| David Ayres | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 David Ayres playing for the Richmond Hill Coyotes of the Ontario Super Hockey League. | |||
| Born | (1977-08-12)August 12, 1977 (age 48) Whitby, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 201 lb (91 kg; 14 st 5 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for | Carolina Hurricanes | ||
| NHL draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 2014–2015 2020 | ||
David Ayres (/ɛərz/; born August 12, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and former head coach of thePort Perry Lumberjacks of theProvincial Junior Hockey League.
While working as a building operator andZamboni driver for theToronto Marlies, Ayres became theCarolina Hurricanes'emergency back-up goaltender (EBUG) during a2020 game against theToronto Maple Leafs, which the Hurricanes won. Ayres is the only EBUG in NHL history to enter a game as a substitute and be credited with a win. Ayres is also the oldest NHL goaltender to win his regular-season debut, at age 42.
Ayres is a native ofWhitby, Ontario, and grew up playing youthice hockey and attending hockey camps in the town. His late father, Bob, and his brother, Chris, were also goaltenders.[1] He became ill and required akidney transplant (donated by his mother, Mary) in 2004.[2] In 2017, Ayres married his wife, Sarah. In a social media post in 2022, Sarah announced that they have separated and filed for divorce.
Ayres worked as a building operator at Ricoh Coliseum (nowCoca-Cola Coliseum) inToronto, which is the home arena for theToronto Marlies, theAmerican Hockey League farm team of theToronto Maple Leafs. His job responsibilities occasionally included maintenance and operating anice resurfacer, which gave him the "Zamboni driver" moniker used in news articles about his NHL debut.[3] The Marlies equipment man found out he was a goalie and coach, so head coachSheldon Keefe started using him as a goaltender at practice when an extra man was needed,[4] as did the Maple Leafs.[5]
Ayres played eight games with theNorwood Vipers of theAllan Cup Hockey League in 2014. As a goaltender, he allowed 58 goals, had a .777 save percentage and an 0–8 record.[2] Ayres has served as a backup to both theToronto Marlies andCharlotte Checkers in theAmerican Hockey League (AHL), the primary affiliates of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes, respectively.[1]
On February 22, 2020, both of theCarolina Hurricanes' goaltenders,James Reimer andPetr Mrázek, were injured during a game against the Maple Leafs. Ayres entered the game during the second period as the emergency backup goaltender, after signing a one-game contract with the NHL.[6] DonningKasimir Kaskisuo's oldToronto Marlies helmet and pads,[7] and wearing a Maple Leafs t-shirt under his equipment,[8] he entered the game at 8:41 left in the 2nd period with a 3–1 lead.[9] He allowed goals on the first two shots that he faced before stopping the next eight shots on goal, along with recording one shot on goal, to help seal a 6–3 win for Carolina.[10] He became the first emergency backup to enter a game in the NHL sinceScott Foster in 2018.[2] The Carolina Hurricanes celebrated by spraying water after the game on Ayres. Ayres also became the oldest goaltender (at 42 years, 194 days) to win his NHL regular-season debut, and for this, theHockey Hall of Fame was given his game-used goalie stick.[11][12] The record had been held byHugh Lehman since 1927 at 41 years 21 days.
Ayres was namedfirst star of the game and kept his game-worn jersey and game puck.[6] Had he signed aProfessional Try-Out Agreement, he would have been paid $500 for the game,[13] but Ayres said after the game that under the terms of his contract he was not paid.[3] Reimer also gave him an autographed goalie stick, andRod Brind'Amour, Carolina's coach, gave Ayres an autographed bottle of wine.[14] His debut occurred on the 40th anniversary of theMiracle on Ice.[15] Carolina Hurricanes' forwardSebastian Aho stated teammates pooled together and gave Ayres a little bit of money.[16] Ontario PremierDoug Ford called Ayres to congratulate him on his performance.[17]
Following the game, the Carolina Hurricanes announced that they would be selling t-shirts with Ayres' name and jersey number 90, with royalties going to Ayres and a portion of the proceeds being donated to a kidney foundation of Ayres' choice.[18]
Ayres was invited to sound the siren at the start of the Carolina Hurricanes home game, on February 25. While in North Carolina, GovernorRoy Cooper declared Ayres, a Canadian citizen, an honorary citizen of the state of North Carolina,[19] andRaleigh honoured him by naming February 25, 2020, "David Ayres Day" in the City of Raleigh.[20]
On October 5, 2021, it was announced that David Ayres had joined the CBD company CaniBrands as a brand ambassador.[21]
On October 26, 2021, the Carolina Hurricanes announced thatJames Corden's Fulwell 73 production company would create a movie based on David Ayres’ story that would become a Disney feature film. It was also expected that Ayres would play himself in several scenes of the movie.[22] But the film was ultimately not produced when the rights to the story expired.
Ayres made his coaching debut as head coach of theSPHL’sVermilion County Bobcats on April 7, 2022 against theEvansville Thunderbolts at theFord Center,[23] but was replaced by season's end.
On August 12, 2022, thePort Perry Lumberjacks announced David Ayres as their head coach for the 2022–23 season. After going 10–28–4 and getting swept in the first round of the playoffs by theUxbridge Bruins, he was not brought back for the 2023–24 season.
| Regular season | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | OTL | TOI | SA | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 2014–15 | Norwood Vipers | ACH | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 260 | 58 | 0 | 8.88 | .777 | ||
| 2019–20 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 28:41 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 4.18 | .800 | ||
| NHL totals | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 28:41 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 4.18 | .800 | ||||
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