What Is an EBUG? The NHL Emergency Backup Goalie Rule Explained
An EBUG is an emergency backup goalie: a local amateur on a list kept by the home team, available to either club if it cannot dress or keep two goaltenders. Most never leave the bench, but a few have played, and one won.
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Short answer: an EBUG is an emergency backup goaltender. Each NHL home team keeps a list of local, non professional goalies who can be signed for a single game by either team if that club does not have two healthy goalies available. The details sit in the NHL rulebook and the history is summarised in Wikipedia's goaltender article.
When an EBUG gets called
Every NHL team dresses two goalies. An EBUG comes in when that becomes impossible, usually in one of three ways:
- A late call up or trade. A goalie is on the way but will not arrive before puck drop.
- Illness or injury before the game. One of the two goalies is ruled out on game day.
- Injuries during the game. If the starter is hurt, the backup goes in, and the EBUG dresses as the new backup. If the backup is then hurt too, the EBUG plays.
That last case is rare. Most EBUGs who dress spend the night on the bench.
Who the emergency goalies are
The home team keeps the list, and the EBUG on duty is available to both teams. Wikipedia notes that emergency goalies are often drawn from nearby college teams, adult amateur leagues, or the home team's own staff, and that they usually get free attendance and may also serve as practice goalies.
The famous cases
Scott Foster, March 2018. A 36 year old accountant who played college hockey, Foster went in for the Chicago Blackhawks late in a game against the Winnipeg Jets and stopped every shot he faced in about 14 minutes.
David Ayres, February 2020. A Zamboni driver and practice goalie in Toronto, Ayres played for the Carolina Hurricanes against the Maple Leafs after both Carolina goalies were hurt. Carolina won, and he became the first EBUG credited with an NHL win.
Wikipedia lists only a handful of emergency goalies who have actually played in an NHL game.
Why it matters for starting goalie boards
When we mark a goalie as expected or confirmed on our NHL starting goalies board, the backup matters too. A team that has to dress an EBUG is telling you something: one of its regular goalies is unavailable, and the starter is almost certainly going the full game. Watch for a late roster move or an emergency signing in the hours before puck drop.
Quick FAQ
Can an EBUG be a pro? No. The whole point of the list is that these goalies are not under contract with a pro team.
Who decides which EBUG is on duty? The home team, from its own list. The same goalie is available to the visitors.