What’s It Like to Be an Emergency Goalie in an N.H.L. Game? (Published 2020) (2024)

FAQs

How does NHL emergency goalie work? ›

The league's roster emergency exception rule states if an NHL team plays one game with fewer than 18 skaters or two goalies available, it can call up someone from the minors on an emergency basis.

It's a one-day contract called an Amateur Tryout Agreement. If you prorated the minimum NHL salary for one day's work, it'd come to over $2,000, but EBUGs receive no payment at all.

Professional hockey leagues at all levels require each team have a list of "emergency" goaltenders. The list provides goaltender options for both the home and visiting teams.

Without a doubt, a hockey goalie is one of the hardest position in sports because the shots are coming at full speed, sometimes 100 MPH, at an extremely close range. Reaction time is even faster than baseball.

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. Emergency goalies are often called from nearby college teams, adult semi-pro/amateur leagues, or the home team's own coaching/facilities staff.

P or PTS – Points – Scoring points, calculated as the sum of G and A. S – Shots on Goal – Total number of shots taken on net in the current season.

DO THEY GET PAID? Emergency backup goaltenders aren't on full NHL contracts, so they're not subject to the league's minimum salary, which works out to be just over $4,000 per day. Instead, the goaltenders sign one of two types of tryout contracts, the first of which is a professional tryout contract.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner and his wife have filed for bankruptcy in Nevada, citing up to $50 million US in debts to dozens of creditors.

Bankrupt NHL goalie Robin Lehner is liable for hundreds of thousands of dollars he owes for a large inventory of exotic snakes, the snake seller told a court. Lehner breached his contract by not paying for the snakes he ordered and caused at least $350,000 in annual lost profits, Boca Raton, Fla.

More recently, some players have come up with the terms 'six-hole' and 'seven-hole' to describe the spaces between the goalie's arm and body on each side, but these have yet to catch on in the general hockey community. 'Five-hole' is really the only such term you'll hear players and coaches use.

What happens if EBUG gets hurt? ›

If the goalie is injured seriously the play would be stopped and he would be helped off the ice by trainers if needed. If he could skate he would go to the bench at the next stoppage in play.

Other teams like Detroit, Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles have dabbled with having three goaltenders on the roster at various points this season as well. This isn't unique as there have been teams who have carried three in the past. For the most part though, we see teams traditionally carry two goaltenders.

No such rule exists, but even the thought of being tossed from an important game and risking the consequences of an injury to your replacement is enough to dissuade goalies from fighting. “There's so much parity in the sport right now that every game matters so much,” Esche said.

No Contact in the Crease: Players are generally prohibited from making contact with the goalie within the crease unless the puck is already there. Incidental Contact: Outside the crease, incidental contact may be allowed if it occurs while players are making a legitimate play on the puck.

While goaltender is arguably hockey's most difficult position to play and excel, particularly as the level of play accelerates, the center's role is the most important to the action on the ice.

One of the eccentricities of the N.H.L. is what happens when a team runs out of goalies. Most teams list two on their rosters. In case of the unlikely event that both get hurt, home teams are required to designate an “emergency goalie” for each game: someone who can fill in for the rest of the game, for either team.

The EBUG enters the game. And plays. They are the goalie in an NHL game! It's only happened six times in the history of the NHL, most recently by the Anaheim Ducks in the final game of the 2021-22 season.

“Rush Goalie” (in Greek “mpakoterma”) is an informal football match variation where there is no official goalkeeper. The goalkeeper position is taken by the player appointed “rush goalie” when they are within the penalty area – so they are always rushing between the goal and normal outfield play!