4 ms·

I don't know a ton about hockey either, but apparently goalie is more analogous to kicker or punter than "regular" positions in football. Even so, in the case

I don't know a ton about hockey either, but apparently goalie is more analogous to kicker or punter than "regular" positions in football. Even so, in the case of a kicker/punter injury a NFL team wouldn't call someone out of the stands to fill in - they'd sign someone out of free agency to play the next week and would adjust their strategy accordingly during the current game. It's really cool that pro hockey has a unique system in place for edge case situations like this.

mikemac 9y ago
That's a good point though - a lot of times the backup kicker or punter on an NFL roster is someone from a totally different skill position. Ndamukong Suh is a 300 pound defensive tackle but he was the emergency placekicker for the Dolphins for 2017. There are a bunch of QBs who can punt as well.
- m_myers 9y ago
  It's not common for those backups to actually kick, but it does happen. Wes Welker was placekicker for the Dolphins for one game as a rookie in 2004, besides being the team's kick and punt returner. He successfully converted both kicks he attempted. He did not catch a pass in that game, despite being nominally a wide receiver (and a future Pro Bowler at that position). Six years later, at New England, he served as the backup placekicker again and made a single extra point, finishing his career perfect as a kicker. The legendary quarterback Doug Flutie kicked the last successful "drop kick" in the NFL for an extra point in 2006. However, that was more of a novelty than out of necessity; New England's kicker was healthy, they were well ahead in the game, and the team knew Flutie would retire after the season.
s2g 9y ago
Not really, you lose if you don't have a goalie. Even if the rules would let the game take place.
estomagordo 9y ago
A goalie plays for 60 minutes per game. A kicker plays, what, 6 seconds per game?

mikemac 9y ago

That's a good point though - a lot of times the backup kicker or punter on an NFL roster is someone from a totally different skill position. Ndamukong Suh is a 300 pound defensive tackle but he was the emergency placekicker for the Dolphins for 2017. There are a bunch of QBs who can punt as well.

m_myers 9y ago
It's not common for those backups to actually kick, but it does happen. Wes Welker was placekicker for the Dolphins for one game as a rookie in 2004, besides being the team's kick and punt returner. He successfully converted both kicks he attempted. He did not catch a pass in that game, despite being nominally a wide receiver (and a future Pro Bowler at that position). Six years later, at New England, he served as the backup placekicker again and made a single extra point, finishing his career perfect as a kicker. The legendary quarterback Doug Flutie kicked the last successful "drop kick" in the NFL for an extra point in 2006. However, that was more of a novelty than out of necessity; New England's kicker was healthy, they were well ahead in the game, and the team knew Flutie would retire after the season.

s2g 9y ago

Not really, you lose if you don't have a goalie. Even if the rules would let the game take place.

estomagordo 9y ago

A goalie plays for 60 minutes per game. A kicker plays, what, 6 seconds per game?