Late NHL star Johnny Gaudreau honoured as Blue Jackets, Panthers go all out in emotional home opener: 'This is pure class'
No. 13 was raised to the rafters in one of several tear-jerking tributes to Gaudreau, who was killed alongside his brother by an alleged drunk driver in August
With heavy hearts and sombre spirits, The Columbus Blue Jackets hit the ice for their home opener against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.
It was the team's first in-season opportunity to honour the late Johnny Gaudreau in front of a packed house of over 18,000 teary-eyed fans inside Nationwide Arena. No. 13's memory was front-of-mind throughout the evening, and the game's opening face-off brought all the feels as Columbus started the game with just four skaters — leaving an empty space on left wing where Gaudreau should have been lined up.
Johnny and his brother, Matthew, were killed by an alleged drunk driver at the end of August.
As the official dropped the puck and the crowd went silent, Blue Jackets centre Sean Monahan — one of Gaudreau's best friends who played with him in Calgary for eight seasons — took the draw before gently playing the puck to Panthers pivot Sam Bennett, who also spent several seasons with Gaudreau with the Flames.
Bennett then left the puck in Gaudreau’s open left-wing spot and both teams stood there, still, silent, as 13 seconds ticked off the clock — an ode to the jersey number Gaudreau sported throughout his tenure with both the Flames and Blue Jackets.
Columbus started with four skaters. Gaudreau’s left wing remained unattended https://t.co/88LYkCTCCn
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 15, 2024
As those 13 seconds ticked off the clock, players tapped their sticks on the ice in unison, coaches and officials clapped and wept, and the crowd — many with eyes filled with tears — rose to its feet and gave a thundering ovation follow by a roof-shaking “JOHN-NY HOCK-EY!” chant before the official dropped the puck again to start the game for real.
Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason, who was visibly emotional throughout the memorial, tried to describe the moment to reporters following the game.
“As soon as that happened, I think it hit everybody,” Evason said, via NHL.com.
“Hit me, because then you kind of visualize him standing there, right? I think it hit everybody when they did that. What a fantastic gesture.”
Leaving Gaudreau's starting left-wing spot open and letting those 13 seconds tick off to begin Tuesday's contest was one of several tear-jerking tributes from both the Blue Jackets and Panthers. Though technically opponents, this night felt so much different as Florida, a roster which features several of Gaudreau's good friends including Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk (who didn't play in this one because of an illness), did their best to honour the late Blue Jackets star.
Every Florida Panthers player showed up to Nationwide Arena with purple Gatorade and skittles, a tribute to Johnny Gaudreau.
Sam Bennett told me the idea was Matthew Tkachuk’s. “Johnny loved skittles and purple Gatorade…It’s a tribute to him on what will be an emotional…— Katie Engleson (@KatieEngleson) October 15, 2024
The Panthers' effort to honour Gaudreau didn't go unnoticed by fans.
"This is pure class by the Panthers," one reply read.
"Very classy and appropriate by the Cats here. We mourn with you all tonight," one X user wrote, while another post read, "Lots of respect for everyone involved. This is awesome."
In a statement, Tkachuk, who was behind the Panthers' Skittles and Gatorade tribute, wrote:
“Johnny was a huge part of the hockey community, but to me, he was much more than that. “A great friend, teammate and family man. Not a day goes by without me thinking about Johnny and Matthew.”
Following the Florida players walking into the arena sporting some of "Johnny Hockey's" favourite things, Gaudreau was honoured in several other ways leading up to puck drop.
Gaudreau's No. 13 was painted on the ice behind each net, and both the Panthers and Blue Jackets each wore No. 13 "Gaudreau" jerseys during warmups. The uniforms were auctioned off and raised more than $250,000 for the Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation.
💙13💙 pic.twitter.com/MNc0YeZgbX
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) October 15, 2024
1️⃣3️⃣
An extra special warmup jersey for tonight’s game. pic.twitter.com/MBbxjm2v3K— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) October 15, 2024
As the Zamboni flooded the surface ahead of the game, the ice turned blue and displayed Johnny's No. 13 along with his brother Matthew’s No. 21 as a projector played a beautiful slideshow in memory of Johnny's life and hockey career.
Players then hit the ice under the blue lights to observe a banner-raising ceremony for their late teammate. Johnny's late wife, Meredith, joined the players on the ice and was joined in a show of solidarity by Monahan, who held one of Gaudreau's children throughout the emotional ceremony as Gaudreau's No. 13 was raised to the rafters.
