Goaltending issues have been quite the struggle this season. We've seen plenty of injuries so far, teams needing emergency recalls, calling up AHL goalies, signing players to tryouts just to have them be able to back up starters. Now, some NHL teams have decided this season to roll with 3 goalies.
Perhaps one of the most famous cases of needed an EBUG (emergency backup goalie), was when both of Carolina's goalies were out against the Leafs and they had to use a zamboni driver-David Aryes to be their goalie for the night. Last season, Zack Dietz got word the Senators needed a back-up goalie and was caught on video running down the street with his equipment to make it to the game in time to be their EBUG.
Just a few weeks ago the Capitals were on the road and when Charlie Lindgren got injured, they had to sign Parker Milner to a professional tryout so he could back up Logan Thompson for their game against the Ducks. The Mammoth and Sharks both recently had to do the same thing and sign goalies to PTO's to backup due to last minute injuries and illnesses. a
Ducks and Leafs are both went without their starter and backup goalies at one point this season and had to recall 2 goalies from the AHL. While the Lightning, Jets and Canucks have had starting goalies injured. While teams like the Hurricanes, Kraken, Canadiens and Sabres might've cracked the code riding with 3 goalies this season and giving starts to whoever is hot.
The Hurricanes have rostered Brandon Bussi and when Pyotr Kochetkov was out with injuries, they didn't need to recall a goalie or worry about more injuries, with Bussi travelling with them. The Kraken's Matt Murray faced an injury too, but they still had Philipp Grubauer and Joey Daccord. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had a short injury this season and they had Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis with them. These teams haven't been sending goalies up and down, but keeping them along with them and rotating through all 3 at times.
Now recently the Canadiens have recalled Jacob Fowler and gave him plenty of starting oppourtunities already, with Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes already rostered but struggling. While Fowler has started out great, posting .918 save percentage in his 5 games played this season. Meanwhile, when Joseph Woll returned from injury with the Leafs, they still gave Dennis Hildeby (.911 save percentage through 13 games) some chances to start based off his performance. Brandon Bussi has been rotating as well, even with their rostered starter and backup back and healthy, he's posted a .913 save percentage in his 13 games played while becoming the first goalie in NHL history to reach 11 wins in his first 10 starts.
This 3 rostered goaltending seems like a good approach for some teams thus far, as needing an EBUG is never ideal, and while it's rare, teams seem less willing to want to ever have to run into the issue of needing one.
The only short-coming of this approach is the lack of star goaltending available, starters are having a lot of issues putting up good save percentages right now, let alone some of these teams relying on their AHL goalies due to injuries. Just recently the Oilers and Penguins made a goaltending switch between Jarry and Skinner due to performances that were faltering.
Could we see the rise of 3 goaltenders rostered in the NHL even more and this become a very common occurence soon? Or does this leave some more room for trade chips, if the Leafs have 3 goalies very capable of being in a starting role and are having struggles on other fronts, does this mean the teams proving they have goaltender depth are showcasing them for some trade chips? Only time will tell to see if these teams keep rolling with 3 netminders or more goalie trades arrive.