NHL's Emergency Backup Goalie Elimination: A Baffling Decision

The league's decision to eliminate the amateur emergency backup goalie rule has drawn sharp criticism from those who understand what made the system work. For years, the EBUG provided one of hockey's most unpredictable and entertaining contingencies - a random civilian getting the call to dress for an NHL game. Removing this quirk represents the kind of corporate sanitization that strips the league of its character and spontaneity.