Someday, Kyle Konin will become the answer to a trivia question: What EBUG (emergency backup goaltender) would have come into the Flyers road game in Tampa Bay on Thursday if starter Ivan Fedotov became incapacitated?
With No. 1 Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson unavailable on Thursday due to a lower-body injury sustained on Nov. 2 against Boston, rookie Aleksei Kolosov was slated to get the start against the Lightning. Unfortunately, Kolosov himself sustained a lower-body injury during the morning skate.
As a result, Fedotov got the start and the Flyers signed 26-year-old Konin to an amateur tryout contract in order for him to dress as the backup goaltender in the game. Formerly a collegiate goaltender at Grand Valley State University, Konin has twice previously dressed for games as an EBUG: Dec. 2, 2021, for the St. Louis Blues and April 1, 2024, for the Lightning.
Perhaps the most famous EBUG in NHL history was 31-year-old Alfie Moore. A talented but inconsistent NHL goaltender who formerly backed up Hockey Hall of Famer Roy Worters with the New York Americans.
However, during the 1938 Stanley Cup Final between the Chicago Black Hawks (the team name was spelled as two words in that era) and Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago was in a quandary. Starting goaltender Mike Karakas was unable to play Game 1 of the series, and backup Paul Goodman was not with the team.
As a result, the Black Hawks hastily recruited Toronto native Moore (whose minor league season with the Pittsburgh Hornets was finished) to start the opening game of the best-of-five series. In an upset victory, Moore backstopped the Black Hawks to 3-1 win. Chicago went on to win the series and capture the Cup.
Over the course of Flyers history, the team has dressed a wide array of backup goaltenders who did not appear in any games for the team. Most were minor league farmhands (Rejean Lemelin, Scott Munroe or Kirill Ustimenko) or former NHLers (such as Jamie Storr, who served as the backup goalie for several portions of December 2005 or Jason Bacashihua in February and March of 2012) who backed up in a pinch.
In a few cases, some of these goalies later appeared in NHL games with other organizations. Lemelin, who most went on to spend several NHL seasons with the Boston Bruins and later became the Flyers' longtime goaltending coach, is one example. Carter Hutton, who went on to a 234-game NHL career, is another.
However, there has been a smattering of "true" EBUGs --- backups who never otherwise played professional hockey or were active or former minor league netminders who were not under NHL contract to the Flyers -- who have dressed in one more games as the Flyers backup without getting into a game.
For example, after the tragic passing of Pelle Lindbergh in Nov. 1985, Bob Froese was injured at practice. Darrren Jensen temporarily became the Flyers starter after being recalled from the AHL's Hershey Bears. Meanwhile, Kalamazoo Wings (IHL) goaltender Mike Bloski backed up Jensen until Froese was able to return.
In terms of non-pro goaltenders, trainer Dave "Sudsy" Settlemyre dressed as a backup for the NHL club and actually appeared in a combined five games for the Philadelphia Firebirds (NAHL) and Maine Mariners (AHL) when they were Flyers farm teams.
During the 2016-17 season, Temple University alum Eric Semborski dressed as Chicago's backup for their Dec. 3, 2016, game against the Flyers at Wells Fargo Center. On April 1, 2017, Semborski became an in-game EBUG for the Flyers. Steve Mason had the flu and Michal Neuvirth had health scare during the first period and was briefly hospitalized for observation. Thankfully, Neuvirth was OK.
Anthony Stolarz entered the game to replace Neuvirth, with emergency backup Semborski waiting in the wings in uniform. Late in the third period, Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol attempted to insert Semborski to finish the game. However, because Stolarz was neither injured nor ill, Semborski was not permitted to enter the game. The Flyers won, 3-0, in a combined shutout between Neuvirth and Stolarz.
In a few instances, EBUGs have been at the ready when there was an injury or illness but the original starter's situation was not so severe that the NHLer was unable to at least remain on the bench if he had to re-enter for an incapacitated relief goalie. Example: Jeff Hextall, son of Flyers Hall of Famer Ron, once hastily suited up for EBUG duty for Philly but his emergency services did not prove necessary.
In addition to the aforementioned players, the following is a non-exhaustive list of Flyers backups and EBUGs who never played in a game for Philly but were available for duty in at least one match: Russ Gillow, (EBUG), Darryl Gilmour, Gil Hudon, Dennis Roy (EBUG), Bob Sneddon, Bill Woodyatt.
