A makeshift memorial grows outside Nationwide Arena for Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 31.Jason Mowry/Getty Images
Four of Johnny Gaudreau’s teammates paid tribute to the fallen hockey star on Wednesday, repeatedly choking up as they spoke of the joy with which he played the game, his devilish sense of humour, and his dedication to his family.
“Moving through all the emotions – anger, sadness, disbelief, and emptiness, I’ve come to realize how much love I have for John,” said Boone Jenner, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ captain.
“John was a close friend and someone I felt I’ve known for a lifetime. His jokes and banter were always a consistent presence, whether in the locker room, on the bus, on a plane or in a hotel room. John was truly one of a kind. One of the many things I’ll miss is seeing people’s reaction to his pregame-meal routine for the first time: A mountain of sauce-free pasta topped with butter, paired with a Coke.”
Jenner made the comments during a media availability at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, the first public appearance of Blue Jackets staff after Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed last Thursday night by a suspected drunk driver while on a bicycle ride near their family’s home in southern New Jersey. They had returned to the area for the wedding of their younger sister, Katie, which had been scheduled for last Friday in Philadelphia.
“It’s clear that they were incredibly close and shared an inseparable bond,” Jenner said of the brothers. “Whenever you met one Gaudreau, it wasn’t long after you were meeting another, and then receiving a bottle of [their father] Guy’s homemade maple syrup. It was easy to see very quickly how tight knit and together their family was.”
Wednesday would have been the third wedding anniversary for Gaudreau and his wife, Meredith. Their daughter, Noa, will turn two next month; their son, Johnny, was born in February.
“Seeing John as a father, it was clear his family meant everything to him,” Jenner added. “I’ll miss seeing his joy coming upstairs to our family room after every home game to greet Mer and the kids. Despite often being the last to join us after a well-earned sauna and a beer, the smile on his and Noa’s faces when they saw each other was unmatched.”
The team’s president of hockey operations and general manager, Don Waddell, and three alternate captains, Sean Kuraly, Zach Werenski, and Erik Gudbranson, also spoke ahead of a fan vigil planned for Wednesday night outside the Blue Jackets’ arena. All of the players wore Blue Jackets shirts bearing the No. 13 – Gaudreau’s jersey number during his 11 NHL seasons, nine of them played with the Calgary Flames and the final two with Columbus.
A fan takes pictures of the memorial that has been growing on the step of the Calgary Saddledome in Calgary, on Sept. 4.Alanna Smith/The Globe and Mail
The Flames also hosted a vigil on Wednesday night outside their arena.
Gudbranson recalled that he had often struggled to connect with teammates, but when he joined the Flames in Gaudreau’s last season there, “we had our first beer together … I knew it was different.” He and Gaudreau joined Columbus together, and were like brothers for the next two seasons.
“Your unique way of driving me crazy only brought me closer,” Gudbranson said, holding back tears. “There was always a method to the madness. Our rides to the rink, and knowing my stress level for punctuality, you would walk out seven minutes late. Trying to look professional at dinner the night before a game, wearing a hoodie and a tuque, and 10-year-old sweatpants. You were one of a kind and we loved you, and we still do.”
Gudbranson also paid tribute to Gaudreau’s dedication as a father. “I’ll forever remember you complaining about a sore back after spending the night in Noa’s crib, and the pride you carried the day you brought Johnny into the room for the first time. The love you shared with Meredith was a sight to behold. You are truly a family man.”
He closed his remarks by pleading with people to never drink and drive.
Werenski said that, of his nine years in Columbus, “I can’t say there’s ever been a day as exciting as when John signed here … Johnny Hockey was a player that everyone watched, whether you were a hockey fan or not. He had the ability to get people on their feet at any given moment, highlight after highlight.”
Halfway across the continent, in Gaudreau’s first NHL home, fans continued to gather outside Calgary’s Saddledome, blanketing the steps with No. 13 jerseys, hockey sticks, and flowers in tribute to the former Flames superstar and his brother.
Lindsay Hamilton, a lifelong Calgary resident and Flames fan, said she felt inspired to paint in Gaudreau’s memory. She set up an easel and drop cloth outside the arena, surrounded by tributes written in chalk on the concrete plaza near the main doors, and painted for about 4 1/2 hours Tuesday.
“I just felt drawn to being at the ‘dome,” she said in an interview Wednesday. “It was almost like feeling closer to Johnny.”
The artist is auctioning the canvas and plans to give the money to a GoFundMe in support of Matthew Gaudreau’s wife Madeline and their baby. Bidding reached $2,000 Wednesday afternoon.
Hamilton wore a red Flames jersey with Gaudreau’s name and number on the back while she painted the star wearing the same.
The mood around the arena, she said, is sobering.
“It is very quiet down there. People are taking in the environment. People are crying, people are chatting with strangers, which was lovely to see how our city came together to honour the two of them.”
Heartfelt messages to Gaudreau and his family were handwritten on pieces of paper and poster boards pinned to the ground by purple Gatorade bottles, Skittles and bags of pasta – all symbols of his storied hockey life.
“You will never be forgotten. You are deeply missed and you will be forever loved and remembered for all your on ice and off ice contributions to your community,” said one message inscribed on a Flames flag. “P.S. Johnny and Matty, take it easy on my little brother up there. He is a little out of practice but his small size and quick speed makes him a threat just like you both.”
Cecil Whitehead drove more than seven hours from Peace River, Alta., to pay his respects. He placed a black hat with a Flames logo at the base of the memorial underneath a large poster of the fallen brothers, whose photos had been superimposed over clouds.
“When I see all of this, I feel hurt. I can’t believe it. I still can’t believe it,” said Whitehead, who shared stories of sitting with his family in the stands when Gaudreau played for the Flames. It was especially memorable when they beat the rival Edmonton Oilers, he said.
“Lots of memories.” Whitehead paused. “It’s so sad.”
Back in Columbus, Waddell said that plans for Johnny Gaudreau’s funeral are still being completed, but he expected the entire Blue Jackets team to attend. Asked whether there were any plans to honour Gaudreau at the team’s first home game next month, or perhaps retire his jersey, Waddell said no substantial discussions had yet taken place. “There’s still too much grieving and mourning going on.”
Flowers, hockey sticks and popular symbols among Johnny Gaudreau fans, like purple Gatorade and Skittles, cover the steps of the Calgary Saddledome.Alanna Smith/The Globe and Mail
With reports from Alanna Smith and Carrie Tait in Calgary