History was made this week in the most unusual of circumstances by The New York Rangers.
The club signed their first ever female player to a one-day contract — seven-year-old Kayleigh Petersen. |
| The first female Ranger |
Kayleigh, an avid Rangers fan, was diagnosed with a serious condition affecting the liver and kidneys when she was just 18 months old, and required a full liver transplant in 2009.
Now heavily involved in her local hockey league, Kayleigh fell in love with the sport and dutifully supports the New York side. It had been her dream that she spend a day with the team.
On Thursday night (Friday AEDT), with the help of the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the MSG Garden of Dreams Foundation, that dream was realised.
The Rangers posted a series of images to their Twitter account after announcing the official singing of the “free agent”.
OFFICIAL: #NYR have agreed to terms with free agent Kayleigh Petersen from @wishnj. @gardenofdreams #GDFWEEK pic.twitter.com/4KePWNYXmn— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 3, 2015 Kayleigh Petersen is the 1st female in #NYR history to sign with the team by agreeing to a 1-day contract. #GDFWEEK pic.twitter.com/2oVrJ9oCSj— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 3, 2015 Can she play instead of Dan Girardi @NYRangers— IRON MAIDEN (@DiehardNYRFan) December 3, 2015As part of the agreement, Kayleigh skated a lap around the ice at Madison Square Garden, and sat on the bench during the team’s warm-up ahead of their game against the Colorado Avalanche. The youngster also accompanied her teammates out onto the ice to sing the national anthem.Kayleigh meets some of her #NYR teammates on the team bench. #GDFWEEK @gardenofdreams pic.twitter.com/ZCBAYnhott— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 3, 2015The Rangers even made an official player profile for Kayleigh on their website, listing her as a forward and assigning her the No.23 jersey.“Petersen becomes the first female in franchise history to sign a one-day contract with the team. Petersen, 8, has been scouted during her House Mite League games this season, and the Rangers felt it was the appropriate time to offer a contract.
“‘She has tremendous skills and we felt her strength and character are through the roof,’ said Adam Graves, Rangers Hockey Operations Department. ‘We are proud and honoured to have her as a part of the Rangers organization.’,” the Rangers website reads.
“Her speed, skill and courage have impressed Rangers talent evaluators in her various Intro to Hockey lessons over the last two seasons, as well as at her most recent stint at Full Day Hockey Camp.”
Bravo New York Rangers, bravo.
