Odd Man in: Hockey's Emergency Goalies and the Wildest One-Day Job in Sports

An entertaining look at one of hockey's most unique traditions: the emergency backup goaltender.

Tom Fenton was in a barber's chair when he got the call. Nathan Schoenfeld was giving his 5-week-old twin boys a bath. Eric Semborski was teaching kids to play hockey at a suburban rink.

Within hours, each was wearing a mask, pads, and an NHL uniform as an emergency goalie, perhaps the most unusual position in all of sports.

Odd Man In shares the stories of these unlikely masked heroes, tracing the origins of this quirk of the game while profiling those who have experienced the chaotic thrill of suiting up on short notice for an NHL team.

David Ayres, a Zamboni driver, became an overnight sensation with the Carolina Hurricanes after beating his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. Accountant Scott Foster signed on the dotted line then played an unforgettable 14 minutes for the Chicago Blackhawks, finishing his one-day career with a perfect 1.000 save percentage.

Their stories and more are celebrated in this fascinating volume for all hockey fans.

ISBN-13: 9781629379999

Media Type: Hardcover

Publisher: Triumph Books

Publication Date: 10-25-2022

Pages: 272

Product Dimensions: 6.10(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.20(d)

Stephen Whyno is a national hockey writer for the Associated Press who has covered the NHL since 2010 with stops at the Washington Times and Canadian Press. He has worked seven Stanley Cup Final series and three Winter Olympics. Brian Boucher played 13 seasons in the NHL as a goaltender. He is a studio analyst for ESPN and ABC hockey broadcasts.

Table of Contents

Foreword Brian Boucher xi

Introduction: What's an Emergency Backup Goaltender? xv

1 Origins of a Tradition: How One-Time Goalies Became Possible 1

2 The One Who Made It: Carter Hutton's Journey to the NHL 13

3 Chaos in Florida: Back from the Hospital to Save the Day 31

4 The Auditions: How Teams Pick Their Emergency Backups 43

5 The Equipment Manager: Jorge Alves' 7.6 Unforgettable Seconds 53

6 The Accountant: Scott Foster's 14 Minutes of Fame 71

7 The Zamboni Driver: David Ayres Beats His Hometown Team 99

8 The Insurance Salesman: Tom Hodges Makes More History 139

9 Getting the Call: Spectacular Tales of Rushing to the Rink 149

10 Among the Stars: NHL Spotlight Is Bright from Warm-Ups On 163

11 Close Calls: The Times an Emergency Backup Was Almost Needed 181

12 Gearing Up: What Goes into Serving as an Emergency Backup 197

13 Unretired for a Night: Ex-NHL Goaltenders Jump Back In 203

14 After Intermission: Emergency Backups Return after Shutdown 211

15 The Victory Lap: Goalies Celebrated for Stepping In 225

16 EBUGs of the Future: What's in Store for Hockey's One-Day Job? 239

Acknowledgments 247

Sources 249

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