Blackhawks treat emergency backup goalie Eric Semborski to a new mask

Eric Semborski lived the dream.

He didn’t get to play in the NHL - not yet, at least, who knows what the future could have in store - but he did get to experience life as an emergency NHL backup, way back when Corey Crawford had to suddenly get an appendectomy.

Scott Darling held the fort then, but Semborski filled a vital role - and the Chicago Blackhawks wanted to show their appreciation. Not only did they bring him out for a game, but they also made sure he got plenty of swag, too.

... Including his own Dave Gunnarsson goalie mask, which is pretty much a must-have for any NHL goalie.

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 Feb 16, 2017 at 12:11pm PST

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 Feb 16, 2017 at 11:46am PST

That’s a gorgeous mask - and definitely very symbolic, as Gunnarsson lays out in his description, intertwining Philadelphia and Chicago into a gorgeous Blackhawks piece.

And it’s really cool of the Blackhawks to show their thanks to Semborski for stepping in. Hopefully there won’t be any need for any emergency backups in the future, but at least we know if they need one, they’re definitely going to treat him right.

Really, there’s no better way to remember that day.