In a poignant tribute, the Columbus Blue Jackets honored the late Johnny Gaudreau before their first game at Nationwide Arena since his tragic passing nearly a month ago. The emotional ceremony began with a video tribute to Johnny Gaudreau followed by 13 seconds of silence, symbolizing his uniform number. This moving moment took place prior to the Blue Jackets’ 3-0 preseason victory over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night.
Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew lost their lives in a devastating accident on Aug. 29 near their childhood home in New Jersey when they were struck by a suspected drunken driver while riding bicycles. The driver is facing charges related to the incident. To honor the Gaudreau brothers, the Blue Jackets have been wearing helmet stickers bearing their names and respective uniform numbers.
The Columbus team is understandably still grappling with the loss of Johnny Gaudreau, a significant figure both on and off the ice. Coach Dean Evason highlighted the close bonds within the team, emphasizing the unity and support among players during this challenging time.
The Blue Jackets will carry on with a commemorative patch honoring Johnny Gaudreau’s No. 13 beginning with the first regular-season game. The traditional activities planned for the home opener on Oct. 15 will be rescheduled to dedicate the evening to paying tribute to the Gaudreau brothers. Instead, the home opener will be observed two nights later.
The team faced a similar tragedy last year with the loss of goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks in July 2021. Despite these heartbreaking losses, the Blue Jackets are striving to move forward with a new general manager and coach, navigating the immense void left by the absence of Johnny Gaudreau.
In their recent game against the St. Louis Blues, Denton Mateychuk and Kirill Marchenko found the back of the net for Columbus, with Sean Kuraly assisting on both goals. Kent Johnson sealed the victory with an empty-net goal in the final seconds of the match.