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042 - The Role of the Backup Goalie and What Being an EBUG is Like
92 Plays2 months ago
Show notes can be found at https://thediygoalie.com/pod042
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This week we dive into everything about back up goalies! We talk about the role of a back up, how to make the most of being in a back up role, and also talk about Nathan's experience as an emergency back up goalie (EBUG) for the Edmonton Oilers.
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Transcript
Introduction to DIY Goalie Podcast
00:00:06
Speaker
Welcome to the DIY goalie podcast where hosts and goalie coaches, Nathan Park and Connor Monday share their insights on how to become a better goalie.
00:00:19
Speaker
Goalies, welcome back to another episode of the DIY Goalie. How are you guys doing today? um As always, I am having webcam issues again. For some reason, if you're watching on YouTube, my webcam is in black and white today and I tried whatever I could to fix it. So, you know, we're rolling with it. We are turning back the clock a little bit, doing a vintage DIY Goalie episode on on my half of things today.
00:00:47
Speaker
So ah yeah, never a dull moment over here at the DIY goalie podcast. I think we spend more time troubleshooting technical difficulties before we record than we actually spend recording most of the time.
The Role of a Backup Goalie
00:01:00
Speaker
But we are all this is all this is saying is that we just like we just have to start doing this at the facility. And so that way it's it's it's one thing It's there. We don't have to worry about it ever again. And, uh, yeah, I dunno, just, I feel, I feel like that's just going to have to be the case. Yeah. I don't know if the internet there would do well enough to, uh, to show, but, it absolutely went not but, uh, yeah, we are here. We're having fun and we are going to be talking all about backup goalies today. So that's kind of what, uh, what we're going to tackle today because.
00:01:37
Speaker
Some of you guys might be in that position and if you aren't now probably at some point in your careers you'll get to that point that you might find yourself in a backup role and Although not ideal, we'd all like to be playing, you know, 100% of the games all the time. You just got to make the most of it. It's still an important role on the team. And, uh, yeah, we're going to kind of talk about some things to, uh, make sure that you're playing that role properly, um, being a good teammate and, uh, and making sure you're ready if you do have to go in.
00:02:11
Speaker
And then we're also going to talk a little bit about
Connor's Backup Goalie Experience
00:02:14
Speaker
e-bugs. So the emergency backup goalies and kind of get into that a little bit. Uh, so that's what we have on the docket today. Um, as always, it's myself, Nathan Park and Connor Monday on the other side of things. And we are, uh, having fun with it. So while we dive in here, why don't you start us off Connor and kind of, uh, talk about the role of a backup goalie and kind of how we can be good teammates about it. Well, considering that, uh, that was my position for most of my hockey, um, honor is well versed. Exactly. Exactly. I am well prepared for that position. Um, the role of a backup goalie, like, I don't know, like from my experience with it, it's, uh,
00:03:05
Speaker
yeah it's one of those things like like you kind of hated it because you didn't get a lot of playing time and then even then if you did you're coming in cold and especially if you're going into a game where the team's down like five nothing in like the first period or or whatever Um, but I think just being in that position, it puts you in a little bit of a, of a, of a unique perspective. Cause you get a chance to kind of watch what it is that your partner's doing. You get to interact more with the team on the bench and interact with the coaches and all that. Because like, obviously we're, if we're playing and we're in the net, we're just kind of by ourself with our thoughts, which.
00:03:46
Speaker
Nobody really should be. But um ah so it it gives you an interesting perspective and a little bit of a a little bit of an appreciation for the game and for the position um that we play. Whenever I was riding the bench, um I would take that opportunity just to kind of watch what both sides are doing, what the opposing team's goalie is doing, and what my team's goalie is doing that they were playing that day and if there's like a save that they make that I know that I struggle with then I can say okay well that's maybe that's how they read the playing that's something that I want to do into my game moving forward there is that that like superstition or that kind of um
00:04:35
Speaker
yeah I'm gonna say superstition just with the backup position is that like if you were in the
Mindset and Skill Development
00:04:39
Speaker
backup role, especially like when you're in like um Like when you get into playing like double AAA and beyond like if you're in that backup position And it's just kind of like a telltale sign that like you're not good enough, which is not always the case I find that there are some coaches and that there are some teams that um Kind of mismanage kind of this the starter in the backup role um especially when I was coaching in in juniors, um like our head coach grotesquely um mismanaged kind of how that was supposed to go go versus how I wanted it to go. And the same thing when I was coaching in in in junior B as well. I think
00:05:23
Speaker
The backup role is is ah is a great position. I think all goalies realistically should be in that position at least once or twice in their career, if not beyond. um And it just it just it ah it offers you a unique perspective. Obviously, it can be boring just sitting there, just watching the game go back and forth. But I think it it presents a unique opportunity for everybody to just kind of watch the game from not necessarily like a fan's perspective, but just kind of watching how your team plays when you're not on the ice and what you can do to help the team be better. Nathan, I, Nathan, you and I were talking before we jumped on here.
