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The Columbus Blue Jackets and the Minnesota Wild paid tribute to the Gaudreau brothers, Johnny and Matthew, in an emotional ceremony before their season opener.
Johnny Gaudreau was a star winger for the Blue Jackets last season after a long career with the Calgary Flames. His brother, Matthew, played professionally in the AHL, ECHL and overseas.
Tragically, the brothers died in August when they were struck by an alleged drunk driver while cycling near their home in New Jersey. To honor the Gaudreaus, the Blue Jackets and the Wild held a pre-game ceremony featuring a video montage of the brothers with family and friends.
Watch the video here:
The teams also held a 13-second moment of silence in recognition of Johnny's No. 13 jersey. The moving tribute left many players and fans in tears, showing just how beloved the Gaudreaus were.
The ceremony exemplified the bonds between teams and players, coming together to celebrate the lives of the Gaudreau brothers before the new season began.
Players and coaches reminiscing Johnny Gaudreau ahead of season opener
Teammate Sean Monahan, a close friend of Johnny, expressed the difficulty of starting the new season without him.
"I live for Johnny. It's a new season. He should be here. It's always going to be tough. He's my best friend.
"That's something we were really looking forward to and it's something that got taken away so it's a tough one to still navigate," said Blue Jackets forward Sean Monahan to NHL.com.
Wild coach John Hynes, who coached Gaudreau at several international events, most recently at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, recalled his positive memories of Johnny.
"Everything they said about him is true. He's a great, great kid. Even at the last World Championship, we wound up flying into Newark. ... A great kid. Meredith, beautiful girl, beautiful person," Hynes said.
On the pregame ceremony honoring the Gaudreaus, Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said that the team will embrace celebrating Johnny's life.
"We're going to honor their lives and what they did, not only as hockey people but as human beings. And our guys have done a fantastic job of remembering Johnny and keeping him with us, his spirit and his love of the game," Evason said.
As they take the ice for the first time this season, Evason said that the Blue Jackets will carry Gaudreau's memory and look to celebrate his passion for hockey throughout the year.
