Over 30 years ago a running back who had been cut by the patriots was attending a game with a friend when the friend decided to go up and grab a couple of beers. While he was gone the running back had his name hailed on the PA and told to report to the locker room. His friend came back with the beers look for the running back and then saw him running onto the field.
The interesting aspect of this story is that Ayres worked for the Toronto organization, and got the win for the opposing team. Note that if Toronto had suffered the same goalie fate as the Hurricanes, he would have been called up by Toronto against the Hurricanes.
I believe baseball has a similar clause for catchers, but it hasn’t been used yet as far as I know.
In 2004, Dave Ayres, a goaltender toiling around in low-level minor hockey and various pro-am camps, received a kidney transplant from his mother.
https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/legend-of-goaltender-dave-ayres/c-315433228
The Carolina Whalers (er, sorry Hurricanes) are one of my least favorite team. I was a Hartford Whalers season ticket holder...