00:06:07
Speaker
and your computer decided decide to time travel back to 1920. You also want to keep yourself occupied at the same time. you know and I didn't do it when I played, but there have been instances where I've been on teams where we've done this with our backup goaltenders and they count.
00:06:27
Speaker
How many face-offs that sentiments have won how many shots? um That our goalie has taken um Sometimes when I was coaching juniors and I would be up in a broadcast booth or whatever and I'd have one of the the the Scratch players with me and if one of them was a goalie I would have them if I only had the one I would have them run the camera because I needed somebody to do that but also if they were up there I'd have them take my my my like coaching binder that I had there and I'd have them kind of scout ah both sides during the game. So I think it it presents an interesting opportunity to kind of learn and to be ah be a real student of the game, especially when you're not on the ice. So that's kind of where that's that's what thats that's where my thoughts are with it. I don't know what yours are, but I feel like they're probably eerily similar.
00:07:20
Speaker
Yeah, I kind of go back to the Ian Gordon interview that we had and his kind of parting thoughts as parting piece of advice when I asked him for one was to embrace that development mindset, right? And I think this very heavily applies to anyone who finds themselves in a backup position, a backup role. um It's not ideal. Like I've been there, I've been on both ends of it. I've been a backup, I've been a starter. um Obviously as a backup like again, you want to get in there. It's it's tough sitting on the bench It's tough not being the guy and to kind of know that Almost your viewed is like, you know second fiddle or whatever but at the same token that also means that there's an opportunity there to develop and to embrace that development and to
00:08:11
Speaker
You know, take the opportunity to get better, to learn from the environment around you and to just like, you know, work on some skills that maybe you don't get as a starter stuff like.
00:08:24
Speaker
interacting with your teammates and coaches because as a, as a starting goalie, you're not really in those positions very often. And the other thing as a backup, I would say is to have fun with it. Like me personally, this isn't going to work for everybody, but me personally, my approach on game day was completely different.
00:08:43
Speaker
if I was starting as to if I was not starting that game. And I know that can be counterintuitive for some people, which is fine. But for me personally, I found I did the best coming off the bench in situations where I wasn't even really like, I don't know, thinking about it, I guess, like so for all of those out there that played junior or anything like that, the good old before the game sewer ball.
00:09:12
Speaker
When I started, I never once would play sewer ball. When I was backing up a hundred percent, that's all I did before the game was I jumped into play sewer with the teammates and have a little bit of fun with it. Right. And it's, um, that was kind of my approach, I guess, uh, when I wasn't playing was just to kind of relax a little bit, almost take a, not necessarily a break, but to kind of have a little bit of, uh, a game day.
00:09:41
Speaker
reset, I guess, where you know, you're having fun, you're doing stuff you normally wouldn't do when you're starting. And I found that really helped for if I did have to go in off the bench, because early on in my career, when I was backing up more and stuff like that, I found that I'd be a little bit nervous.
00:10:00
Speaker
if you got to the point that you might have to go in even though you wanted to play but then you're like uh-oh like now I gotta go in and my team's down for nothing and uh-oh or oh no it's close and the other goalie's hurt and I gotta try and go in and you know keep us in it right and so I find if if we're thinking too much about it, um at least for me personally anyways, when I was thinking too much about it, it kind of would make me tense and nervous. So I approached it more from, you know, having a little bit more of a
00:10:34
Speaker
of a fun, you know, kind of environment to when I wasn't playing. Um, and then, yeah, just when you are in that role, like Connor said, like the learning aspect of it and and the stuff that you can take away from, from having that kind of bird's eye view. Um, you don't get that as much when you're in the game. Like you can actually like.
00:10:57
Speaker
you know, look at what the other team is doing in terms of systems, kind of their tendencies and all that. You can kind of see, like, you can even talk to your teammates a little bit more than you would be able to when you're in a game, right? If somebody comes off, um, after a goal or whatever, you can talk to your D and be like,
00:11:17
Speaker
Hey, how would you have rather, you know, the goalie played that or whatever? Like say it was a three on two and you know, something happened and it resulted in a goal and you can just talk to them and be like, Hey, what did you see out there? What was your thoughts? Like, what would you have rather seen or, you know, blah, blah, blah, stuff like that. Like you can have that dialogue a little bit more, but, um,
00:11:40
Speaker
Long-winded way of just saying like that opportunity to develop as a backup goalie is still there. You can still get better. You can still improve and, and take a lot out of the, the situation.
