The Edmonton Oilers found themselves in somewhat of a predicament after trading backup goalie Ilya Bryzgalov this week. While the team waited for netminder Viktor Fasth to join the squad, it was left with Ben Scrivens as its only option.

Recognizing this dilemma, fans started a Twitter campaign pushing for the team to bring aboard Shannon Szabados, the goalie and two-time gold medalist of Canada's women's hockey team who also happens to be an Edmonton native.

The hashtag #Szabadosforbackup gained serious momentum, and even Oilers players joined in on the fun:


Szabados ultimately shot down the idea but said she was enjoying the publicity.


Oilers GM Craig MacTavish told the Edmonton Journal that a female backup wouldn't be out of the question, but for Tuesday's game against the Ottawa they'd be going with a local college goalie.

"It would be something that we’d consider but not at this point in time," MacTavish said.

The Oilers did, however, invite Szabados to practice in a neat nod to their fans' efforts.





If she had been tapped, Szabados wouldn't be the first female goalie on an NHL team. In 1992 Manon Rhéaume appeared in an exhibition game for the Tampa Bay Lightning.