“I really hate that term. It’s just a name on paper,” said 37-year-old goaltender Nick Niedert when talking about the term EBUG. Niedert isn’t the typical emergency backup you’re used to seeing as he’s spent the past 19 years as a goaltender playing for 32 teams across 11 different leagues. “I’ve gotten used to it. If you’re not on an NHL or AHL contract, you bounce around a lot,” said Niedert.
The one part of his career Niedert is most famous for isn’t the 25-1 season he had with the Indiana Ice Miners back in 2007-2008. It was on a wintery November night in Glens Falls, New York. Niedert, who hadn’t dressed for a game in a month and a half, was ready for that night’s game as he was the Emergency goalie for the ECHL’s Reading Royals.
“I had been skating and keeping in shape,” said Nieder. He added, “I knew the night before I was gonna be playing.” He met the team at the Cool Insuring Arena after making the drive down from Connecticut.
It wasn’t the first time he’d played in Glens Falls as a season before, he was cut by the Thunder. The 5’8 goaltender would end up making 38 saves that night in a winning effort for Reading. That win snapped a 330-day losing streak against Adirondack for the Royals.
Despite it being a road game, Nick wasn’t surprised that he was interviewed after the game. “There’s always media responsibilities. I knew it was going to be a storyline after we got blown out the night before,” said Niedert. He added, “This may have been my last chance in the ECHL.”
After the game, Nick got back in his car and drove back out to Connecticut. “I drank a ton of water on the way back,” said Niedert. “However, my legs had trouble getting out of the car, It’s not like on the bus where you have space and the trainers can help you out.” The next day, his phone was still going off. “It was going off like a NASA missile alert. I had over 300+ messages,” laughed Niedert.
What The Future Holds
“I honestly have no clue,” said Niedert when asked what’s next for him in his career. Nick feels the same way we do right now without hockey. “The last month has felt like a year.” The Hudson, Iowa native is currently back home helping out his parents. “I gotta finish up some yard work for them. It’s supposed to snow here in a couple of days,” said Niedert.
When hockey resumes, which we all know it will at one point, Niedert says it will be an even playing field. He also mentioned, “You’ll see a lot of goalies get injured this summer trying to push themselves too hard. Hockey not only takes a physical toll on the body, but also has a huge mental factor. The mentally toughest people will have the best start next season,” said Niedert. Hopefully, the career of Nick Niedert continues because it’s definitely one I’m going to be following when hockey returns.
Photo Credit: Andy Camp/Adirondack Thunder