The San Jose Sharks helped make one 17-year-old fan's dreams come true Tuesday when it signed him to a one-day contract.
Sam Tageson, who has suffered from a life-threatening heart condition since he was born, got to watch the warm-ups from the bench area and then got to skate out with the team during pregame introductions.
The emotion Tageson expressed while being honored during the game on the Jumbotron was heartwarming, and apparently the team got a big lift from it, too: They scored after the very next face-off following the tribute.
The Sharks aren’t the only team that has worked with Make-A-Wish Foundation recently. The Chicago Blackhawks welcomed Nicholas Skretkowski in late February for the team’s practice before their Stadium Series game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Skretkowski got to skate on the ice with team captain Jonathan Toews, had his own locker stall in the team’s dressing room, got a personalized jersey and even got another jersey autographed by the entire squad.