It was an emotional morning at Calgary Flames practice as Guy Gaudreau, the father of the late Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, joined the team on the ice.
The Flames invited the Gaudreau family and are planning a tribute for Johnny on Tuesday when they face the Columbus Blue Jackets, Johnny's former team.
Among those invited are Guy, his wife Jane, their daughters Kristen and Katie, Johnny’s wife Meredith and their two children plus Matthew’s wife Madeline.
The Flames have kept details of the tribute under wraps. The Gaudreau family was flown in to attend an evening honouring Johnny Hockey for his work in the community and the nine years of brilliance he exhibited as one of the organization’s most popular stars.
“We are deeply grateful to the Flames organization for inviting us back,” said Jane in a text message from her home in New Jersey to Sportsnet.
“Guy and I, along with our entire family, are looking forward to reconnecting with many friends in Calgary.
“The love and support so many have shown for John, Matty, and our entire family has helped us through the hardest time of our lives.”
This isn't the first time Gaudreau has been invited to practice with an NHL club. John Tortorella invited him to join the Philadelphia Flyers during training camp.
The Flyers tapped their sticks in appreciation of Gaudreau, a former hockey coach at Hollydell Ice Arena and Gloucester Catholic High School in New Jersey when he hit the ice to assist with drills during practice. The Flyers shook Gaudreau’s hand at the end of the skate in appreciation and thanked him for helping out.
Johnny Gaudreau, the Columbus Blue Jackets star, and his brother, Matthew, were killed on Aug. 29 when police said they were struck by a suspected drunken driver while they were riding bicycles on a rural road in South Jersey on the eve of their sister Katie's wedding. The driver who police say struck them is charged with two counts of death by auto, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle.
John Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey,” played 10 full seasons in the league and was set to enter his third with the Blue Jackets after signing a seven-year, $68 million deal in 2022. He played his first eight seasons with the Calgary Flames, a tenure that included becoming one of the sport’s top players and a fan favourite across North America.
--With files from Sportsnet's Eric Francis.
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