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Sports fans tend to be suckers for a good Cinderella story, and the NHL has been responsible for some great ones thanks to the unlikely heroes who’ve stepped up in instances where teams have ended up without a healthy goaltender. Unfortunately, it sounds like the league is gearing up to overhaul the rules to make it harder for another one to join their ranks.
The NHL has required every team to have two active goaltenders dressed on the bench during games since 1955, and only one of them will end up patrolling the net in the vast majority of contests.
There are obviously some exceptions. Coaches can opt to pull one goalie for another if the starter turns into a piece of Swiss cheese, and while players at that position tend to be less susceptible to injuries than the rest of their teammates, they’re certainly not immune.
There haven’t been many situations where a team has found itself without the services of both netminders in the same game, but the NHL still opted to adopt a contingency plan ahead of the 2016-17 season with the “emergency backup goaltender” (EBUG) rule that mandated the presence of someone capable of filling the void at every single game in the event of that unlikely scenario coming to fruition.
In 2016, 37-year-old equipment manager Jorge Alves became the first EBUG to enter a game when he played a grand total of 7.6 seconds for the Hurricanes at the end of a 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay. However, his services weren’t necessarily required, as Carolina coach Bill Peters decided to give him the chance to say he appeared in an NHL game before yanking a capable Cam Ward.
However, the Blackhawks did need Scott Foster to step up for them after their goalie reserves were depleted during a showdown with the Jets in 2018, and he stopped all seven of the shots he faced while playing for close to 14 minutes and helping Chicago secure the win.
In 2020, David Ayres—a 42-year-old who was employed by the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate—suited up for the Hurricanes and surrendered goals on the first two shots he faced after coming into the game midway through the second period to squander the 3-1 lead Carolina had when he entered.
However, he saved the next eight shots that came his way and became the first EBUG to be credited with a win as the Canes earned a 6-3 win.
An EBUG has been called upon in three more games since then, but it appears the era is on the verge of coming to an end based on preliminary plans concerning the newest collective bargaining agreement.
According to The Daily Faceoff, the NHL and NHLPA are close to finalizing the CBA that will go into effect ahead of the season in 2026 and boasts some notable changes, including the introduction of an 84-game season and a sizeable increase to the fund reserved for players who make the playoffs.
Unfortunately, the current EBUG system will also be tweaked, with the outlet saying the CBA will mandate the “establishment of ‘full-time’ Emergency Backup Goalie (EBUG) positions within organizations” while abandoning the system where a rotation of over-the-hill goalies are essentially plucked off the street.
It’s a pretty logical change, as it will add a bit more stability to a position that’s been defined by a severe lack of it.
It also seems like there’s a chance we could still be treated to some cool stories like the ones that have surfaced in the past (it’s wildly unlikely anyone who signs as a permanent EBUG is a guy who could still be playing on a regular basis in a professional league), and here’s to hoping that ends up being the case.