The strength of Meredith Gaudreau and the whole Gaudreau family is truly remarkable.
As she took the ice Sean Monahan stepped right up to stand beside her as they raised the number 13 here forever in Nationwide Arena. pic.twitter.com/33oEs2cg6l— Adam King (@AdamKing10TV) October 15, 2024
13 forever ❤️ pic.twitter.com/qWLV8DNfLa
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) October 15, 2024
Sean Monahan holding Johnny Gaudreau's son in the pregame ceremony. His parents and family there.
Heavy, heavy scenes.
Life is precious. Forever a legend, 13. pic.twitter.com/8OQoWRHiYX— Tim Preston (@TimmyTebrows) October 15, 2024
With players from both teams, along with Gaudreau's family, wife and children, lined up to pay their respects, the Blue Jackets then played a nearly six-minute long tribute to Gaudreau on the video board.
You'll need to break out the tissues for this one.
The Blue Jackets’ tribute video for Johnny Gaudreau will hit you right in the feels 💔
RIP, Johnny Hockey 🙏pic.twitter.com/WDM7tv7Lbo— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) October 15, 2024
Gaudreau's wife, Meredith, also shared a special message ahead of the game, thanking fans and everyone around the hockey community for the support and love she's received since Johnny's passing.
"Let's love the game that John loved."
-Meredith Gaudreau pic.twitter.com/06YKL5PrxL— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) October 15, 2024
The game itself might have featured the most special moment of all, as Monahan, who signed with Columbus this offseason to play with one of his best friends, Gaudreau, scored the Blue Jackets' second goal of the night.
Upon netting his second of the season, Monham looked to the sky and pointed directly to the "No. 13" banner that was raised to the rafters just over an hour before.
Chills.
Sean Monahan pointed to the banner for Johnny after he scored 😭 pic.twitter.com/ISl0Z0TkSt
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 16, 2024
The tributes kept pouring in after the game, too.
The Blue Jackets' player of the game award has been changed to "donkey of the game" because that was Johnny Gaudreau's favorite chirp 😂🥹 pic.twitter.com/rF9aiH3u09
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 16, 2024
Aside from retiring his jersey and keeping Gaudreau's memory alive with images of the late star inside and outside their home arena, the Blue Jackets also announced last month that Gaudreau's dressing-room stall will be kept as is for the remainder of this season and possibly beyond.
Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell said that Johnny Gaudreau’s locker stall will be left intact and his jersey will be placed there for each game ❤️ pic.twitter.com/fEh9Mzzli2
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) September 18, 2024
Fans from around the hockey world were blown away by the tributes throughout the night, expressing the widest range of emotions possible after Gaudreau's memory was honoured in such thoughtful fashion.
I dont know how anyone could have watched it and not broke. Both for Sean and the Gaudreau family. Theres no comfort we can really provide them…and that just makes it harder to witness 🥺
— Listen to the Scientists (@realism_science) October 16, 2024
An amazing tribute to Johnny Gaudreau. ❤️ Thank you.
— DeeDee 🌻 (@DeeDeeDoo22) October 16, 2024
My heart breaks watching this. What an unbelievable human these 2 men were.
Blue Jackets Pay Tribute To Johnny And Matthew Gaudreau https://t.co/ciMXLJQeXv via @YouTube— Flying Elbows (@flyingelbows_) October 16, 2024
Because of Johnny Gaudreau aka Johnny Hockey I start watching hockey, man he was so electrify just watching him play especially when he played for the @NHLFlames, I’m gonna really miss watching him play https://t.co/V5Poc3mHq4
— ayoosportscards (@ayoosportscards) October 16, 2024
Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew — who was also honoured throughout the night — were riding bicycles on the night of Aug. 29 (the eve of their sister's wedding) near their hometown in New Jersey, when 43-year-old Sean Higgins, who was allegedly impaired, attempted to pass two other vehicles before striking both cyclists from behind with his SUV. Both brothers were pronounced dead at the scene.
Following Wednesday's game, an emotional Monahan tried, through teary eyes, to express what the plethora of tributes meant to him.
“It was hard, to be honest,” said Monahan, his voice shaking. “It was a special, special moment that I’ll remember forever.
"I felt like John was watching down on us today."