NHL Blue Jackets honor Johnny Gaudreau and brother ahead of game

CNN
 — 

If there have been dry eyes at Nationwide Area, the sport broadcast didn’t present them.

Forward of Tuesday night time’s residence opener towards the Florida Panthers, the Columbus Blue Jackets hosted a ceremony to honor and bear in mind a pair of brothers whose current deaths have impacted so many individuals.

It’s evident uncooked emotion nonetheless prevails following the tragic deaths of Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau and his youthful brother Matthew on August 29, when a suspected drunk driver struck and killed the siblings whereas they have been driving their bikes the night time earlier than their sister Kate’s wedding ceremony.

Each the Blue Jackets and the Panthers participated in pregame warm-ups sporting Gaudreau No. 13 jerseys.

With many pals and members of the Gaudreau household in attendance, Johnny Gaudreau’s widow Meredith, alongside together with his brother-in-law Eddie, carried Gaudreau’s kids Noa and Johnny to middle ice.

Meredith wiped away tears as a banner that includes Gaudreau’s quantity 13 and “1993-2024” was unveiled. The Gaudreau dad and mom and sisters hugged one another within the bench space because the banner was raised to the rafters.

Afterwards, the followers in attendance began a chant of “Johnny Hockey,” a reference to the left wing’s nickname.

When it got here time to drop the puck, the Blue Jackets left Gaudreau’s place empty because the gamers on each groups’ benches stood for the emotional second.

The puck was tapped to Johnny’s empty place on the ice as 13 seconds have been allowed to run off the clock earlier than an official skated in to choose up the puck. The sport was then restarted.

Earlier on Tuesday night time, Meredith Gaudreau spoke to these gathered on the enviornment in a pre-recorded video message.

“Hey, fifth line. I need to thanks all in your assist by this time. Your outpouring of affection has helped our household tremendously,” she stated within the video.

“Because the crew will get able to take a heat up earlier than the sport, I don’t need anybody to be unhappy. I need you all to be impressed by the life that John lived, meaning love your loved ones before everything. And when it’s time to drop the puck, let’s love the sport that John beloved. Thanks and go Jackets.”

The wives of each brothers are pregnant.

In her eulogy throughout her late husband’s funeral in early September, Meredith revealed she was in her ninth week of being pregnant with the couple’s third baby.

“In lower than three years of marriage, we’ve created a household of 5. It doesn’t even sound doable. However I have a look at it as the last word blessing,” she stated on September 10.

“How fortunate am I to be the mom of John’s three infants?”

Matthew’s spouse, Madeline Gaudreau, is anticipating the couple’s first baby, a boy,  subsequent month.

Earlier this week, she shared photos and a video on social media from a current child bathe thrown for child Tripp.

“Hug your family members, cherish your time on earth, be grateful, assist others, keep optimistic, be humble, do what is true, and be form. It actually makes a distinction in your personal life & the lives of others! BE A GOOD HUMAN like Matty & Johnny,” Madeline Gaudreau posted on Instagram.

The older brother ought to have been on the ice Tuesday night time, enjoying in his eleventh NHL season and third with the Jackets.

As a substitute, his No. 13 was seen all through the constructing, with the crew handing out patches with the 31-year-old’s famed jersey quantity to everybody on the enviornment.

In one other delicate tip of the cap to the late NHL All-Star, the crew introduced forward of the sport that puck drop was set for 7:13 p.m. ET —13 minutes later than the same old top-of-the-hour time.