Emergency Callups and Roster Emergency Exceptions

Although they have similar sounding names, emergency callups and roster emergency exceptions are two different things.

In the 2023-2024 season, there were five roster emergency exceptions for a total of 40 NHL roster days played under those circumstances. In comparison, there were 194 emergency callups for a total of 2349 NHL roster days. Both situations are relatively rare: there were a total of over 160,000 NHL roster days that season.

## Emergency Callup

The more common of the two situations, an emergency callup happens when a team cannot field a minimum roster: 12 forwards, 6 blueliners, and 2 goalies. While that situation persists, the team can call up an additional player they may not have a roster spot for.

It's worth noting that any players on emergency recall in effect as of 3:00PM ET on the 40th last day of the season (roughly 75% through) will remain in the NHL through the end of the season even if their team has been eliminated from playoff contention.

### NHL CBA Article 13.12(m)

    (m) Emergency Recall.
        (i) A Player on Loan to a club of any league affiliated with the League may
             be Recalled from such Loan under emergency conditions at any time for
             the duration of the emergency only following which he must be returned
             promptly to the club from which he was Recalled.
        (ii) Emergency conditions shall be established when the playing strength of
              the Loaning Club, by reason of incapacitating injury or illness or by
              League suspension to its Players is reduced below the level of two (2)
              goalkeepers, six (6) defensemen and twelve (12) forwards. Proof of the
              existence of the emergency conditions including the incapacity shall be
              furnished to the Commissioner of the League upon request made by him.
        (iii) For the purpose of establishing the existence of emergency conditions at
               any time, to support the Recall of a Player for participation in any Playoff
               Game, it shall be deemed that the Player(s) on Loan following 3:00 p.m.
               New York time of the fortieth (40th) day immediately preceding the last
               day of the Regular Season are continuing on Loan for the remainder of the
               season notwithstanding that the Loaned club(s) may have been eliminated
               from further play for the season.

## Roster Emergency Exception

A much rarer situation than an emergency recall, roster emergency exceptions require a team to be using almost all of its cap space and to play a game with fewer than 18 skaters or fewer than 2 goalies. Dressing an emergency backup goalie counts as playing a game with just one healthy goalie and establishes emergency conditions for a cap-strapped team. After these conditions are established, that team may recall enough players to reach 18 healthy skaters and 2 healthy goaltenders as long as each recalled player's salary is at most $100,000 above the league minimum salary.

The recalled player(s) are paid their regular NHL salary. This counts against the player's share of league revenue but _does not_ count against the team's salary cap limit. As soon as possible, they must be returned to their minor league team.

### NHL CBA Article 50.10(e)

    (e) Roster Emergency Exception.
          In the event that (i) a Club has Payroll Room less than the sum of the
          Minimum Paragraph 1 NHL Salary and $100,000 (i.e., that Club's Averaged
          Club Salary is greater than the Upper Limit minus the Minimum Paragraph
          1 NHL Salary minus $100,000); (ii) a Player on such Club becomes unfit or
          unable to play (i.e., is injured, ill or disabled and unable to perform his
          duties as a hockey Player) or is suspended; (iii) such Club is unable to sign
          and/or Recall a Player with an Averaged Amount equal to the Minimum
          Paragraph 1 NHL Salary plus $100,000 under the Bona Fide Long-Term
          Injury/Illness Exception; (iv) as a result of such Player being unfit or unable
          to play or suspended and the Club having Payroll Room less than the sum
          of the Minimum Paragraph 1 NHL Salary and $100,000, the Club has fewer
          than eighteen (18) skaters and two (2) goalies ("18 and 2") on its Playing
          Roster (pursuant to Section 16.4(c)); and (v) the Club played its previous
          game with fewer than 18 and 2 (a "Roster Emergency"), then such Club
          may, beginning with the second game and continuing with all subsequent
          games and without any charge to the Club's Averaged Club Salary for the
          duration of such Roster Emergency, add to its Playing Roster the requisite
          number of "emergency replacement" Player(s), provided, however, that (i)
          each such Player may not have an Averaged Amount that is more than the
          then-applicable Minimum Paragraph 1 NHL Salary plus $100,000 (e.g.,
          $625,000 in 2012-13); and (ii) each such Player may only remain on that
          Club's Active Roster during the period of the "Roster Emergency."
        (i) The Paragraph 1 NHL Salary and Bonus of any Player added to the
             Playing Roster pursuant to this Section shall be included in the Players'
             Share.
        (ii) No Club shall be limited in the number of times it may invoke the Roster
              Emergency Exception in any League Year, provided that the Exception is
              at all times invoked in full compliance with this Section 50.10(e).

## Credits

Cathy Squires at PPP for her article on [roster freeze rules](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/roster-freeze-rules/) which helped me find the CBA section for an emergency recall.