New Jersey Devils Name Kalemba '09 & Moore Emergency Backups

If you're checking out a New Jersey Devils game this season, watch closely. You just may see former Princeton goalie Zane Kalemba '09 or current Princeton director of hockey operations Kevin Moore. Both Moore and Kalemba were both named emergency goalies for the Devils for the 2017-18 season.

A new NHL rule now requires that teams have an emergency goalie on hand to use at every home game this season. Of the 31 organizations, two decided to hold open tryouts – the Devils and the Los Angeles Kings – to see what these applicants could really do.

Kalemba and Moore are two of the four emergency goalies that the Devils will use this season, and each was assigned roughly 10 games to cover.

Though Moore was not at the tryouts, his impressive resume and previous pro experience landed him one of the four spots. A 2012 graduate of UMass, Moore signed a PTO with Las Vegas (ECHL) and before signing a standard player contract with Evansville (ECHL) in 2012-13, and another in 2013-14 with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL).

When Moore received the call that he would be one of the four, it took a moment for the realization to hit.

"I had a big smile on my face, and then I start thinking what it would be like to just be in the building knowing you're one injury away from having to go and get dressed," Moore said. "Though it didn't really sink in until they emailed me the games I have to attend and I shared with Ron [Fogarty] and the staff and the dialogue that comes with that, like' what if you get in and have to face McDavid?' So it's been a thrill early on."

An All-America and Hobey Baker candidate Kalemba was one of a handful out of the 15 at tryouts that had recently played professionally. Kalemba is just one year removed from his playing days, as he finished his playing career in Europe last year. Since then he has returned to native his New Jersey and has been coaching and well also running his own camp, Zero Klub Hockey.

On opening day at the Prudential Center last Saturday, Kalemba was the emergency goalie on duty.

"You wear a suit just like the rest of the players and get there about an hour and half before the game starts," Kalemba. "You bring your gear with you and put it in the locker room. Then they bring you upstairs where there's a tabletop seat, right by the elevator, where you can sit and watch the game. The VP of hockey operations came upstairs and told me to leave my phone on and he'll call me if I need to go in, and then I'm supposed to go right downstairs and get dressed."

"It's pretty rare that it happens, so you just enjoy the game, watch and stay relaxed."

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