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An NHL backup goalie stays ready by completing a pregame routine, warming up body and focus, and remaining prepared to enter even when not expected to start. The exact routine varies: some goalies use a lighter warmup when they are the backup, while a late change can require an immediate adjustment. There is no single league-wide short-notice-start protocol documented in the available NHL accounts.
How does an NHL backup goalie stay ready?
A rostered backup is part of the team and follows its practice, travel, and game-day preparations. Even when another goalie is expected to start, the backup must be ready in case the starter cannot play or is injured during the game. NHL.com describes backups warming their bodies, eyes, and minds for the possibility of being called on.
Seattle Kraken goalie Joey Daccord described the balance: “Any goalie will tell you that when you back up, yeah, it is a little less mental stress, but at the same time it’s always the back of your head that you may have to go in, and you always have to be ready.” That readiness is a player’s account, not a prescribed league standard. (NHL.com, November 14, 2025; NHL.com, January 26, 2024)
Do backup goalies warm up differently?
Sometimes. Daccord said his warmup was different and less strenuous when he was not starting. That can help manage workload, but the reporting does not establish a standard duration or a routine that every team follows. A backup may still need to be ready to play, so the balance between conserving energy and preparing to enter depends on the goalie and team.
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Goalie workload can also be managed in practice. NHL.com reports that goalies may work on position-specific skills with a goalie coach and avoid some team drills that involve extra saves and butterfly drops. Teams have also used three goalies to give one a full night away from the rink, including in back-to-back situations. Daccord said that being dressed but not starting could affect his sleep and make workouts harder to schedule; on days off the ice, he reported using NHL Sense Arena for virtual-reality goalie practice. This is one player’s reported approach, not evidence that all backups use VR training. (NHL.com, November 14, 2025)
What happens if a goalie gets injured or replaced before a game?
A change during warmups
A reported Pittsburgh Penguins example shows how quickly plans can change. Matt Murray left warmups, and Marc-Andre Fleury took over as the starter. Fleury tried to get more shots before the game, while Tristan Jarry put on his equipment to become the backup. Jarry recalled, “You don’t have much time to think about it.” This illustrates one adjustment to a warmup-time change; it is not a universal procedure. (NHL.com)
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A late change to the backup role
Sometimes the roster change itself takes coordination. Parker Milner, then a Washington Capitals practice goalie, said he noticed game socks in his stall after morning skate and later learned the team was checking whether he could serve as backup. He recalled finding out around 2:30 or 3 p.m., as he was heading to the rink to get ready to warm up. His account shows that eligibility and team logistics can matter alongside getting physically ready. (NHL.com)
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How is an emergency backup goalie different?
An emergency backup goalie, or EBUG, is a contingency role distinct from a regular rostered backup. NHL.com’s October 2, 2026 account of the 2026–27 season says each team must designate an EBUG who dresses, wears No. 00, practices, and travels with the team. It also describes eligibility limits: the EBUG must not have played an NHL game under a standard player contract, must have played no more than 80 professional games, and must not have played professional hockey in the preceding three seasons. Consult the applicable agreement for authoritative rule wording. (NHL.com, October 2, 2026)
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Historical EBUG accounts help explain the contingency role, but they should not be mistaken for the routine preparation of a rostered backup. Colorado Avalanche EBUG Justin Goldman said, “The last thing you want is to be caught unprepared,” and described preparing as if he would play that night. (NHL.com, December 28, 2021)
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