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Florida Panthers to help honor Gaudreau brothers in Columbus

Originally posted on Florida Hockey Now
By George Richards, FHN Publisher | Last updated 10/15/24

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Blue Jackets play host to the Panthers tonight, but the festive atmosphere will be muted as the team honors the memory of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau before their home opener.

Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, died Aug. 29 when they were struck by an alleged drunk driver who has been charged with two counts of death by auto, while riding bicycles near their home in Salem County, New Jersey.

Both teams come into tonight’s game feeling good about their respective games; the Blue Jackets went 1-1 on their first road trip, with Florida coming off a 4-3 win in Boston on Monday afternoon.

Yet this day will be about the Gaudreau family and the Panthers are mindful of that.

The hockey will understandably take a back seat.

“Whatever they need,” said Florida coach Paul Maurice, whose team will all wear No. 13 on their jerseys during warmups as well as special helmet decals during the game.

“Whatever the fans need, whatever the team needs to start that healing process, we are proud to be a part of it.”

On Wednesday morning, Guy Gaudreau — Matthew and Johnny’s dad — was back on the ice in a Columbus track suit as new coach Dean Evason ran the morning skate.

Evason, as John Tortorella did in Philadelphia did during training camp, offered an open invitation to Guy to join the team for practices any time he felt like doing so.

A revered youth hockey coach in the Philadelphia area, Guy Gaudreau first joined the Blue Jackets for Monday’s practice and was there from start to finish.

Guy Gaudreau left the arena Tuesday morning carrying his stick — and Johnny’s 2023 All-Star Game equipment bag from Sunrise.

“It has been great having him here,” said former Florida defenseman Erik Gudbranson, who played with Johnny in Calgary and with the Blue Jackets. “He is hurting and sometimes it is hard to find the words to say to him, but just him being around, you find comfort in people.

“If we can provide some of that for the Gaudreau family, being here and being around the rink … this is what normal is to them. They have been around the rink their whole life. Hopefully they continue to do so. They are a huge part of our group. You try to crack a few jokes to see if you can get him to smile a little bit. Ask him what him thinks. He is a very smart hockey mind. He has seen a lot of my games over the past three years.”

The Blue Jackets have left Gaudreau’s locker stall empty in their locker room, but display his jersey in it for both home and away games.

Evason decided Gaudreau’s memory will be with his teammates forever, and they are not trying to move past the tragedy.

Tonight will be just another moment in what has been a long time of mourning, one which will continue.

“We want them to use the emotion, to embrace the emotion,” Evason said. “You are feeling sad, or anything, use it and turn it into a positive emotion moving forward. We have talked about what Johnny would want us to do, and what he would say, and that’s what we’re doing. We’re not afraid of the emotion. If you feel that you need to talk to somebody, or not talk to somebody, maybe let loose, cry, yell, scream, get mad, do it.”

Added defenseman Zach Werenski: “It has been hard to describe; there have been ups-and-downs, good days, bad days, emotional days. I think we have all gone through that together — the conversations in here, the stories and pictures shared. I think the past month-and-a-half has been really good just being around all these guys.”

When news of the death of the Gaudreau brothers became public, Florida forward Matthew Tkachuk put out an emotional post on social media.

The two became close friends in Calgary, and both left the Flames within a few weeks of each other in 2022.

During Florida’s media day before training camp started, Tkachuk said he will continue to smile whenever he thinks of his friend.

“My memories will last forever, but I can’t stop thinking about his parents, about Meredith and the kids,’’ Tkachuk said.

“It was a very tough time at the wake and at the funeral; it has been a tough few weeks. But I think everyone has done an amazing job of telling stories and keeping him present because that is exactly what he would want, for us to smile about him and tell fun stories about what a great player and teammate he was. But he was a better guy. So, his memory will go on forever. My memories will go on forever.

“I feel like, last year, I was telling a Johnny story to someone every week. So, I am going to continue to do that.’’

Gudbranson said he agreed with that thought.

Whenever he starts feeling sad, Gudbranson thinks of something funny that Johnny Gaudreau did and that makes him smile once more.

It is not easy, of that there is no doubt.

“It is awful and it gets you every day and there is something that turns it on every day,” Gudbranson said. “He is supposed to be here. It is a tragic story, really sucks, and you feel for his family; his wife, his kids. We miss him very dearly.”

Tonight, both teams will wear Gaudreau No. 13 jerseys during warmups; they will all be available for auction with all proceeds benefitting the John & Matthew Gaudreau Foundation.

The Blue Jackets are currently auctioning off their jerseys and other Matthew Gaudreau memorabilia to benefit the foundation HERE.

The Panthers will hold their auction HERE.