Varsity Blues player Jett Alexander says it was a “dream come true” to make his NHL debut as a Toronto Maple Leafs goalie on Saturday night, the Toronto Star reports.
Alexander, a student in the University of Toronto's Faculty of Arts & Science and goaltender on the Varsity Blues men’s hockey team, was called on to play in the last minute of the Leafs' 7-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens after signing a one-day amateur tryout contract with the Leafs to back up goaltender Ilya Samsonov.
“Being from this market and obviously being a Leafs fan for a very long time, it’s pretty special when you get to put that jersey on and just be out there,” Alexander told the Toronto Star. “Sitting on the bench, just kind of taking it all in, was a dream come true.”
Alexander serves as an emergency backup goalie in the NHL, but was not expecting to be called on at the end of the Leafs game.
“It was a pretty cool way to end the game and something I can have under my belt forever,” he said.
According to the Star, Alexander is keeping the Leafs jersey he wore that night – and likely framing it.