Coaching Decisions and Stigmas
00:11:55
Speaker
So just make the most of it. It's kinda, kinda the big takeaway, I think, and just learn to be a good teammate about it too.
00:12:06
Speaker
There's a um ah story that i that I was just thinking of with the interview that I did with Luke Lush, which by the way, sorry about the audio quality about my mic. I didn't realize that it was recording recording through my PS5 controller mic there, so a little bit of a DIY blunder on that part, but anyways.
00:12:25
Speaker
It wouldn't be a podcast episode without, so it's all good. Exactly. I had microphone issues last time. Nathan has camera issues today. But Luke had a really interesting story where where he was with LaRange in the, what was it, the SP? SP? SJHL. SJHL, thank you.
00:12:46
Speaker
Um Where I think it was either if he wasn't starting or if he wasn't playing then him and a few other teammates would Still be on the ice after practice for another hour or so later and then they would just kind of lock up The arena afterwards and then whatever they were doing on the ice is whatever that whatever that they were doing But Luke was taking that opportunity to still to get better to have some fun with his teammates at at the same time and just taking taking advantage of of the ice time that he had gotten obviously not going to necessarily be the case at the minor league levels.
00:13:30
Speaker
But still the point being was that he wasn't complaining and moaning and whatever. And the other word that I can't say on here. Um, but that's, I think just there, like there's a lot of negativity when it comes to that, Oh, I'm not starting or Oh, I haven't gotten a start in.
00:13:52
Speaker
five games or whatever, and however you want to say it. And that's not, I wouldn't look at it as a blunder on kind of your ability as an athlete or as a goaltender. There are other external factors that that don't that that that come to that. But again, if you're taking that opportunity to grow, to get better, there's nothing wrong with it at at the end of the day.
00:14:22
Speaker
If you look at a lot of the goalie schools that are out there right now, a lot of the guys that do what we do for a living, a lot of them are guys who were in a backup role. I'm going to make a bold statement here, but I honestly think that the backup goalies are the smartest smartest people on earth.
00:14:45
Speaker
because they're the ones that are taking the time to learn and kind of be philosophical in a way and question everything, right? And really just learning and um just taking that opportunity to to to study the game, essentially. Back to my other point now with talking about the the stigma and this kind of the
00:15:10
Speaker
With the stigma of of tandems and and goaltending me like I mentioned earlier like I've been on a team I've actually been on a few teams with the same coach where It was brutal when it comes to the the 1a or the 1b or this is starter versus the backup because there were nights where I thought that the I always I always gauged who would be playing by who did well in practice and Essentially and even every time I kept getting shut down because I know so and so is our starter So and they're good. This is a good team. And so we want to play him and I've said to this coach multiple times It's like yeah, but he got lit up eight goals on like 15 shots Mind you we also scored five on 16. But the point being was like yeah i I I don't like I didn't like the fact that our goals are
00:16:03
Speaker
our goals against was up so high against this team. Obviously, like, yes, he's our starting goaltender. Yes, he is. This goalie was the better goalie that we've had out of the six goalies that this coach decided to bring, which is absolutely ridiculous. But still, like, say no, this guy, like, goalie B was doing better than goalie A in practice. Goalie B hasn't had a chance to face up against the top seeded team in the league.
00:16:30
Speaker
or whatever goalie a has and we put goalie a two or three times now against this team and obviously we're not getting the results so we need to switch it up and every time we keep getting shut down about it because oh no this guy's our starter this guy's a better goalie we have to play him i don't know where i'm going with this point but i think to put i think just there's still that that stigma and that mentality and i think we and we see that as well in in minor hockey as well,
Tandem Goalie Systems
00:16:58
Speaker
right? And how do we, how do we as the goalie union kind of, kind of fix that? I don't think it helped at all really when there was the, the Lena Salmark and Jeremy Swamin.
00:17:11
Speaker
tandem there, but I just I don't I don't know. I really don't because I think that it just it hurts development somewhere. And it doesn't really give as certain athletes a fair shake at things when it's an opportunity that they could really impress other people with I don't know. Yeah, well,
00:17:38
Speaker
I don't like, there's definitely a trend towards more of the like tandem, like one a one B as opposed to like the full on starter backup. Um, I, I think it's all situational for sure. Um, to me, like minor hockey, like you're probably not looking like to me, nobody should be looking at.
00:18:02
Speaker
one goalie gets more playing time than the other until at least you 15 when you're talking about minor hockey. Um, and then even then maybe only at the club level when it comes to looking at that, but I've been like my first year of club when I played Bantam AAA or Bantam AA my first year. Um, I came in and.
