Buffalo Sabres goalie Colten Ellis recently attended an event hosted by the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, which set the stage for a moment that perfectly captures the holiday spirit.
Ellis, who was claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Blues before the start of the 2025-26 NHL season, met 14-year-old Roswell Park patient Shaylee Klaes during a game of laser tag in late November.
Shaylee's father, Daniel, told Jeremy Fraser of the Cape Breton Post on Tuesday the two forged an instant connection while playing on the same team.
"She got to talk to him on a more personal level and got to know him," the longtime Sabres fan said. "I knew who he was as he had just secured his first win in goal for the Sabres and his first NHL win. When I whispered that he was our new goalie, Shaylee was even more excited."
The father-daughter duo then received a surprise when they attended Buffalo's Nov. 28 home game against the New Jersey Devils as a guest of Keith Hayes, a member of the team's equipment staff.
"A couple of staff came out and took the pane of glass down, separating the team from the fans and added a step stool to step up into the stands," Klaes told Fraser. "Next thing we knew, Keith and Colten came up into the stands to greet Shaylee and surprised her with one of his hockey sticks that he graciously autographed — it was a jaw-dropping moment for her."
He added: "Just him greeting her and taking time out of his schedule to do that was amazing. I would have never thought he would present her with one of his goalie sticks. It is now one of her prized possessions."
Klaes hopes Ellis understands the lasting impact his meaningful interactions had on his daughter.
"I want him to know how much his kindness has meant to Shaylee and our family," he told Fraser. "His gesture of support has brought so much joy and hope into her life, especially during a challenging time. He has shown her that she's not alone in her battle, and that connection is truly powerful. Thank you for being such a positive influence and for making a difference in Shaylee's life."
Colten Ellis is making his presence felt in Western New York on and off the ice as a member of the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo grabbed Ellis off the waiver wire just before the start of the regular season while fellow goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was recovering from a pair of preseason injuries.
The 25-year-old Canadian netminder was tremendous in his Sabres debut, which was also his first NHL appearance, as he stopped 29 of 31 shots in a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 22.
Ellis has compiled a 4-3-0 record with a 3.25 goals against average and .895 save percentage across eight games for the Blue and Gold.
He suffered a head injury during his last start, a Dec. 29 win against the Edmonton Oilers, but recently returned to practice after clearing the NHL's concussion protocol.
When healthy, Ellis is one of three goalies on Buffalo's active roster alongside UPL and Alex Lyon.
The Sabres are on the road to face the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night before heading into the league's three-day Christmas break.