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NHL 2019-20 #1: Where Toronto Plans To Win Without Playing Defense.

Scarlet said:
So, stupid question - that guy was “EBUG” (and can I just say, I kinda don’t like that EBUG is an actual term/acronym but whatevs) for either team?

Actually, here are more stupid questions....

How did they have a jersey with his name on it so fast??? How long was the game delayed while they made the decision that he had to get in the game? Since he was kind of an employee of the Leafs, could they have said no? What if there was no EBUG onsite? Would the game have been postponed?
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For the last decade or so, the home team is required to have an emergency backup goalie available to either team.
 
Re: NHL 2019-20 #1: Where Toronto Plans To Win Without Playing Defense.

unofan said:
For the last decade or so, the home team is required to have an emergency backup goalie available to either team.
Click to expand...

So interesting! Thanks all for letting me know. There now needs to be a feature on who these guys are, how they got said positions, etc. i would love to see a story like that. Now it just begs more questions (indulge me)....

- Are these guys employees of the home team or arena? David Ayres is a Zamboni driver. What do others do?
- How do they get paid if called into service? I’m assuming if you are designated as an EBUG, you sign some sort of agreement.
- I’m wondering if some home teams have a few of them on hand (if not someone like the zamboni driver)

It’s just such a cool story. And it totally overshadowed Ovi’s 700th goal!
 
Kepler said:
Apparently Ayres was the "house EBUG" all last year in Toronto and his number happened to come up last night too. Every host team must provide one every game -- like the host provides the horses in NCAA polo.....
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Is that so the horse is familiar with the pool and won’t get scared??
 
Re: NHL 2019-20 #1: Where Toronto Plans To Win Without Playing Defense.

Scarlet said:
- How do they get paid if called into service? I’m assuming if you are designated as an EBUG, you sign some sort of agreement.
Click to expand...

According to an interviewer it's 500 bucks. I think that, having played, he should get the league minimum and a full NHL pension. Now I have to root for the Canes to win the Cup so he gets his name on it.
 
Re: NHL 2019-20 #1: Where Toronto Plans To Win Without Playing Defense.

From what I've read, and was kinda answered here:

There is an NHL contract drawn up for EBUGs where for one "day" of service, they get paid $500 for the game and get to keep their Jersey.

They cannot have professional experience, and cannot currently have an NHL contract.

Generally the EBUG contract gets to ride pine and never sees game action.

The home club is obligated to provide an EBUG to both home and road teams if needed.

Ayres has been called upon to be the EBUG previously with the Maple Leafs and Marlies, and was actually suited up for Carolina's AHL Charlotte Checkers against the Marlies just three weeks ago, but never saw game time.

He has his own mask (or one painted for him), but was (from what I saw by the excited former/current goaltenders I follow) using an old set of pads and gear from current Marlie Kasimir Kaskisuo, and a goalie stick from former Marlie Garett Sparks. He has occasionally filled in as netminder for both the Leafs and the Marlies over the last few years when they were in a pinch and couldn't get a goalie to practice in time.

As for the jersey he wore, each team brings a couple extras with them along with extra material and letters in case they need to make repairs or make a new jersey for a player. As F2B&G said, it was likely cobbled together, but they had plenty of time to make it from the initial injury to James Reimer to when Mrazek was injured. There were photos posted by Ayres wife that showed him proudly holding the jersey before Mrazek was hurt.


The last EBUG to get a hero's welcome like this was former Western Michigan goalie and adult rec league player Scott Foster who played most of the third period for the Blackhawks. Foster saw seven shots and made all seven saves to preserve the win for the Hawks that night.


The only other EBUG to see ice time in the history of the NHL was Carolina Hurricanes equipment manager Jorge Alves in 2016. Alves saw the last seven seconds of game time from the net, but I believe he never faced a shot.
 
Re: NHL 2019-20 #1: Where Toronto Plans To Win Without Playing Defense.

Kepler said:
There's a great post-game interview with him floating around. Seems like a genuinely good guy.
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Livin' the dream we've all had.

His wife's Twitter feed blew up the internet last night.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FGGFpS82GrU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Re: NHL 2019-20 #1: Where Toronto Plans To Win Without Playing Defense.

aparch said:
From what I've read, and was kinda answered here:

There is an NHL contract drawn up for EBUGs where for one "day" of service, they get paid $500 for the game and get to keep their Jersey.

They cannot have professional experience, and cannot currently have an NHL contract.

Generally the EBUG contract gets to ride pine and never sees game action.

The home club is obligated to provide an EBUG to both home and road teams if needed.

Ayres has been called upon to be the EBUG previously with the Maple Leafs and Marlies, and was actually suited up for Carolina's AHL Charlotte Checkers against the Marlies just three weeks ago, but never saw game time.

He has his own mask (or one painted for him), but was (from what I saw by the excited former/current goaltenders I follow) using an old set of pads and gear from current Marlie Kasimir Kaskisuo, and a goalie stick from former Marlie Garett Sparks. He has occasionally filled in as netminder for both the Leafs and the Marlies over the last few years when they were in a pinch and couldn't get a goalie to practice in time.

As for the jersey he wore, each team brings a couple extras with them along with extra material and letters in case they need to make repairs or make a new jersey for a player. As F2B&G said, it was likely cobbled together, but they had plenty of time to make it from the initial injury to James Reimer to when Mrazek was injured. There were photos posted by Ayres wife that showed him proudly holding the jersey before Mrazek was hurt.