00:18:26
Speaker
kind of was a little bit of a nobody and showed pretty well in tryouts, had a bit of a down start to the year and didn't get a whole lot of playing time. And then our other goalie got hurt. And then I kind of got a little bit more of an opportunity and got a lot of playing time. And they were like, Oh, you know, he's doing well, actually. And then we kind of, when the other goalie came back, then there was a couple of stretches where I actually played a little bit more than the other guy did and ended up getting like most improved player on our team that year or whatever. And and sometimes, you know, these goalies kind of get buried when they don't get the opportunity to
00:19:07
Speaker
develop and to show and it's also discouraging too, like just that mental kind of, you know, laps, I guess, or, or bottleneck or whatever. But that's, but that's, that's the other thing too. Right. And I'm sorry to interrupt, but like, that's the other thing too. Like I look at team Canada as an example. And I can't remember their names off time. I had, I think it was like Thomas Millich, who had won, who had recently won the world juniors.
00:19:38
Speaker
Where's he at now? you know i i I honestly don't know. I haven't kept up with him since then. But like there have been a lot of a lot of goalies. And I hate that I'm going to reference this because I don't like this guy with a passion.
00:19:53
Speaker
Trap four Oilers had a really kind of interesting point with a couple of games where Henrik Lundquist was out and I forgot what this other thing like slaps like slap ski Like he came in and filled in for a couple of games with the Rangers Posted posted a shutout in the second game and I think had one goal on one or two goals on 30-something shots Since then, like, obviously it's been a few years now since, since that era, but simply nobody heard of them since. Yeah. Another, so another good example of that would be for me, it was Zach Vicali. Like that's a guy of that he's only had a couple of games in the NHL, but they've been solid games and he just never seems to get a ah full shake at it. But.
00:20:45
Speaker
I mean, you know, kind of like what I was, um, getting to eventually was unfortunately we end up in those situations and as goalies, like we can only control the controllables. Like unfortunately we can't control the decisions the coaches make. Um, you might be in a spot where.
00:21:08
Speaker
You know, you could be better or be improving more than your other goalie and they keep getting starts or whatever the case is. And unfortunately you can't control that, but what you can control is your work ethic. When you are at practice, you can control your preparation, your routine, your mindset.
Nathan's Junior Hockey Journey
00:21:30
Speaker
You can control all those things. So when push comes to shove and you maybe do get that chance, you can take it and run with it, right?
00:21:38
Speaker
And that's kind of, I think the best way to approach if you end up in this situation. Um, and again, just having fun with it, like just kind of to go on, um, to build off that with the coaches side of things, like my first year at junior, I was 17.
00:21:57
Speaker
So I still looking back and I don't really know how I made junior as a 17 year old, but I guess the cards kind of fell in place for me. But I did have a really good start to the year, which I think helped me kind of solidify a spot, I guess, but.
00:22:13
Speaker
I really struggled cause that was the first year like I ever really had good goalie coaching. Like that was when I started working with short C and he was, you know, for the first time I was learning about tracking a puck and head trajectory. And up until that point, everything was just pure athleticism. And so that year was a transition year for me cause I was changing my game and Unfortunately, that doesn't happen overnight and it takes a while to adapt and to, you know, be consistent with good habits and all that stuff. So my middle of the year was awful. And then I finally kind of started to figure it out and things were falling into place. And I had a stretch cause our team actually brought in a third goalie and I don't know why they did this, but I had a stretch where.
00:23:03
Speaker
They rotated the other two goalies who started, but they just kept me as the backup for every game. So one of the other guys would start while the other was in the stands and I was on the bench. And then the guy who started went into the stands and the guy who was in the stands would start. And then I'd still be on the bed. I don't know. It was weird. I don't know why they did it that way, but.
00:23:27
Speaker
I, I think it was an eight or nine game stretch that that happened. And in three of those games, I actually had to go in off the bench and I ended up winning two of them. And I had one goal against on like 50 some shots in those three half games. And we like, I went into the coach's room after and are not after, but like at some point after one of our practices and was kind of like,
00:23:54
Speaker
Hey, like I feel like I've been playing well. Like, you know, I almost feel like I've earned a start. Like, is there any way that I can get into the net or whatever? And he turns around, he pops up our stats page on his computer and he highlights my save percentage. And he's like, this is why you're not getting a start. And I'm just like, well,
00:24:17
Speaker
I've done really well lately. I've been putting in the work, all of that stuff, right? Like, but anyways, my, my point with that story is, is that unfortunately we can't control that we, like the coach is going to make the decision. And unfortunately, whether it's justified or not, whether we think it's right or not, it is what it is that season or that summer in the off season, I got traded out to Manitoba. Um, and.
