It was an emotional night at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, with the Florida Panthers paying their respects and meeting for their home opener against the Blue Jackets. Something was missing, however, and the crowd of 18,484 knew it right from the start. Johnny Gaudreau, Columbus’ leading scorer over the past two seasons, wasn’t in the lineup.
Gaudreau met his tragic end in a biking accident along with his brother Matthew on August 29. Both on and off the ice, Gaudreau enjoys imHis untimely death not only left a void in the hearts of the Blue Jackets, but also resonated throughout the NHL fraternity. fraternity.
A very somber tone begins:
The evening got under way with Bush’s “Machine head,” a tradition no one wants to be around—except on a night such as this, with Nationwide Arena resounding from every corner. But when the opening faceoff occurred, there was a hole in the lineup. There was no sign of left-wing Johnny Gaudreau.
As soon as the puck hit the ice, the crowd fell silent momentarily, as though Gaudreau’s No. 13 had left its mark on the scene. Bot Both teams stood motionless for a 13-second tribute, during which fans rose from their seats and players tapped their sticks on the ice, symbolizing the ultimate respect for hockey. was a surreal, heartfelt gesture to the player whose presence on ice surely will be missed—and off the ice in the locker room.
Legacy Remembered
To Gaudreau’s former teammates, such as Sean Monahan and Sam Bennett, the tribute rang close to home. Monahan and Bennett played with Johnny at some point and have memories that resonate this particular night.
Monahan visibly choked up at one point over the tribute, saying, “It was a special, special moment that I’ll remember forever.” Bennett, who took Gaudreau’s line, also reflected on the little details that made Johnny so uniquely different, including his love of Raisin Bran and always picking out the raisins. “It ended up putting a little smile on my face,” Bennett said.
A tribute from the hockey world
The Blue Jackets, along with the Florida Panthers, had made gestures to Johnny all night long, starting with Florida players entering the arena carrying two of Johnny’s favorite snacks: Skittles and purple Gatorade. Matthew Tkachuk, who played with Johnny in Calgary, orchestrated this heartfelt tribute.
Johnny was not only a vital member of the hockey community, but he was much more to me than that. He was a wonderful friend, teammate, and family man. Tkachuk, who was unable to play due to illness, released a statement.
Johnny’s picture hangs on the side of Nationwide Arena, this time with a script attached: “JOHNNY GAUDREAU 1993-2024.” Fans in the building wore their No. 13 sweaters, and each of the teams took to the ice during warm-up wearing special jerseys in honor of their fallen brother.
A Moving Tribute
The two teams sit down early in the game to watch a video montage of Gaudreau’s life and career. As Johnny says in the video, his words are bittersweet: “I just want to be remembered as a guy who loved being at the rink, with his friends, and his family.”
His wife, Meredith, and two young children, Johnny Jr. and Noa, joined his brother-in-law out in the center of the rink, surrounded by both teams, as part of the ceremony. It was a testament to how tight-knit the hockey community is that an entire league rallied behind the Gaudreaus’ family.
Capturing the best of what this evening was all about was Sean Monahan, who said, “It means a lot for his family, his wife, and his kids—the way they honored him here.” I mean, the whole League.” The Panthers and the Blue Jackets’ love and respect for Johnny Gaudreau were truly heartfelt, reflecting the widespread affection for him in the hockey world.
Moving forward without Gaudreau
Although the game stretched on into overtime, it was evident from the very beginning of things that this was going to be no hockey night of scores or standings. It would be remembered as a tribute to a player who gave so much to the game—but perhaps far too early taken. The night the crowd mourned his losses was not just a night of mourning, but also a night of celebrating the legacy he built, the friendships he made, and the joy of hockey he spread.
Conclusion
So the night turned out to be a tribute. The home opener, filled with emotion and tributes to the player beyond his on-ice performance, was a tribute to Johnny Gaudreau’s legacy. His loss reaches far beyond the ice, affecting not only his teammates, coaches, and fans of the Blue Jackets, but also each and every one of us who cherished him beyond his playing days. Even though these seasons are over, Gaudreau’s legacy will endure, inspiring his family and friends who knew him to never let go of what he lived for—hockey.