The last EBUG to get a hero's welcome like this was former Western Michigan goalie and adult rec league player Scott Foster who played most of the third period for the Blackhawks. Foster saw seven shots and made all seven saves to preserve the win for the Hawks that night.


The only other EBUG to see ice time in the history of the NHL was Carolina Hurricanes equipment manager Jorge Alves in 2016. Alves saw the last seven seconds of game time from the net, but I believe he never faced a shot.
Click to expand...

HNIC showed the trainer putting the letters on the back of the Canes sweater after Reimer got hurt.

He came out with blue pants on and the Canes equipment guy gave him a red shell in the intermission.
 
Re: NHL 2019-20 #1: Where Toronto Plans To Win Without Playing Defense.

Ayres is a maintenance and Zam man at the Mattamy Athletic Center in the old Maple Leaf Gardens. It is the home of Ryerson University hockey (my alma mater) and was built across what was the greens and gray seats of the Gardens. The lower level is now a Loblaws grocery store.

I think Ayres also occasionally works on the ice crew at Scotiabank Arena, too.
 
Re: NHL 2019-20 #1: Where Toronto Plans To Win Without Playing Defense.

SteveP said:
Ayres is a maintenance and Zam man at the Mattamy Athletic Center in the old Maple Leaf Gardens. It is the home of Ryerson University hockey (my alma mater) and was built across what was the greens and gray seats of the Gardens. The lower level is now a Loblaws grocery store.

I think Ayres also occasionally works on the ice crew at Scotiabank Arena, too.
Click to expand...

Yes, I believe he mentioned both those things. He also coaches Bantam and runs some ute group. He's a classic rink rat.
 
SteveP said:
HNIC showed the trainer putting the letters on the back of the Canes sweater after Reimer got hurt.

He came out with blue pants on and the Canes equipment guy gave him a red shell in the intermission.
Click to expand...
I only turned on the Carolina feed when a friend texted me about the situation. I rewound NHLtv to see the hit, then fast forward to catch up to the live feed. Didn't rewind to watch the Reimer collision.

The last minute(ish) of the Carolina feed was amazing to listen to.
 
Re: NHL 2019-20 #1: Where Toronto Plans To Win Without Playing Defense.

Mike Green to Edmonton. Brodziak and a conditional 4th to Detroit.

Washington spends a 3rd for Ilya. Montreal retains half... Of his league minimum salary.

Bogosian signs with Tampa for 1.3M. Not entirely sure he has the speed to stay in the lineup once their defense gets healthy, but we'll see.
 
Re: NHL 2019-20 #1: Where Toronto Plans To Win Without Playing Defense.

Brian Burke said that the Ayres EBUG performance was "an embarrassment to the NHL, and the league is looking into fixing this so it never happens again."

Because watching a crown jewel Original Six franchise fold like a cheap tent against a 42 year old zamboni driver was apparently a bridge too far in the many ways they have embarrassed themselves.


My guess, IF there is a rule change, is this goes one of two ways: CBA rule change where you can have a third netminder, undressed, on your roster (like a Black Ace during the playoffs, but all year). Or, the league does away with EBUG altogether and the team forfeits the game.
 
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Re: NHL 2019-20 #1: Where Toronto Plans To Win Without Playing Defense.

It was in no way an embarrassment.
 
Kepler said:
It was in no way an embarrassment.
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Oh, I completely agree. And the Hurricanes did one hell of a job on limiting shots as well, they really rallied in front of him. I was surprised a little how it appeared like the Leafs let up toward the end.

Despite this once in a lifetime shot, somehow the league will screw this up going forward.
 
Re: NHL 2019-20 #1: Where Toronto Plans To Win Without Playing Defense.

It’s one of the greatest stories in sports. A guy gets pulled from the stands and wins a professional game. **** this Burke character.
 
Re: NHL 2019-20 #1: Where Toronto Plans To Win Without Playing Defense.

aparch said:
Despite this once in a lifetime shot, somehow the league will screw this up going forward.
Click to expand...

I know, right? They could make Ayres the face of the hockey fan. He's Central Casting for it. He's Gary F-cking Cooper as Everyman. He's everything you need to know about the hockey community that is so special. He's every parent busting his hump getting the kids to the rink for 1 a.m. ice time. And he's a real life miracle on ice, with a sense of humor and a funny wife with a Twitter account.

And now watch Corporate completely sh-t all over it with some cynical HOW DO YOU DO FELLOW KIDS marketing scheme.
 
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Re: NHL 2019-20 #1: Where Toronto Plans To Win Without Playing Defense.

aparch said:
Brian Burke said that the Ayres EBUG performance was "an embarrassment to the NHL, and the league is looking into fixing this so it never happens again."

Because watching a crown jewel Original Six franchise fold like a cheap tent against a 42 year old zamboni driver was apparently a bridge too far in the many ways they have embarrassed themselves.


My guess, IF there is a rule change, is this goes one of two ways: CBA rule change where you can have a third netminder, undressed, on your roster (like a Black Ace during the playoffs, but all year). Or, the league does away with EBUG altogether and the team forfeits the game.
Click to expand...

The world's greatest sport, the world's most ridiculous league.
 
Re: NHL 2019-20 #1: Where Toronto Plans To Win Without Playing Defense.

Brian Burke is the epitome of Get off my lawn. Yes it's embarrassing for the Leafs, but it's great for hockey.
 
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