Emotions ran high at Nationwide Arena Tuesday night as the Columbus Blue Jackets paid an emotional tribute to the late Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed in an Aug. 29 bicycle accident.
Johnny and his brother Matthew, who also played professional hockey, were riding their bikes in rural New Jersey when they were hit by a drunk driver's vehicle on the eve of their sister's wedding.
During the first home game, tributes to Gaudreau took many forms as his wife Meredith took the field with their daughter Noa and son John. Blue Jackets star and Gaudreau's friend Sean Monahan held John as the team raised a banner with his name and jersey number 13 to the rafters.
Fans cheered, both teams struck their sticks on the ice in a traditional hockey salute, and his family watched from the sidelines with their arms linked.
The teams stood still before the puck dropped as 13 seconds passed on the clock, and with his left wing clear, the Blue Jackets sent four players on the ice instead of the usual five.
The Columbus Blue Jackets paid an emotional tribute to Johnny Gaudreau on Tuesday night
The puck dropped and Monahan passed it to Florida's Sam Bennett – both of whom were Gaudreau's teammates in Calgary.
“I don't want anyone to be sad,” Meredith said in a recorded message played shortly before the matchup. “I want you all to be inspired by the life John lived. That means love your family first, and when it's time to drop the puck, love the game John loved.
“13” tributes were everywhere. Both the Blue Jackets and Panthers took to the ice for warmups wearing jerseys with Gaudreau's name and number 13; these sweaters will be auctioned off and raffled to benefit the John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation. Behind the goals on the ice is the number “13”. All fans in attendance received a patch with the number “13,” the same number Blue Jackets players will wear on their jerseys this season.
“It's an exciting night for the hockey world,” Bennett said. “I'm happy to be here and honor his legacy in any way I can.”
Johnny and his brother Matthew died on August 29 in a bicycle accident in New Jersey
Johnny left behind his wife, Meredith Gaudreau, and their two children; daughter Noa and son John
Sean Monahan held John while the team raised a banner with Johnny's name on the rafters
Johnny and Matthew's parents and sister watched the tribute from the sidelines
The Panthers, like the rest of the NHL, mourn along with the Blue Jackets. Gaudreau was loved by the players, whether they were ever his teammates or not. Florida star Matthew Tkachuk, who missed the game due to illness, knows Gaudreau likes purple Gatorade and bags of Skittles. So every Panthers player stepped off the bus in Columbus on Tuesday afternoon with Gatorade and Skittles in their hands.
“Johnny was a huge part of the hockey community, but to me he was so much more,” Tkachuk said. “A great friend, teammate and family man. Not a day goes by that I don't think about Johnny and Matthew.
Matthew, who was 29 years old and had played five professional seasons in the American Hockey League, East Coast Hockey League and Sweden, wore jersey No. 21. All 32 NHL teams have decals with the numbers 13, 21 and the letter G on their helmets through October 24 . This year, USA Hockey is paying similar tribute to its teams at all levels.
Both teams wore the number 13 patch on their shirts as part of numerous tributes to the late winger
The driver, 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins, was charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter
Monahan scored early in the second period and immediately pointed to a banner honoring Gaudreau.
The driver was Sean M. Higgins, 43, of nearby Woodstown, New Jersey. was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle in September.
During a virtual court hearing, the judge ordered him to remain on trial despite defense arguments that he was a married father and a law-abiding citizen before the crash.
“It's an unprecedented thing that obviously none of us wanted to go through and no one ever wanted to go through,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said Monday as preparations for Gaudreau's home opener were wrapping up. arises. – But we have to.
