Jackets increase Gaudreau banner on 'emotional evening'

Johnny Gaudreau’s Columbus teammates got a couple of choices for the right way to deal with their feelings through the Blue Jackets‘ residence opener.

If you wish to cry, cry.

If you wish to snigger, snigger.

The one guidelines — play the sport the best way “Johnny Hockey” would and with him in thoughts.

Feelings ran excessive in Columbus on Tuesday evening, when the Blue Jackets paid tribute to their star and his late brother, Matthew, at their residence opener towards the Florida Panthers. Among the many highlights: A banner was raised to the rafters in Gaudreau’s reminiscence; as followers cheered, each groups stick-tapped the ice within the conventional hockey salute; and his household regarded on, their arms intertwined.

And earlier than the puck dropped, the groups stood nonetheless as 13 seconds — Johnny Gaudreau’s quantity — ran off the clock and together with his left-wing place vacant, the Blue Jackets having despatched 4 skaters onto the ice as a substitute of the standard 5. The puck dropped, and the Blue Jackets’ Sean Monahan handed it to Florida’s Sam Bennett.

Monahan and Bennett had been teammates with Gaudreau in Calgary. It could not have been extra becoming.

“I do not need anybody to be unhappy,” Meredith Gaudreau, Johnny’s spouse, mentioned in a recorded message performed shortly earlier than faceoff. “I would like you all to be impressed by the life that John lived. Which means love your loved ones at first, and when it is time to drop the puck, let’s love the sport that John beloved.”

Johnny Gaudreau, the Blue Jackets star who would have been coming into his third season with the membership and eleventh NHL season general, and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, had been killed on Aug. 29 when police mentioned they had been struck by a suspected drunken driver whereas they had been using their bicycles on a rural highway in New Jersey on the eve of their sister Katie’s marriage ceremony.

“It is such an unprecedented factor and one thing that clearly none of us wished to undergo, and no person ever desires to undergo it,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason mentioned Monday as remaining preparations for the home-opener celebration of the Gaudreaus had been being made. “However we now have to.”

The 31-year-old Gaudreau wore jersey No. 13 for the Blue Jackets. Matthew Gaudreau — who was 29 and performed 5 professional seasons within the American Hockey League, East Coast Hockey League and in Sweden — wore jersey No. 21. All 32 NHL groups are sporting decals with 13, 21 and the letter G on their helmets via Oct. 24. USA Hockey has the same tribute for its groups in any respect ranges this yr.

On Tuesday, the “13” tributes had been in every single place. Each the Blue Jackets and Panthers took the ice for warmups sporting jerseys bearing the identify “Gaudreau” and the No. 13; these sweaters can be auctioned and raffled off to profit the John and Matthew Gaudreau Basis. There was “13” on the ice behind the targets. All followers in attendance acquired a “13” patch like those Blue Jackets gamers can be sporting on their jerseys this season.

“It is an emotional evening for the hockey world,” Bennett mentioned. “I am glad I might be right here and honor his legacy in any means.”

The Panthers, like the remainder of the NHL, are mourning proper together with the Blue Jackets. Gaudreau was completely beloved by gamers, whether or not they ever had been his teammate or not. Florida star Matthew Tkachuk, who missed the game with illness, is aware of of Gaudreau’s affinity for purple Gatorade and baggage of Skittles. So, each Panthers participant bought off the bus in Columbus on Tuesday afternoon with Gatorade and Skittles of their palms.

“Johnny was an enormous a part of the hockey group, however to me he was rather more than that,” mentioned Tkachuk, a teammate of Gaudreau’s for six seasons in Calgary. “A terrific buddy, teammate and household man. Not a day goes by with out me occupied with Johnny and Matthew.”

Johnny Gaudreau — all of 5-foot-9 and 165 kilos — was a star at Boston School earlier than making it to the NHL, his debut coming in Calgary’s finale for the 2013-14 season. His first objective got here on his first shot in his first sport, and his star solely saved shining brighter from there.

The participant who fished the puck out of the online after Gaudreau’s first objective was Monahan.

“I noticed it firsthand. He had an affect on so many individuals,” Monahan mentioned. “I imply, gamers that performed towards him are a fan of his and watch him and examine his sport and attempt to be like him.”

Monahan possible by no means aspired to be a donkey. Going ahead, the Blue Jackets will clamor to be referred to as one.

“Johnny was an enormous a part of the hockey group however to me he was rather more than that. A terrific buddy, teammate and household man. Not a day goes by with out me occupied with Johnny and Matthew.”

Panthers ahead Matthew Tkachuk

Johnny Gaudreau used that time period — “donkey” — freely and endearingly round mates and teammates. The Blue Jackets have had a celebration for a couple of decade the place the participant of the sport will get to put on a Civil Warfare-style kepi hat, the recipient chosen by the earlier participant recipient. The kepi is now retired. The participant of the sport now will get a donkey hat. Monahan was the primary to obtain it.

“I am actually pleased that we have type of switched it up,” Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson mentioned. “I believe it is becoming for us. It was a terrific concept. And, you already know, we want the little man was nonetheless right here calling us that, however Monny is the best man to get that the primary time, for positive.”

Man Gaudreau, the late brothers’ father and a longtime coach, was on the ice with the Blue Jackets for practice in Columbus on Monday and was again for morning skate on Tuesday. The tributes aren’t over. They’re going to maintain going, a method or one other, for years to return.

“There’s going to be some robust moments, little doubt about it,” Gudbranson mentioned. “We nonetheless miss him.”

However they may cheer him, perpetually. Because the banner bearing his identify went up, followers chanted “Johnny Hockey” as some in his household could not assist however smile on the tribute. There was a sport afterward. It appeared secondary.

“The primary half,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice mentioned, “is clearly an important a part of the occasion tonight.”