00:24:48
Speaker
I ended up having three really good solid years the rest of my junior career and won a couple championships and all of that, right? So you just got to make the most of what you can and take the time like we talked about to develop as much as you can and just stick with it. Like, like we've talked about lots before is we can only control what we can control. Everything else is outside of that.
00:25:12
Speaker
But if you put in the work and make the most of the opportunities you're given more often than not, it usually comes with a good result. Now, unfortunately, that doesn't happen all the time. Some guys just get screwed and that, that is what it is and it sucks, but you know, do what you can, keep your head down, nose to the grindstone, keep going then and, uh, make the most of it.
00:25:42
Speaker
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00:26:12
Speaker
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00:26:31
Speaker
i think of um What I would get when I was coaching Back when juniors and this is more specifically for when I was when with spruce grove regals in junior b Um again, just kind of a little bit of a rotating door with goalies like we had Some consistent players but not Not a lot i'd say And again, like they come up and ask me after it's like why am I not playing like why like i'm playing i'm doing better than this guy this this and that and so that's
00:27:04
Speaker
That's coach's decision. It's not mine, but i'd have to remind them at the same time.
Supporting Your Team
00:27:08
Speaker
It's like just keep working in practice Like I know it like I know you want to play and My goal for you is to move on Beyond here, which one of them did with midway through the season but Like it like like like if this like if this is kind of like the end point for you then like I suppose I get it But like I think for everybody it's like you want to move on Beyond that right and so I think that's that's a it's a good Kind of reminder and I think we've kind of beaten a dead horse with it, but um You know just if you are in that position like always like utilize maximize the ice team that that you're given
00:27:51
Speaker
Right. And if it's not the team that you're currently on, that's noticing the, the, the improvements or just that the fact that you are better than, than the other guy due to whatever it is that's going on, whatever the situation is, um, use that to improve and better yourself. So then when the off season comes and when teams are looking for, for goalies, you have that opportunity to say,
00:28:17
Speaker
Hey, I was with this other team, but I've been improving a lot. I like to showcase essentially what I have and prove to you that I can be the goalie that it is that you're looking for.
00:28:30
Speaker
um Yeah, I don't know like this. like I think that's a whole wormhole that we can go down. But I think just to kind of just sum it up, is that like, if you are like, if you do find yourself, everybody should be in the backup position and in their career. Everybody will be in that position. You're not always going to be the starter. But utilize that opportunity to to to better yourself and to expand your knowledge, not only in a coaching setting, but just in like, just in ah in ah in ah in a game setting and and ah in ah in a team setting there as well.
00:29:03
Speaker
Yeah. So if you do find yourself in that position, just some of the things that I guess come with the role, um, and some of the things that you should be doing. So Connor touched on it, but practice like make the most of it and.
00:29:22
Speaker
One thing that'll go a long way for you guys to get into coaches. Good books is doing the extra. And sometimes you don't have a choice. Sometimes you do, but the coach will like you a lot better if you make the right choice. But you know, stuff like when the scratches and the rookies or whatever are staying out after practice to do some extra work. A lot of times the backup goalie is the one staying out there for them to shoot on. Right.
00:29:52
Speaker
um Or the third goalie if you guys are like in college or something like that and you have three but Um, if you find yourself in that position, that's your role. That's your role to be out with those guys, the guys who are injured and coming back from an injury or who are scratched and have the extra, you know, skate at the end of a game day, skate or whatever it is. Um, the other thing too, is just really making sure that you are being a good teammate. Like when you're on the bench, like.
00:30:25
Speaker
pack guys on on the head or whatever on the back when they come off like you know be vocal like cheer your guys on get involved in the game don't just be that goalie that kind of sits in the corner with his ball cap on looking like he's bored out of his skull like be involved um i my first year of college i think that that was why i got a chance to be our backup for playoffs. Cause the first couple of games, like my first year of college, I was our third goalie first couple of games. I was in the stands. Um, we lost a couple. So they put me in to back up, um, not to start, but to back up. And I kinda, you know, showed that energy when I was in that game and ended up
00:31:14
Speaker
being the backup for the rest of, you know, our playoffs or whatever. Right. Um, and I think that kind of helped play a role in that. But, uh, like obviously as backup goalies, even though we never maybe like to admit it, it's, we do kind of somewhat want the other guy to fall in his face a little bit. ah Um, you know, that's kind of natural. I think that everybody, uh,
00:31:41
Speaker
Gets to that point that you know They want to see the other guy let in four goals on the first four shots So they can get a ah chance to go in and that's perfectly natural But we can't do anything to show that that's what we want to happen, right? Because I know a few times like I was like, oh Yeah, I'd love for us to go down for nothing right off the bat Then I can go in and we can win 5-4 or whatever, right? But you know Even though that's just kind of human nature, you have to make sure that that doesn't creep into anything outward or anything like that. You still have a mindset where you want to be there. You still are being a good teammate. You're given your goalie partner props for making saves. You're talking to them that, you know, breaks like timeouts or intermission or whatever, um, and still being supportive. So you just got to make sure that.
