Ahead of their second matchup of the 2024–25 NHL season (their first in Calgary), the Calgary Flames and the Columbus Blue Jackets put together an emotional pre-game ceremony to honor their late former teammate Johnny Gaudreau, who tragically died in August.
Gaudreau played for both Calgary and Columbus over his 11-year NHL career and in his honor, both teams warmed up in his jersey before Tuesday's game. Check it out:
Both the Flames and Blue Jackets came out for warmups wearing Johnny Gaudreau jerseys 🙏❤️ pic.twitter.com/3x0B7D9JYS
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) December 4, 2024
The 31-year-old Gaudreau and his brother Matthew (29) died in a biking accident this past summer while celebrating their sister's wedding in New Jersey. They were struck and killed by an alleged drunk driver.
The two teams also invited Gaudreau's family members—parents Guy and Jane, sisters Katie and Kristen and Johnny's wife Meredith with their children Noa and Johnny Jr.—to center ice for a ceremonial puck drop. The family was flanked by the entire Calgary and Columbus benches:
An emotional ceremonial faceoff with the Gaudreau family, the Blue Jackets, and Flames ❤️ pic.twitter.com/rSi8yZHiXg
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 4, 2024
Fans were asked to shine their cell phone flashlights to "show their collective support for the Gaudreau family through light," capturing this incredible scene:
What a moment in Calgary 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/IqPr5afGy8
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 4, 2024
Gaudreau won the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top men's college ice hockey player, as a member of the Boston College Eagles in 2014. He played eight full seasons in Calgary before being traded to Columbus ahead of the 2022–23 season. Matthew played for Boston College from 2011 to '14 before stints in both the AHL and ECHL.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Flames, Blue Jackets Honor Late Johnny Gaudreau With Emotional Pre-Game Ceremony.
