The Edmonton Oilers made NHL history on November 5, 2026, becoming the first team to dress a full-time emergency backup goaltender for a regular-season game. Brett Epp, wearing number 00, stood on the blue line at Rogers Place during the national anthem before the Oilers' matchup against the Anaheim Ducks.
Epp, a local goaltender, serves as the team's designated emergency backup, a role typically filled by amateur or semi-professional goalies on a game-by-game basis. The Oilers' decision to sign Epp to a full-time arrangement marks a novel approach to the NHL's emergency backup protocol, which allows teams to dress an available goaltender when both roster goalies are unavailable.
The game against the Ducks proceeded with the Oilers' regular goaltending tandem, but Epp's presence on the bench represented a league-first milestone. The NHL has long maintained an emergency backup list for each arena, but Edmonton's move formalizes the position within the organization.
