When the puck drops for the 2024-25 NHL season, all 32 teams in the league will wear special helmet stickers honoring Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew.
The black and white decals feature the letter G in the center, with Johnny’s 13 on the left and Matthew’s No. 21 on the right.
All 32 NHL teams will honor Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau with helmet stickers to kick off the NHL regular season.
The emblems will be worn by all players in all games through October 24. pic.twitter.com/MlglP6mzp6— BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) September 30, 2024
The commemorative stickers will be worn by each player in all games played through October 24, when the Los Angeles Kings host the final home opener of the season against the San Jose Sharks. The New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabers will be the first teams to display the Gaudreau tribute when they open the 2024-2025 season at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic for the NHL Global Series.
Sabers players wore the decals on their helmets during practice Monday in Prague.
“I think it’s an incredible tribute to an incredibly sad situation,” Sabers coach Lindy Ruff told NHL.com. “We as a league, we as a team, have to try to honor these guys for what they did before the game.”
Each team will wear this decal honoring the Gaudreau brothers on the back of their helmets from opening night through 10/24. The Sabers and Devils are the first. The Sabers got them today. pic.twitter.com/MTKdVo7NYw
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) September 30, 2024
The Gaudreau brothers were killed on August 29 when they were struck by an alleged drunk driver while bicycling in rural Salem County, New Jersey.
Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, were in New Jersey to attend their sister’s wedding, which was set to take place on August 30. The brothers would be groomsmen for the ceremony, while their other sister would serve as a groomsmen. bridesmaid.
Johnny Gaudreau played eleven seasons in the NHL, nine with the Calgary Flames and the past two with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was a seven-time All-Star and won the 2017 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player who demonstrates “the best kind of sportsmanship and friendly demeanor combined with a high level of playing ability.”
