Everyone who loves hockey remembers the name David Ayres with great joy. He was the story of the 2019/20 season, as he became the first emergency backup goalie to ever win a game in the National Hockey League.
The story really had everything, with Ayres being both the EBUG and the Toronto Maple Leafs Zamboni driver. Ayres was 42 at the time and hadn’t played a game in either the AHL or NHL, but in an incredible turn of events, he was called in as the Carolina Hurricanes goalie against the Maple Leafs.
In that game, Ayres stopped 8 of the 10 games he faced, helping Carolina win over the Maple Leafs. The whole world was stunned to see the development, and in the following days, Ayres was probably the most talked-about person in all of sports.
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Ayres hasn’t played professional hockey since that magical and unforgettable day, but now, it’s been announced that he’s signed a new deal to play with the Richmond Hill Coyotes in the Ontario Super Hockey League (OSHL). His new team released a statement this weekend about Ayres signing a one-year contract.
”David Ayres has signed with the Richmond Hill Coyotes for Inaugural 2024/25 season. Undefeated in the NHL, we believe David will be a massive part of our success this upcoming season. Great goalie, but what a great person. Authentic, humble and down to earth. Welcome aboard David!” the statement said.
It’s going to be exciting to see what Ayres, now 47 years old, can do from here, and we wish him all the best in the next chapter of his career!
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