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:
@ShannonSzabados are u our goalie tonight haha?
— David Perron (@DP_57) March 4, 2014
Szabados ultimately shot down the idea but said she was enjoying the publicity.
Gotta admit i'm enjoying this #Szabadosforbackup hashtag the Oilers faithful have started but u will not be seeing me in my gear tonight lol
— Shannon Szabados (@ShannonSzabados) March 4, 2014
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.
Shannon Szabados and Ben Scrivens first players on the ice at #Oilers practice. #yeg #nhl pic.twitter.com/zzPq83a9l3
— John MacKinnon (@rjmackinnon) March 5, 2014
Shannon Szabados warms up at #Oilers practice. #yeg #nhl pic.twitter.com/Ew7MdlF9YW
— John MacKinnon (@rjmackinnon) March 5, 2014
"Not a bad week and a half, I must say. Gold medal in Sochi and now practicing with the Oilers." - @ShannonSzabados post-practice
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 5, 2014
Szabados says she was "just another player on the ice with a little longer hair than the rest of them" adding she's "on cloud nine".
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 5, 2014
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.