Emergency backup goalie (2024)

Most professional leagues require each home team to maintain a list of local non-professional goaltenders, available to either team, who can be used in the exceptional case that one or both of a team's normal goaltenders are injured or unavailable (such as a player acquired in a trade or minor league call-up arriving late on short notice); such a goaltender who fulfills that role is known as an emergency back–up goaltender (or EBUG).^[1][2] Similar rules are in place for the NHL's minor leagues, where emergency goaltenders are used much more frequently.^[2] Those on a team's emergency list are given free attendance to home games they are assigned and may also help out as a practice goalie.^[2] Emergency goalies are often called from nearby college teams, adult semi-pro/amateur leagues, or the home team's own coaching/facilities staff.^[1][3] If activated for a game, most emergency goaltenders only dress to sit on the bench, as a team's normal back-up takes over; only four emergency goalies (David Ayres, Jorge Alves, Matt Berlin, and Scott Foster) have ever seen recorded playing time in an NHL game. Emergency goalies who are activated sign either an amateur or professional tryout contract.^[4][5][6]

References[]