61-year-old named as emergency goaltender for ECHL team
A normal situation in the ECHL has unique circumstances with it's add.
The Toledo Walleye announced that goaltender Carter Gylander had been recalled to the American Hockey League Grand Rapids Griffins, both teams affiliates of the Detroit Red Wings. In a corresponding move, the Walleye signed Doug Melvin as an emergency goalie.
EBUG signings are common in hockey and a normal occurrence for teams without a spare netminder option, such as famously with Scott Foster in 2018, who saved 7 shots after coming in the game with the Chiago Blackhawks, ending up on the winning side. What makes things unique is his age, as Doug Melvin is 61 years old.
The sexagenarian Melvin has spent decades in an emergency role in the ECHL, having been in the league since the age of 31, playing in four games for the Huntington Blizzard, a team that included future Colorado Avalanche Head Coach Jared Bednar and Jim McGroarty, current General Manager of the USHL's Muskegon Lumberjacks and father of Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Rutger McGroarty.
Melvin has primarily been with the Idaho Steelheads in the ECHL, having first been a member of the club since the 2006-07 season, having been with numerous ECHL games but primarily in Idaho since, without having played a game for 10 different teams.
According to Jeff Marek, Melvin had NHL looks in his past, having attended a training camp with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1978, a fact that would be a surprise given Melvin would only have been 15 at the time, although one article on Melvin had his age at 48 in 2007, making him either 64 or 65 if accurate.
Aside from hockey, Melvin held numerous high profile roles. According to Melvin's WordPress, he worked in a security role in the White House during the administration of George W. Bush in the wake of the September 11th attacks, although Melvin's exact role is unclear. Melvin most recently was the President of his own alternative energy consultant group 'DACC Global'. It's unclear if the company is still active.
Melvin was a Federal Security Director for the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in Idaho. Melvin resigned from his role in 2007 after pleading guilty to indecent exposure at a Idaho hotel.
The Griffins play Melvin's hometown Idaho Steelheads tonight at 9:10p.m. and will be broadcasted on FloHockey.
