Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Hockey Question - Why Use Outsiders As Emergency Goalies?

I'm not a hockey enthusiast. I don't even know all the rules of the game, but...

I know that the home team has to provide an amateur goalie who is available to play for either team in the event of an emergency (i.e. Scott Foster played for the Blackhawks). My question is why do they do that? Is an amateur who actually plays goalie in a rec league a better defensive option than using another professional player from your team who maybe played some goalie in high school? Major league baseball teams don't have emergency pitchers--they just use position players to pitch when they want to save the bullpen.

So, what is the reason for the rule? If both of your goalies go down, why a guy off the street--is it because an amateur dedicated/actual goalie is more likely to stop the puck than a NHL position player subbing in at goalie? Is it a safety issue for the non-goalie players? Some weird contract issue between the players association and the league? What?

Thanks!

One of the reasons is there really aren’t that many of them. They only get used in absolute last minute. It’s been done here in MN a few times. One of our own has actually done it I think. Goalie...imagine that.

I don’t think he played but got to be on call. I might be completely wrong. Lol

OK, but why an outsider. Why not make a 3rd string defenseman from your own team put on the pads and play goalie?

My guess would be that even a minor league goalie would make a better goalie than someone who doesn't play the position.

Plus if the visiting team needed the emergency goalie, it would be a bit of a conflict of interest for a 3rd string defenseman from the other team to be their goalie.

Strange question. Hockey fans don't worry about this, it just is.

Goalies are strange, not many people will stand guarding a net with frozen, hard rubber disks being fired at you at 90mph. At the upper levels, goalie equipment is custom made to fit the goalies stature for the best protective coverage. So they do not keep a set for a position player to be an emergency backup.

Most kids have specialized as goalies by age 12, so an amateur will likely be better than a position player.

Seldom is an emgency goaltender required. Rosters are capped at 23. Seldom will a team use a spot for a third goaltender. If they do, it is because they have 3 they want to keep, but because of contract status, they don't want to expose one to waivers when being sent down to the minors.

I should add that few people are flexible enough to play goal without injury. Goalies spend hours a day stretching and maintaining their flexibility.

I meant that each team would provide their own substitute from their own roster--like in every other sport.

But, I see from other responses that the consensus is that an amateur purpose-built goalie would be more effective than handing the mask to the least valuable roster player on your own team.

Thanks all!

The customized to player equipment makes sense as the major reason. I don't watch hockey.

Emergency goalies often practice with the teams during summer and practice shoot-outs as well. They usually aren't just off the street but may have played goalie at some levels before. usually there are 2 per home arena on site at every game. They often spend time with the home teams as well. My buddies kid was our home goalie in high school, went to college and played, then took a job out in vegas working but stayed working with hockey programs out there. He got involved with the knights and ended up being there emergency goalie, and even dressed for the jets once while there. now he's back in Minnesota, but I don't think he's on the Wild side yet.

This would make an interesting concept for the NFL to adopt for emergency quarterbacks!

Well, it seemed appropriate to bring this up...

It's not a random, off the street guy, it's an "almost NHL" quality goalie. Usually someone cut or trying to make it. They are very good goalies, just not NHL quality.

On the RARE occassion they get used, it's a free tryout, in front of both teams.

Goalies are a special breed, they've been goalies since very young. Takes a certain kind of person to stand there and get pucks shot at them

"Get pucks shot at them", do you mean like posting here, and reading the responses?

This guy is a practice goalie for the Leafs, so he's hardly an outsider or guy off the street.

Even in practice they need someone who has some skill, rather than standing there like Boppo the Clown.

I say good on him. It's a feel good story. Enjoy it.

The home team always supplies an emergency back up goalie and he is eligible to play for either team should the need arise, it's actually an NHL rule.

Has anybody talked to Goalie lately? I was thinking about him when David Ayers took the ice the other night.

love it

Why don't they just get a 600lb fat mf'er and just sit him in front of the goal?

Remember Gump Worsley? No mask, no helmet - PURE hockey...

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