What Is An EBUG? The NHL's Most Unique & Unknown Position

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If you’ve ever wondered whether all those 5 a.m. rink trips and expensive equipment investments could lead somewhere meaningful for your young goalie, there’s a fascinating corner of professional hockey that offers an encouraging answer.

It’s called the emergency backup goalie (EBUG) position—and it proves that dedicated goalies with the right experience can find themselves connected to the NHL in ways most fans never imagine.

A viral content creator is bringing new attention to this unique opportunity, and his story offers valuable insights for families invested in youth hockey development.

A day in the life of an NHL EBUG

On Oct. 9, Timm Chiusano—a former marketing executive who regularly goes viral for his “day in the life” videos—took to TikTok to detail what it’s like being a double-emergency backup goalie in the NHL.

In the video, Chiusano explains it as “one of the strangest positions in sports.”

For hockey parents who emphasize discipline and routine with their young athletes, Chiusano’s daily regimen will sound remarkably familiar—just scaled up to the professional level.

He says he wakes up at around 4 am every day before getting a workout in and making sure his equipment is in order. That same attention to preparation you’re instilling in your young goalie? It matters at every level of the sport.

Chiusano then attends morning skate, usually with the home team, before getting his own ice time—where he says he’s usually given a few skaters to give him some shots on goal.

This community aspect of the role is particularly noteworthy: Emergency backup goalies actually practice alongside NHL players, becoming part of the professional hockey community even without being on an official roster.

The discipline that defines Timm Chiusano’s role

1728756359 timm chiusano with wife kelly chiusano — Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images

One aspect of Chiusano’s routine that hockey parents will appreciate is his commitment to clean eating and physical readiness.

“I’d probably want to throw up if I actually got thrown into the game, so I want to eat clean,” he said—showing just how nervous emergency backup goalies are if they ever have to play.

This honest admission reveals an important truth about competitive athletics at any level: even experienced goalies who’ve earned a spot in NHL arenas still feel the pressure.

It’s a relatable moment for any young goalie who gets nervous before games, and a reminder that those feelings never fully disappear—they’re simply managed through preparation and routine.

Chiusano also maintains his equipment meticulously, a habit that youth hockey coaches consistently emphasize.

The discipline required to keep gear game-ready at all times is a skill that serves goalies throughout their hockey journey, whether they’re playing peewee or standing by at an NHL arena.

Understanding the EBUG Role: What parents should know

So what exactly is an emergency backup goalie?

In the NHL, an emergency backup goalie, also known as an EBUG, is a goalie who is “not on a team’s roster but attends all team home games and occasionally practices with the team,” according to ESPN.

The goalie is available to play if (and only if) either team loses its active goalies to injury, illness or suspension.

The EBUG is explained under NHL rule 5.3, which states: “In regular League and Playoff games, if both listed goalkeepers are incapacitated, that team shall be entitled to dress and play any available goalkeeper who is eligible. This goalkeeper is eligible to sit on the player’s bench, in uniform.”

The Experience Requirement: Why youth hockey matters

862351542 hockey goalie at ushl fall classic — Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Here’s where things get particularly relevant for hockey families: Most EBUGs have played goalie at a high school, college, or professional level.

This requirement underscores an important message—the goalie development pathway your family is investing in creates recognized credentials that matter beyond the obvious routes to professional hockey.

Every practice, every game, every season your young goalie completes at the high school or college level builds the foundation that could qualify them for this unique opportunity later in life.

It’s a reminder that hockey development has value even when the traditional professional route doesn’t work out.

The complete EBUG rulebook for hockey families

Here are the general rules for an EBUG, per ESPN:

Every NHL team must have an Emergency Backup Goalie (EBUG) in the arena for every home game
The EBUG must be available to either team if a goalie gets injured
EBUGs cannot be under any professional goalie contract
EBUGs cannot be paid employees of the home team
Most EBUGs have played goalie at a high school, college, or professional level
EBUGs are paid a small hourly rate just for being on standby in the stands
If activated, an EBUG signs a tryout contract and does not count against the roster
With a professional tryout contract, EBUGs earn $500 per game and keep their jersey
With an amateur tryout contract, EBUGs aren’t paid—but still get to keep the jersey

That last detail deserves special attention for families who understand the significance of hockey memorabilia: EBUGs get to keep their NHL jersey.

Imagine your goalie, years from now, with an authentic NHL sweater hanging in their home—earned not through the draft, but through years of dedication to the position.

Chiusano has mixed emotions about being an EBUG

“I often get asked, ‘Where do you sit during games,’ and as a very superstitious goalie, I base that on wherever the popcorn is made,” Chiusano joked in his video.

His humor highlights the superstitious nature that many goalie parents will recognize in their own children. That quirky goalie personality—the rituals, the superstitions, the unique mental approach to the position—remains consistent from youth hockey through the professional ranks.

“And for the rest of the game, you’re kind of like a life vest that never gets used,” he added.

Chiusano went on to clarify that he’s a double-emergency backup goalie, which means he would only play if the other emergency backup goalie is unavailable. Even at this secondary level, he maintains the same rigorous preparation standards.

“And while I love this is one of the jobs I’ve picked up since I left my corporate job, I do miss my family,” he says of wanting to get back home to his family.

This acknowledgment of family sacrifice resonates deeply with hockey parents who understand the commitment required at every level of the sport. The balance between hockey passion and family time is a challenge that spans from youth leagues to professional arenas.

A historical account of EBUGs in the NHL

1208695711 david ayres fans in stands — Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images

While the opportunity to play remains rare, it does happen. In fact, there have been six instances in which EBUGs have logged minutes in a game, per ESPN:

Jett Alexander played for the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 8, 2023, but recorded no saves on no shots vs. the Montreal Canadiens
Matt Berlin played for the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 28, 2023 and recorded one save on one shot vs. the Chicago Blackhawks
Thomas Hodges played for the Anaheim Ducks on April 29, 2022 and recorded two saves on three shots vs. Dallas Stars
David Ayres played for the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 22, 2020 and recorded eight saves on 10 shots vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Scott Foster played for the Chicago Blackhawks on March 29, 2018 and recorded seven saves on seven shots vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Jorge Alves played for the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 31, 2016, but recorded no saves on no shots vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Ayres is the only one of those six to record a win. He is also the oldest NHL goaltender (42 years, 194 days) to win a regular-season debut, per ESPN.