00:32:37
Speaker
You're there for your team. You're being a good presence. You're, you're having energy. You're being involved. You're being the guy that's staying out and helping at practice or at the end of practice. You know, you're the guy that's staying out for the shootouts at the end when the starters like, nah, I don't want to blow my groin before tomorrow's game or whatever the case is. Right. Um, so these are the kinds of things that as a backup, you should really embrace, like take the, take the role and embrace
Emergency Backup Goalie Experiences
00:33:06
Speaker
it.
00:33:06
Speaker
tackle it head on, do the things you need to do, improve when you get the chance to. And like we said, if you're on the bench, you're opening the gate or you're taking stats or whatever the case is, right. And given guys that kind of.
00:33:22
Speaker
support, talk to your teammates, see what they're seeing, tell them what you're seeing from a goalie's perspective. You know, you might be able to say, Hey, the other goalie I noticed is not rotating very well on the pushes across. So if we can get a push or a pass back door, he's not going to push there and let's try and expose that or whatever the case is. Right. You guys can kind of be involved a little bit and, uh, provide, provide value, even if you're not physically in the net.
00:33:52
Speaker
take take the opportunity, get better, move on to the next season, move to something like that. so ah You had wanted to talk today about being an E-Bog and I'm a little bit jealous of it because you have the experience of being an Edmonton Oilers emergency backup goalie, but as I was thinking about That while you were going on your spiel. um I wanted to talk a little bit about as well with it um Not necessarily being an e-bug but kind of being a call-up You know um I've had a couple of opportunities in my playing career where I've got to play with the team That's a tier or two above me or or anything so I'll let so I'll let you go on about the e-bug rant here and then we'll kind of talk about
00:34:39
Speaker
um getting called up elot whether, yeah, the, ah the, the affiliate program, essentially. Yeah. Yeah. I can touch on that too. Cause I'm sure every goalie at some point has been an affiliate because you know, goalies are few and far between, but, uh, yeah. So.
00:34:57
Speaker
My last year at college and the year after I was done, so over two seasons, I got to be one of the emergency backups for the Oilers. Um, I was kind of, I think third on the depth chart, like the University of Alberta goalies were kind of ahead of me with that. But if they were gone or something like that, they couldn't make it, then they'd have me come out. Um, so I know. ah When it comes to e-bugs, like the number one question people have is how do you become an e-bug? And it varies by team. So with the Oilers, they obviously run with the local university and college guys. um So that's kind of where they pull for their pool.
00:35:48
Speaker
some teams, they hold tryouts. Like I think the Kings and the Devils kind of, you know, put it out to. Yeah, there's a few teams. Yeah. They, they put it out to the goalie community in the local area and just said, Hey, we're holding tryouts and come out and whatever. Um, and then some teams it's like somebody within the organization, like a media guy or something like that, that, uh, you know, kind of plays shout out Dave Ayers, Carolina hurricanes legend. Yeah.
00:36:23
Speaker
Yeah, it's against the Leafs too. So that always makes me smile, but, um, yeah, so it it varies team by team. Um, they all have kind of their set ways of doing what they want to do, I guess, but, um, how it, how it worked for me. So I got the call or whatever, they gave me like the little pass that I could go down into the like players concourse and.
00:36:52
Speaker
um they gave me like the underground parking pass so I'd have gear in my car and I would just park underground. um I'd go up, I'd go into the media area and they had like a little media buffet and whatever and So you'd kind of make the buffet and then you'd take it to go container because you're a broke college student too.
00:37:15
Speaker
yeah know So, but it was kind of cool because you'd be in that area and you'd get to see guys like, you know, Darren Pang, Craig Simpson, like. you know, all these guys, Louie, DeBrask, all these media guys that, you know, you see on TV all the time and you're just like, wow, these guys are just sitting here in a room or right. And then it's the these guys exist. Yeah. Yeah. So, and then basically after that, we'd go up to like the catwalk area where the media was. And that's where, you know, we'd set. And of course there's like all the snacks up there too, and all that. So, um,
00:37:53
Speaker
I think the first one or two times I did it, I'm like, Oh, no, I can't be in that stuff. Cause you know, what if I have to go in or whatever? And then I'm like, after the first one or two times, I'm like, what are the odds I'm actually going to have to go in? Whatever. I'm just going to load up. And even if I do go in, I'm going to get lit up by these and NHL guys. So.
