NHL's new EBUG rules forces teams to rethink goaltending depth
The days of a Zamboni driver or beer-league dad becoming an overnight NHL hero are over.
Six years after Toronto's David Ayers famously backstopped Carolina to a win in 2020, the league has closed that loophole for good.
Under the new NHLPA collective bargaining agreement, every team must now carry three full-time goaltenders, including one dedicated emergency backup goalie (EBUG) who travels with the roster all season.
The rule effectively ends the era of amateur walk-ons filling in during a crisis.
What The New CBA Rule Requires
The changes are strict about who qualifies for the job. EBUGs must now be official team employees, approved by the league, and present at every home and road game.
Eligibility rules keep the position amateur in spirit even as it becomes a paid, structured role.
EBUGs will now be team employees approved by the league and on-site for home and road games, and they can't have NHL experience, nor can they have 80 or more games of professional hockey experience, nor can they have played professional hockey in the prior three seasons.
That opens the door for former college and junior goaltenders who never got their NHL shot.
Bruins Lead The Way With Kyle Chauvette
Boston has been among the first teams to fill the role publicly, signing 24-year-old Kyle Chauvette. He's a New Hampshire native who played at Union College and UNH, posting a 2.63 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage at the collegiate level.
Describing the new gig, Chauvette said the position now comes with real structure, noting, "You get paid for it and travel with the team. Travel, practice, all of that."
Now, more teams will have to do like the Bruins and go fishing for talent. These goalies are real depth pieces and need to be taken seriously. You never know when you might need them.
Also read on House Of Hockey :
Red Wings narrow down Dylan Larkin trade talks to four teams
Red Wings narrow down Dylan Larkin trade talks to four teams