VIDEO: Zamboni Driver David Ayres Forced Into Emergency Goalie Role for Hurricanes After Petr Mrazek Injury
By Mark Powell
On the 40th anniversary of its incarnation on ice, there's a different kind of miracle taking place in Toronto. In the Maple Leafs-Hurricanes game, Carolina starting goaltender Petr Mrazek went down with an injury after colliding with a Toronto player in open ice. Somehow, someway, Carolina was forced to call upon an emergency goaltender. Enter Zamboni driver and 42-year-old goalie David Ayres.
Emergency goalie playing in Toronto... Zamboni driver by day.. getting stick taps by his opponents.. this is literally hockey porn. pic.twitter.com/b6DhDtm64W
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) February 23, 2020
NHL Emergency Goalie Rules
If both of the goalies on any NHL roster are injured in the course of a game, the league requires the home arena to keep a list of available 'emergency goaltenders' who can enter the game if called upon. Thankfully Ayres, the Toronto Marlies Zamboni driver, was available.
While the NHL will never be more popular than the likes of the NBA and NFL in the U.S., this is what separates it beyond a shadow of a doubt. This man was a team employee, and he is now stopping slapshots from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
What does Ayres wife think of this entire incident?
FUCK ME!!!!
— ??Sarah Ayres?? (@35Ayres) February 23, 2020
Sounds about right.
May this story never end.