00:38:15
Speaker
You know, whatever. Um, but yeah, so me personally, I never got to do anything like practice or, um, dress for a game or anything like that. Um, obviously the game one is pretty, I guess you could say rare, um, that guys get to go in for a game or even get to go down on the bench.
00:38:36
Speaker
Um, but practice happens a lot more than people think. Um, just because, you know, things come up for practice or there's guys that are hurting a little bit that take maintenance days or whatever. So they get the local backup and that's, that's both teams. That's the local team, but also like the visiting team who's in town before ah their game that night or the next day or whatever. Um, cause I know.
00:39:03
Speaker
One of my former goalie partners from junior, who was one of the U of A goalies that was doing the E bug at the same time I was, um, he got to practice with the red wings, he got to practice with the Oilers and all that stuff. And, you know, just goalie has a funeral to go to that day. So he got called out or whatever, different, different reasons. Um,
00:39:27
Speaker
So practice does happen quite a bit, actually. Um, so that's kind of cool for the guys that get to do that. Um, and then when it comes to a game, so I did come close to being able to dress for the predators. Cause the night before they were in Calgary and Pecorine got hurt.
00:39:48
Speaker
And the guy that they called up, he got his gear lost on the flight. So they lost his gear on the flight. Um, he made it, but, uh, so I was actually talking to David Poyle, the GM at the time, he was texting me and also had a phone call with him. So that was pretty cool. But, uh,
00:40:08
Speaker
He, um he was basically like oh, we're going to try and find gear, we're working with the oilers to just piece together gear for this guy but if not, then you'll, you'll have to step in basically.
00:40:21
Speaker
um They found gear, so I didn't get to, but he did mention that I would just basically be in a room on my own. Like I wouldn't be on the bench. And at the time I was kind of like, Oh, that's stupid and whatever. But belly kind of shed some light on that when he, uh, talked to us in his interview that it actually burns one of their cards. And so I could totally see why that would be an issue.
00:40:46
Speaker
Um, but yeah, so basically we just have our gear at the rank. We're on standby. If something happens, the guys come and get us and say, Hey, we got, got to bring you down. You get dressed. Um, every situation's different. Like you do see sometimes when the guys get dressed that they're on the bench. Cause they do like show that on TV a little bit. Sometimes the guy just again, like in my situation would be back in, you know, some dressing room somewhere under the bleachers, just waiting.
00:41:15
Speaker
Um, but yeah, so that's kind of the experience of it. It's kinda cool. You get, you know, go watch free NHL games and, you know, potentially be a part of some rare incident where you get to go out. I mean, you know, you look at guys like Scott Foster and David Aries and, and, uh,
00:41:35
Speaker
Oh, who is the one that did it here? I can't remember his name now. Matt Berlin. Yeah. Right. Berlin. Yeah. The yeah which is which which actually. Yeah. Which actually funny enough, because Stuart Skinner and Berlin were teammates. Yeah. And in SSAC. So it would have been really cool to have like a full circle moment there. But no, instead it was Campbell. Yeah. Was who who was playing there. But no, that would have been that would have been really cool.
00:42:00
Speaker
Yeah, but yeah, that's basically the lowdown on the, on the E bugs. Um, at least from my experience, like I said, everybody else's are probably a little bit different just cause it, it varies from organization to organization, but, uh,
00:42:15
Speaker
Yeah, cool experience for sure. Um, something I get to say that not a lot of people do get saved, even though it really didn't pan out to anything, but I think I was able to do it for 12 games. So I got to watch 12 free oilers games and eat media buffet for 12 games and have a good time. so Yeah, I yeah I am one of the few I am I'm one of those ones that say that I cannot do that because my house league butt did not go anywhere. So um nothing wrong with House League, by the way, just putting it out there.
00:42:49
Speaker
um Yeah, I know that I love I love seeing those stories like the Scott Foster, the David Ayers, the David Ayers is a pretty famous one mapper and recently a couple of years ago.
00:43:04
Speaker
I love I I just I love seeing those stories and And it's it's it gives like especially in the States. It gives those barely guys some hope top you know, they can ah still love out the NHL dream even though they're what, in their forties. The other, the other cool one I find too is when you see the organization's goalie coach be their E-bug. So you get like a 50 year old Dwayne rob talentener or Peter Budai or something like that. bob best so Yeah. Yeah. Those are cool too, but come up coming out of retirement for that. that's um No, the equivalent for people like myself, um, is essentially getting called up.
00:43:48
Speaker
or yeah or being in the being in the affiliates in the affiliate program. I don't remember much of it, but it does show up in my hockey Edmonton, hockey Alberta resume, essentially, that I have affiliated for a couple of teams throughout throughout my playing career. And like these are teams that are one, two tiers above me.
