This starstruck Avalanche fan getting a stick from Dominic Toninato is pure joy

These 2018 NHL playoffs have provided plenty of reasons to love hockey. And Colorado Avalanche center Dominic Toninato just provided us with another one.

If you’ve ever thought there weren’t enough good guys in the NHL, or enough in sports overall, get ready to have your mind changed and/or blown. What we’re going to show you is why we hockey.

https://twitter.com/Avalanche/status/986786588054118400

That’s Colorado Avalanche forward Dominic Toninato giving his stick to a young fan. Wonder why we hockey so hard? This. A few days ago we detailed Washington Capital Brett Connolly and his tireless efforts to get a puck to a little girl. This move by Toninato is right up there. Seriously, check out how stoked that fan is by getting a real NHL hockey stick.

Not only is that thing likely to be mounted up on a wall as a conversation piece for life, but the smile that kid has from the simple gesture. Absolutely pure joy. We can’t even express how awesome it is to see this type of bond between players and their fans. It’s one that might only be equaled in Major League Baseball.

And you know what? It’s such an easy thing to do for these players. How difficult is it really to give someone a memory for life? We can’t expect them to bend over backwards constantly, but for Toninato, that took all of what, five seconds? Five seconds and he made a friend/fan forever. He didn’t make this kid’s year, he made this kid’s past, present and all future lives as well.

Then again, do we really have to expound upon how awesome these dudes in the NHL really are? Check out Connolly’s tweet he sent out to the little girl Keelan not even an hour ago.

We’re dying from the happiness in her eyes. What an incredibly cool moment between those two. Keep it up, hockey bros. You’re making us proud.

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