Ryan Vinz

1 NHL Game

February 28, 2014 Buffalo Sabres vs San Jose Sharks. 4-2 win.

   Ryan Vinz never played played pro hockey, the highest level he played was for his high school varsity team. In 2003, he tried out for the Clarkson University's hockey team as a walk on but failed to make the club. He was, however, given a job as video coordinator. Vinz held that position until he graduated from the school in 2007. From there he was hired as a pro video scout by the NHL's Buffalo Sabres. Vinz worked with Buffalo until 2011, leaving to explore new opportunities with a software company specializing in hockey video analysis.  

   A few days before trade deadline day 2014, the Buffalo Sabres traded Ryan Miller in a blockbuster deal with the St. Louis Blues. It left them without a second goalie for their game against the San Jose Sharks. Enter former employee and local goalie Ryan Vinz. He was working late in his office when Joe Battista, VP of hockey-related businesses for the Sabres, asked Vinz if he had his goalie gear with him. "I reluctantly said yah why?," joked Vinz. "I then panicked a bit and paced around the office."(1)

   Vinz signed an emergency contract with the Sabres and dressed as Jhonas Enroth's backup. "Watching it at ice level is a totally different experience than what I'm used to up top," noted Vinz. "I was certainly hoping and praying that Jhonas had an amazing game." He tweeted after the game, "who woulda thought staying late at work on a Friday night would turn into one of the best nights of my life."(1)

   I was able to ask Vinz about his NHL experience a year after the fact. "I'd say my favourite memory of the game was just how welcoming everyone was for me, from the players and staff to the fans, it was surreal to me how I went from all day in the office, to that!"

• Wore #35 with Buffalo Sabres

Born August 30 1985 - Lancaster, New York

Height 5.60 - Weight 154

*** No Pro Hockey Stats***

(1) http://video.sabres.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=564207