COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Nearly a month after Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were murderedthe Columbus Blue Jackets paid tribute to their star hockey player before the team’s first home game since his death.
An emotional video tribute to Johnny Gaudreau and 13 seconds of silence — in front of his number — opened the Blue Jackets’ preseason game Wednesday night at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets posted a 3-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues.
Gaudreau and brother Matthew were killed near their childhood home in Salem County, New Jersey, on August 29 when they were struck by a suspected drunk driver while riding their bicycles the night before their sister Katie’s wedding, according to police. driver who, according to police, hit them is charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter, as well as reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle.
Starting with the practice matches, the Blue Jackets wear helmet stickers with “Gaudreau” printed between images of two doves and the brothers’ jersey numbers, No. 13 for Johnny, No. 21 for Matthew, the number he wore as a player for Boston College.
“I think you put yourself in some of these situations where you have John around,” Columbus forward Sean Kuraly said. “Thinking about him all day, obviously. Driving to the rink and a lot of times I’d pick him up on the way. So he’s not there for that. I’ve been thinking about John a lot of the day. When he’s not there with us, it’s a tough day.”
Columbus players will wear a commemorative patch with Johnny Gaudreau’s number 13 starting in the first game of the regular season.
Traditional activities for the October 15 season opener will be postponed so that the evening can be dedicated to honoring the Gaudreau brothers. The season opener will instead be celebrated two nights later.
The Blue Jackets, one of the worst teams in the NHL last season, must find a way to move forward with a new general manager, a new coach and a huge void on and off the ice left by the death of 31-year-old “Johnny Hockey.”
Gaudreau’s shirt still hangs in his locker room in the Columbus dressing room.
“The guys are close,” new coach Dean Evason said. “And that doesn’t just mean the guys that have been here in Columbus. It’s everyone here in this camp. We’ve seen a really close group.”
This is the team’s second training camp in recent years following the death of a player during the off-season. Goalkeeper Matiss Kivlenieks died in July 2021 from chest trauma caused by a stray firework mortar shell at the wedding of an assistant coach’s daughter.
On Wednesday night, Denton Mateychuk and Kirill Marchenko scored for Columbus, with Kuraly picking up assists on both. Kent Johnson scored into an empty net with 43 seconds left.