00:44:14
Speaker
And it was it's it was interesting because you get to you essentially like you essentially get to play at a higher higher ish level. um you You're meeting a whole bunch of different guys on the team, nobody that you really know, except for maybe one or two, depending on the situation.
00:44:36
Speaker
But even then, like they're like i've had I recall, not distinctly, but recall enough, when I have played in those games where, again, same thing, I'm sitting on the bench and doing my thing, or I am i am playing in the game. And whether we do well or we didn't do well, it didn't really matter. But I think just getting the fact to You know, you get to play up a couple of levels, probably a couple of levels outside of the level that you're supposed to be playing that, but it was still a, a great enough or a cool enough feeling that like you get to be called up to, to those levels essentially and play a little bit more competitive hockey than, than, than what, than, than what you are originally, uh, originally used to. So. Yeah. Yeah. I know there was one, uh, my,
00:45:27
Speaker
Midget 15 AAA year, I got called up to the Midget AAA team and it was for a weekend in Grand Prairie. So I spent a weekend in Grand Prairie with a bunch of guys that I did not know. And funny enough, actually the goalie that didn't go for that weekend, didn't go, like he said, he had like a funeral or something like that to go to or some family thing.
00:45:57
Speaker
and Turns out they found out that his parents were gone that weekend. So he said he had this family thing so he could spend the weekend at home with his girlfriend. quick no but and legend So that's why I got to go out to grand prairie with but mid a triple a team. I knew nobody on that's
Seizing Opportunities as Affiliates or EBUGs
00:46:20
Speaker
funny. I, uh, I kind of was like, that's awesome. I was like, Oh, I wonder if they're going to kick this guy off the team for that. Cause something like that coaches don't like. Oh yeah. Wow. wow That's, uh, yeah, that's, that's ballsy. know yeah I don't know. But, um, I think if like, if you do get any opportunities to be in a, be an affiliate for a team like double AAA or even just a couple of tiers up.
00:46:53
Speaker
Or if you do get the opportunity to to be like Nathan was, um you know, being the e-bug, essentially. If you get that opportunity, jump on it. and just And if you are, and if you do get to experience that, just enjoy it. You know, because only a very, very, very select few will ever get that opportunity. And so I think um for something like that, that's that's really cool to see. Yeah.
00:47:22
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. And learn from the people around you that are playing at that level and kind of see what what it takes, right? um Because sometimes I feel like we, I don't know, kind of romanticize, for lack of a better word, the the higher levels. Like we almost feel like they're unattainable, but then you start to get to those levels and you realize, oh, there's not that much of a step up difference than where I'm at. And if I can just, you know,
00:47:50
Speaker
get a little bit better, develop a little bit more, I can get to that level. So it's cool to see, you know, how you gauge there, how you fit in and all that stuff too. So just kind of, you know, make the most out of the resources around you that are there.
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:48:06
Speaker
Right. So. Yeah.
00:48:09
Speaker
But, uh, sounds, sounds good but for those listening on the podcast, whether it be on, uh, Apple podcast, I heart Spotify. Um, thank you very much for listening. Um, please for be, please be sure to give us a follow if you are new to, uh, to, to listening to us, uh, whether you were recommended or whether we just happened to come across.
00:48:32
Speaker
your for lack of a better term for you page or your suggested picks, please feel free to give us a follow because we do have a lot of exciting stuff coming down the pipeline here at the DIY goalie. So it will be a fun time. If you are watching on the YouTube side of things, thank you very much for watching. Please make sure you like and subscribe.
00:48:51
Speaker
Follow us on our social media platforms, all on the DIY goalie. um If you are in the Edmonton area and you do want to come train with myself or Nathan or any of our amazing staff members, go visit true north goaltending.com. We do have a bunch of awesome promotions happening right now. We are coming up on our open house sessions, which I think all of them are almost booked. I think we still have spots left. Five openings. Yeah.
00:49:20
Speaker
So anyways, um we do have a lot of so we lot of fun stuff there. We have our camps um for July and August open and ready to be ready to be filled. So make sure you go check that out. As well as we are are also running a first time goalie offer um at our training facility in Nisku, Alberta. so Again, I'll go find it out at trunorsgoltending.com there. Again, you can follow us on the social media platforms as well, all listed as trunorsgoltending, except for Instagram, which is at YEGolleyCoach.
00:49:56
Speaker
um If you want to follow myself, because you can, it's at MondayGC, only on Instagram. I don't really post anywhere else. But yeah, beyond that, it's been a fun one. Thank you guys so much for listening. Thanks so much for watching. We'll see you guys next time. Make some saves.