taking on the Montreal Maroons.
Rangers’ starting goalie Lorne Chabot left the game due to injury half way though the second period and Patrick took over in net at 44 years of age. As of 2023 he’s still the oldest player to appear in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Patrick ended up in net after Montreal coach Eddie Gerard wouldn’t allow the Rangers to use Ottawa Senators’ goalie Alec Connell or minor-leaguer Hugh McCormick as an emergency replacement. Patrick entered the contest with the score notched 0-0, allowed one goal and led his team to a 2-1 overtime win.
All NHL Emergency Backup Goalies Listed:
Jorge Alves, Carolina Hurricanes 2016
Jorge Alves, who was the equipment manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, became the first EBUG to play an NHL game when he entered the crease for the team on New Year’s Eve, 2016.
The former U.S. Marine and ECHL (East Coast Hockey League) player was placed in net for the final 7.6 seconds of a 3-1 away loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning to record the shortest-ever NHL career.
Alves dressed as the backup to Cam Ward when Eddie Lack wasn’t able to play due to a concussion and head coach Bill Peters put the 37-year-old, 5-foot-7-inch tall Alves in net for the final few seconds of the contest, replacing Ward.
Scott Foster, Chicago Blackhawks 2018
Scott Foster, who was a full-time accountant at the time, played for the Chicago Blackhawks at home against the Winnipeg Jets in March 2018. The 36-year-old rec-league goalie manned the crease for 14 minutes and saved all seven shots he faced to help the Blackhawks triumph 6-2.
Foster was called into action when Anton Forsberg was injured before the game and starting netminder Scott Delia, who was making his NHL debut that night, left the contest in the third period with an injury.
David Ayres, Carolina Hurricanes 2020
In February, 2020 when David Ayres was in attendance in Toronto during a game between the Maple Leafs and the visiting Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina netminders James Reimer and Petr Mrazek were both injured during the contest and Ayres, a Zamboni driver and practice goalie with the Maple Leafs and American Hockey League (AHL) Toronto Marlboros, was the on-call emergency netminder, meaning he could have played for either team if needed.
He entered the game midway through the second period with Carolina leading 3-1 and let in the first two shots before saving the next eight and earning a 6-3 victory. Ayres, who was 42 years and 194 days of age and had a kidney transplant 15 years earlier, became the oldest netminder to win an NHL game in his first outing and the first EBUG to be credited with a win.
He was then paid the grand total of $500 for his effort in 28 minutes and 41 seconds of action and given his Hurricanes jersey as a souvenir of his historic game.
Watch a quick video of Ayres below:
Thomas Hodges, Anaheim Ducks 2022
In April, 2022 Thomas Hodges played in net for the Anaheim Ducks on the road home against the Dallas Stars when regular goaltenders John Gibson and Anthony Stolarz left the game due to injuries. The 28-year-old Hodges took over at the start of the third period with the score tied 2-2.
Dallas needed to win the late-season game to secure the first Western Conference wild-card playoff spot while a loss would have given then the second wild-card position. The Stars scored once on Hodges on a power-play and then added an empty-netter for a 4-2 victory.
However, he faced just three shots on net and saved two of them. Hodges was born in the UK and was the emergency backup for Dallas’ home games.
Close Calls
Ryan Vinz, Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres traded starting goalie Ryan Miller and forward Steve Ott to the St. Louis Blues on February 28th, 2014 for netminder Jaroslav Halak and a pair of players. The trade took place just before the Sabres were set to take on the San Jose Sharks at home that night and the only goalie remaining with the team was Jhonas Enroth.
The Sabres had little time before the puck was scheduled to drop and had to use 28-year old Ryan Vinz as the backup to Enroth. Vinz, who worked for the Sabres’ video scouting department, was at the game with his brother and quickly signed an amateur tryout deal but watched the Sabres 4-2 win from the bench.
However he did get into the record books as being one of nine netminders to dress for Buffalo in 2013-14, which was then a league record.
Robb Tallas, Florida Panthers
On March 3rd, 2015 Florida Panther’s starting goalie Roberto Luongo and his backup Al Montoya were both injured during a 3-2 home loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Forward Derek MacKenzie volunteered to strap on the pads and go in net but goalie coach Robb Tallas stepped in and dressed.
He didn’t face any rubber though as Luongo changed back out of his street clothes and went back in net to replace Montoya. Florida general manager Dale Tallon said he was considering playing the rest of the game without a netminder but Luongo saved the day.
It was an anniversary of sorts for Tallas as he did the exact same thing two years earlier to the day on March 3rd, 2013 when goaltender Jacob Markstrom’s equipment was lost in transit but he didn’t see any action on that occasion either.
Kyle Konin, St. Louis Blues
Kyle Konin was acting as the emergency backup for the Tampa Bay Lightning in late December, 2021 when the team’s general manager Julien BriseBois informed him that the St. Louis Blues, who were playing in Tampa that night, needed a goalie.
Their regular starter Jordan Binnington had to miss the contest due to the NHL COVID-19 protocol and backup Ville Husso was scheduled to start but the squad needed a backup for Husso for the game.
The Blues weren’t able to call up a netminder from the minors because the team had no space under the salary-cap rules. Konin dressed and sat on the bench for St. Louis but wasn’t called upon to play in their 4-2 defeat.
Has There Been Any Controversy or Debate Surrounding the Use Of EBUGs In The NHL?
There was a slight controversy involving an emergency backup in April, 2017 when 23-year-old Eric Semborski dressed but wasn’t allowed to play. The rink employee of the Philadelphia Flyers dressed for the team in a game against the New Jersey Devils when starter Steve Mason was ruled out with an illness.
Anthony Stolarz was recalled from the minors and started the game as the backup to Michael Neuvirth and had to replace him when Neuvirth was injured in the first period. Semborski, who was watching the game from the press box, then ran out to his car to retrieve his equipment.
The Flyers were ahead 3-0 when head coach Dave Hakstol decided to let Semborski get a taste of NHL action and let him play the final 24 .5 seconds of the game. However as he was skating to the crease Hakstol was informed that Semborski could only play if Stolarz was injured.
This ruling seemed strange as Jorge Alves was allowed to play the final 7.6 seconds of a game for the Carolina Hurricanes a few months earlier to replace starter Cam Ward.
A few months before dressing for the Flyers, Semborski dressed as the emergency backup against Philadelphia at home when the visiting Chicago Blackhawks’ needed a goalie.
In December, 2016 starter Corey Crawford was stricken with appendicitis and the team needed a backup for Scott Darling. Semborski sat on the bench for the entire 60 minutes though as a healthy Darling managed to get through the game. It was reported that the Blackhawks later thanked the young man by giving him a custom goalie mask, a personalized hockey card and a short video tribute at their home rink.
As far as EBUG debates go, many fans feel the NHL cheapens itself by allowing just about any goalie to enter a game while others believe it happens so rarely that there’s no need to worry about it.
Those who like the current EBUG rules also point out that it allows past and present goalies to live out a dream by dressing for a game and it can lead to legendary or fairy tale endings, which David Ayres can attest to. It also seems the NHL itself is happy with the current rules as their hasn’t been an outcry to change them during the league’s past few annual general managers’ meetings.
Jamie is the founder of Hockey Response and he is the chief writer/ lead editor. Jamie has been playing hockey for over 20 years. He was the defenseman of the year in NL and has played Jr A level hockey. Jamie has coached several kids hockey camps and he was the assistant coach of the Western Kings.