The Arizona Coyotes were in a pickle prior to Monday’s contest against the Montreal Canadiens when backup netminder Anders Lindback suffered an undisclosed injury not long before the game.
There wasn’t enough time to recall a goalie from the minors, so the team turned to 31-year-old banker Nathan Schoenfeld to serve as Louis Domingue’s backup.
“It’s been a fun few days,” Schoenfeld told Prime Time Sports on Sportsnet 590 The Fan Thursday.
Schoenfeld explained that he was right in the middle of bathing his five-week-old twin boys when he got the text that his services were needed.
You have to understand, Schoenfeld isn’t some random person off the streets. He has several connections to the NHL and sometimes skates with the team during the off-season. He’s the son-in-law of Coyotes equipment manager Stan Wilson and Schoenfeld’s father, Jim Schoenfeld, is an assistant general manager with the New York Rangers with ties to the Coyotes organization – he was the head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes for two seasons from 1997-1999.
Schoenfeld never entered the game, which was a good thing considering the last time he suited up for a legitimately competitive game was a decade ago when he played for Arizona State University in the American Collegiate Hockey Association.
The Coyotes won the game 6-2 and Schoenfeld was given special honours following the game from team captain Shane Doan.
“It was unbelievable. I was sitting there, still in all my gear, my [2 1/2-year-old] son was coming down – we were going to get some pictures – they’re handing out their MVP belt, a big old WWE wrestling belt that they have,” Schoenfeld explained. “I was sitting there listening. He was talking about Marty Hanzal and the great night his line had and then he turned and said, ‘But it’s a special night for Nate. We’re going to give him the belt.’ It was unbelievable for him to do something like that for sure.”
“All the guys in the locker room were so great,” Schoenfeld added. “I remember being in there getting ready and Max Domi comes in and gives me a big high five. The boys were hollering for me. It was a lot of fun. Shane I’ve known for a few years now and all the nice things you hear [about him] he is and more.”
In addition to sitting on the bench during the game, Schoenfeld took part in Coyotes practice the next day as the organization waited for a minor leaguer to arrive.
The jersey Schoenfeld wore during the game will be signed by the team and it will be hung proudly somewhere in his house.
