There's nothing like an awesome emergency backup goalie story in the NHL, and already this season we've seen some incredible ones, including one from the Chicago Blackhawks.

On December 3rd, 2016, Chicago faced Philadelphia and they needed an emergency backup goalie after Corey Crawford had to get an appendectomy.

With their AHL team in Michigan that day, the Blackhawks were forced to ask Flyers Skate Zone employee Eric Semborski to be their emergency goalie, and he obviously accepted the offer.

While Semborski didn't play at all, he still got to live out his dream of being a backup goalie in the NHL, and Topps honoured the occasion by giving him his own trading card.

That wasn't the only incredible piece of memorabilia that came out of Semborski's emergency backup stint as the Blackhawks had a custom mask made for him.

 

 

Welcome Eric Semborski to the DaveArt Squad! 👊🏻 Eric is the young goalie who became a Blackhawks goalie for an evening😃. It was the 3rd of December last year when Blackhawks and Flyers met. Chicago Blackhawks wanted to give Eric a present and memory after the game and they asked me if I could create a real Blackhawks mask for Eric🥅. For sure, it would be an honor🙏🏻! Eric and I started to brainstorm and we came up with a design plan. It is a true Storyteller mask📕. On a distance it is a clean cut Blackhawks mask, and when you come closer you will discover a lot of sweet details🔍👀. Such as the date of the magic day, and also the skyline of both cities...🏙 On the top it is the logo of the Temple University. And for sure the design is loaded with all the DaveArt Trademark Super FX...✨ @nhlblackhawks @philadelphiaflyers #DaveArt #nhl #DaveArtTheCradleOfCreativity @NHL

A post shared by David Gunnarsson (@davidofdaveart) on

 

Welcome Eric Semborski to the DaveArt Squad! 👊🏻 Eric is the young goalie who became a Blackhawks goalie for an evening😃. It was the 3rd of December last year when Blackhawks and Flyers met. Chicago Blackhawks wanted to give Eric a present and memory after the game and they asked me if I could create a real Blackhawks mask for Eric🥅. For sure, it would be an honor🙏🏻! Eric and I started to brainstorm and we came up with a design plan. It is a true Storyteller mask📕. On a distance it is a clean cut Blackhawks mask, and when you come closer you will discover a lot of sweet details🔍👀. Such as the date of the magic day, and also the skyline of both cities...🏙 On the top it is the logo of the Temple University. And for sure the design is loaded with all the DaveArt Trademark Super FX...✨ @nhlblackhawks @philadelphiaflyers #DaveArt #nhl #DaveArtTheCradleOfCreativity @NHL

A post shared by David Gunnarsson (@davidofdaveart) on

An incredible act of kindness to say the least.  Once you're a Blackhawk, you're always a Blackhawk.

Clearly the emergency backup stint has been the gift that keeps on giving for Semborski, and that's the way it should be.

Now, the question is which emergency backup story has been your favourite this season?

(H/T: Second City Hockey)