Nick Foligno sits on bench for the 1st intermission, watches his son skate in relay race

It's been a season to forget for the Chicago Blackhawks... but I guess we've been able to say that for a few seasons now.

The lowly Blackhawks are once again at the bottom of the NHL's standings and they're once again embroiled in a bit of an off-ice scandal. What else is new for this team?

I kid, of course, but the fact of the matter is that there's not much to play for if you're a Blackhawks player this season and it's only the first week of December. This team is years away from competing for the Stanley Cup again and if you're a veteran player like Nick Foligno, Taylor Hall or Tyler Johnson there's really not much to play for at this point.

Unless, of course, you're a family man like Nick Foligno. The Blackhawks have always gone out of their way to make things special for its players' families and tonight was no exception. Foligno sat on the team's bench for nearly the entire 1st intermission to watch his son Landon Foligno compete in an obstacle race with his teammates.

Check it out:

And if you think that's just fluff and that it couldn't possibly have an impact on the game, well then think again.

Foligno has two goals and three points in the game, obviously spurred on by the sheer determination of the intermission tykes.

Way to be, Dad. Gotta lead by example. Show the kids how it's done.

The best part of all this?

It likely won't be recorded for social media, but I'm willing to bet that Foligno is going to make sure that those kids have the night of their lives after the game. I'm talking full locker room availability, maybe even a couple soft drinks with the boys after a hard fought game.

In all seriousness, I absolutely love seeing stuff like this. Personally, I never leave my seat when I see the tykes or mighty mites coming out onto the ice for intermission entertainment. Sometimes it's the best hockey you'll see all night!