Jack Williams is joining Glen Gulutzan's Dallas Stars in a role NHL fans could end up seeing under the brightest possible spotlight.
Dallas has named Williams its full-time emergency backup goaltender for the 2026-27 season, making him the club's first player assigned specifically to the new EBUG setup.
The change comes under the NHL's new collective bargaining agreement, which requires every team to have its own emergency goalie available when both dressed goaltenders become unavailable during a game.
That means Williams won't be bouncing around as a local option used by whichever team needs help. His assignment is tied directly to the Stars.
The 25-year-old is expected to attend all 84 Dallas regular-season games. If the call ever comes, Williams will wear No. 00, the number designated for EBUGs under the new rules.
There are also strict eligibility requirements. Emergency goalies can't have NHL experience, can't exceed 80 professional games and can't have played professionally during the previous three seasons.
Williams brings college experience to the crease
Williams spent four seasons at Notre Dame, appearing in 8 games and recording an .877 save percentage with a 4.58 goals-against average.
His larger workload came before college with the Waterloo Black Hawks in the USHL. During the 2021-22 season, Williams went 11-11-1 with a .908 save percentage.
At 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Williams gives Dallas an emergency option with competitive experience and the size expected from a modern goaltender.
There's also a familiar Stars connection. Williams is the cousin of former Dallas goaltender Ben Bishop, linking the newest member of the organization to one of the club's recognizable recent names.
Williams isn't expected to challenge for starts or push anyone on the depth chart. His role exists for the rare situation where a normal NHL goalie rotation suddenly disappears during a game.
But that's exactly what makes the assignment interesting. Most nights, Williams will simply watch. On the one night Dallas needs him, he could go from emergency insurance to the crease without warning.
For Gulutzan and the Stars, one unusual piece of the 2026-27 roster structure is now settled before puck drop.
Will Jack Williams appear in an NHL game for the Stars this season?
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