How much does it pay when a dream comes true? For Scott Foster, 36 year old accountant turned Chicago Blackhawks emergency goalie, it turns out that the answer is nothing, other than the memories. As pointed out by the Chicago Sun-Times, the Blackhawks were allowed to sign Foster to an “amateur try-out agreement,” which, crucially, does not provide salary or compensation in any form:
Do you think Foster really minds? Probably not, because the glory is priceless. Most NHL teams, when they find themselves under the rare circumstances emergency back-up goalie, rarely ever actually need to put the goalie in net. For a one-day contract that most often results in just a stint on the bench, the services rendered don’t usually call for much pay.
But, then you end up with the rare situation like Foster, who makes seven saves against players such as Dustin Byfuglien (getting paid $8 million this season). Foster has become a cult hero on the Internet, and many, including the NHL itself, stand to benefit from his sudden popularity. It’s a little strange that Foster, unpaid for his labour, won’t get to be one of those benefactors.
At the end of the day, however, the opportunity to play was never about the money. The story remains remarkable for what it is: a 36-year old beer leaguer, getting the chance to play on hockey’s largest platform. There's a good ending here, and you only have to go as far as Foster himself to see that it’s all smiles.
