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EBUG: The NHL's emergency backup goalie rule

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Re: EBUG: The NHL's emergency backup goalie rule

#41

Post by enos_feedler »

OJFord wrote: post #30
enos_feedler wrote: post #12

The post-game interview with Scott Foster (one of the stand-ins referenced in the article) is pretty funny: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB60iaSUIu0 Best Quote: "I'm an accountant by day. So a few hours ago I was sitting at a computer typing on a 10 key. Now I'm standing before you guys after playing 14 minutes of NHL hockey". I'll never forget the shock of sitting down to catch sports highlights only to see this…

That is brilliant, come on, surely the best is: > you just keep grinding away in men's league and eventually you'll get your shot ! I can't imagine having something like that happen and having the composure to give an interview like that in the same night.

Thats what impressed me too! He seemed very natural addressing the media.

Re: EBUG: The NHL's emergency backup goalie rule

#42

Post by boomboomsubban »

kgermino wrote: post #33
teruakohatu wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Whether home or away, both teams in any given game can pull from the same roster I am in New Zealand and know nothing about ice hockey, but wouldn't it be risky to accept your opponents recommendation? Wouldn't a fan of their own team be a better bet, even if a worse player?

I think there’s a few reasons they don’t worry about it: 1. This very rarely comes up at all. 2. These guys aren’t usually that good (by NHL standards) and you’ve probably lost the game anyway. You’re relying on your defense to keep the puck away from them more than you’re relying on them to excel. 3. (Probably most important to your point). This is one of the best days in this guy’s life. He’s In an NHL game and wil…

>These guys aren’t usually that good

To further this point, the person in this article is nearly blind in one eye.

And on three, I agree. But the rule also applies to playoffs and it's interesting to imagine how you would play with your favorite team's Stanley Cup dreams riding on it. More so when you add in how the city would react to your actions.

Re: EBUG: The NHL's emergency backup goalie rule

#43

Post by boomboomsubban »

eli wrote: post #31
teruakohatu wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Whether home or away, both teams in any given game can pull from the same roster I am in New Zealand and know nothing about ice hockey, but wouldn't it be risky to accept your opponents recommendation? Wouldn't a fan of their own team be a better bet, even if a worse player?

If people got called up all the time that might be a problem. But it'd be impossible to justify the cost of flying extra players around, so the practice would simply end if that were a concern. I don't think many people with a once in a lifetime chance to play in a real NHL game are going to take a dive just so the home team wins.

> it'd be impossible to justify the cost of flying extra players around,

I doubt traveling expense is the limiter, how many years of that would it take to reach even the NHL minimum salary?

Teams would try to game the system if they were given more choice, and it'd lead to more decent goalies riding the bench rather than playing in smaller leagues.

Re: EBUG: The NHL's emergency backup goalie rule

#44

Post by Infernal »

Mountain_Skies wrote: post #35
eschneider wrote: post #15

Polo also allows drafting players from the stands (If someone goes out injured, you've got 15 minutes to find another player.) and I've seen it happen.

Auburn University's football team found itself at halftime without enough healthy tailbacks and had to use the stadium's PA system to page a true freshman from the upper deck stands into the locker room to dress out and play his first collegiate game. Not quite the same thing as recruiting a fan from the stands but still a surprise for him, watching the game with his family in street clothes, and the team to have to…

Similarly, Brodus was napping at the frat house when he got the call during pre-game warmups to come suit up.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/derrick-brodus-tennessee-foot...

Re: EBUG: The NHL's emergency backup goalie rule

#45

Post by Infernal »

ascagnel_ wrote: post #40
paulcole wrote: post #28

Of the major professional sports in the US, hockey goalie feels like the only position where this could happen. You could do it for kicker/punter in the NFL, but even then there’s a player on the roster who’s serviceable and then you can alter game strategy to minimize the need for kicking/punting.

It's also a little strange in that both positions are highly consequential, highly visible, and don't map cleanly to the other players in the game (kickers, at the NFL level, aren't taking regular snaps, goalies in the NHL can't even skate past the center line).

Not so much can’t as may not, to be clear. Presumably they’re fine skaters.

Re: EBUG: The NHL's emergency backup goalie rule

#46

Post by rectang »

Delk wrote: post #37
teruakohatu wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Whether home or away, both teams in any given game can pull from the same roster I am in New Zealand and know nothing about ice hockey, but wouldn't it be risky to accept your opponents recommendation? Wouldn't a fan of their own team be a better bet, even if a worse player?

That's not really a choice for the visiting team to make. A team can only have two goalies dressed for a game. The emergency backup goalie rule (which is unique to the NHL, AFAIK) is that the home team has to have an emergency goalie booked who's available as a stand-in for either team should both of the team's dressed goalies get injured during the game. Either team would only realistically take that option if they…

The "Zamboni Goalie" David Ayers, provided by the Toronto Maple Leafs when both goalies for the visiting Carolina Hurricanes went down, notched a win for the visitors.

Re: EBUG: The NHL's emergency backup goalie rule

#47

Post by Brendinooo »

paulcole wrote: post #28

Of the major professional sports in the US, hockey goalie feels like the only position where this could happen. You could do it for kicker/punter in the NFL, but even then there’s a player on the roster who’s serviceable and then you can alter game strategy to minimize the need for kicking/punting.

If you stop 90 out of 100 shots, you’re a replacement-level goalie in the NHL.

If you stop 94 out of 100, you’re one of the best of all time.

So yeah, even if you can only stop 75 out of 100, that might get you through a period or two as the emergency backup.

Re: EBUG: The NHL's emergency backup goalie rule

#48

Post by BrandonWatson »

I'm going to do all of you a favor - this is one of the greatest stories ever. EBUG from just 2 years ago.

Here's the incident as it happened: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0JTRm-wf2E&ab_channel=Slick...

The EBUG was the zamboni driver for the home team junior team. And also a practice goalie. He comes out in helmet, pads and breezers (pants) of the home team, and even skates to the wrong goal because...wrong team. And plays half the game.

Then Steve Dangle melts down. He's on Sportsnet in Canada. He's a die hard Leafs (home team) fan. He's even written a book about how the Leafs have ruined his life. His video is epic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFnQ0dcaBUI&ab_channel=Steve...

I don't have time to look for it but David Ayers's wife (the EBUG) was on twitter and live tweeting the experience. It was nuts.

Here's a 1 year later retrospective on Sportsnet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsjBr6rKEuU&ab_channel=SPORT...

Re: EBUG: The NHL's emergency backup goalie rule

#50

Post by daveaiello »

hirvi74 wrote: post #6

I am a diehard NHL fan and a "beer league" goalie, and it would be my dream to be called up. However, I am acquainted with some individuals that are members of my favorite team's organization. My favorite team apparently has a roster of about 20 people that are "on call" for and given home game. Whether home or away, both teams in any given game can pull from the same roster i.e. the home team keeps the roster for bo…

You're right. I know goaltenders who played in Division I hockey who are retired, but are still young enough and in good enough condition to act as EBUGs.

They are generally goaltending coaches themselves at higher levels of amateur hockey, and/or they play in a very competitive adult league for some part of the calendar year.

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