FORT LAUDERDALE — For the first time this season, the NHL requires that all teams, including the Florida Panthers, have a full-time Emergency Backup Goalie, otherwise known as an ‘EBUG’.
Previously, each home team would have an EBUG on call at their arena who would watch the games and, if the starting goalie for either team were to leave said game, would start getting ready.
The Panthers have employed numerous people in that role over the years — most famously Zach Andrews, who served as the Chicago Blackhawks’ backup during a game in 2023.
Andrews, then a 31-year-old accountant working in Coral Springs, signed a contract with the Blackhawks before they played the Panthers in Sunrise after backup Alex Stalock was too sick to dress for that night’s game.
Today, each team will have their own EBUG — an emergency goalie who will travel with their teams throughout the season.
Although the Panthers have not announced who will be their first official EBUG, it looks like former college goalie Noah Altman was been hired for the gig of a lifetime.
Altman, 25, has been working with the Panthers — he was skating with injured players Brad Marchand and Jonas Gadjovich on Thursday and Friday — wearing the No. 00 all EBUGs are required to wear this season.
If Altman was to ever get into a game (that would mean both Florida goalies would have to be unable to continue) he would be the first Panthers player to ever wear the double-zero.
So, what do we know about the 26-year-old Altman?
Well, he has no professional playing experience which would not keep him from being an NHL EBUG.
While the rules do state an EBUG cannot have played a game in the NHL previously (which rules out Roberto Luongo) they can have played 80 pro games.
Back to Altman.
A native of Los Angeles, Altman played prep hockey at the famed Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Minnesota that includes Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, Nathan MacKinnon, and Macklin Celebrini as NHL alums.
New Florida Panthers EBUG Noah Altman works at training camp on Thursday. // Photo @GeorgeRichards
From there, he went on to Quinnipiac University where he was an assistant captain.
Altman played in seven games during his career with the Bobcats, and was part of their 2023 national championship squad.
After graduating from college, he stayed in Connecticut after getting a job as a production assistant at ESPN.
He is not the first former ESPN employee to suit up in goal for the Panthers.
Former Florida goalie Kevin Weekes obviously comes to mind, but one reason we have an EBUG in the NHL in the first place has its roots in South Florida.
And ESPN played a role.
In a game against the Maple Leafs in 2015, Luongo did not come out for the second period after absorbing a hard blow to the shoulder in the first.
Backup Al Montoya came in to replace Luongo, but early in the third period, Montoya suffered a groin injury when he sprawled out to attempt to stop Nazem Kadri’s game-tying goal.
Montoya struggled to get back to the bench.
The Panthers were suddenly out of goalies, with Luongo having left the arena to drive to Cleveland Clinic in Weston to get checked out.
Coach Gerard Galant and general manager Dale Tallon huddled during the game delay to determine what to do.
While they were doing that, fourth-line center Derek MacKenzie put on the goalie gear and was ready to go in.
Goalie coach Robb Tallas, who hadn’t played an NHL game in 14 years, was also ready to sign a one-game contract to be eligible to go in the net.
Luongo ended up hearing all this on the radio in his car and sped back to the arena.
Although Montoya ended up limping back into net after a lengthy delay, Luongo talked Tallon and Gallant into letting him come back into the game.
A few days later, the Panthers took full advantage of all the free publicity they got from this event and held an open casting call to be the ‘next goalie of the Panthers.’
The Panthers picked 60 out of more than 1,500 applicants to ‘try out’ by facing shots from team alumni such as Radek Dvorak, Marco Sturm, and John Madden.
One of those goalies: ESPN SportsCenter anchor Linda Cohn.
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