The Columbus Blue Jackets' Tribute To Johnny And Matthew Gaudreau Tonight Was As Beautiful As You Could Ask For
It's a night that no team ever wants to plan. A tribute night in memory of one of your current players is without a doubt the toughest spot to be in for any team. You're dealing with so much heartbreak, so much pain, so many different emotions all at once and you need to find a way to properly pay your respects while still understanding that there's a game to be played afterwards.
Credit to the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Gaudreau family for putting together a tribute that was as loving and touching as you could ask for. Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau meant so much to the world of hockey, and I'd imagine it was hard for everyone involved with planning tonight to feel like they were doing enough to properly give them the celebration that they deserve. Not just for the talents they were on the ice, but for the incredible men they were off the ice as well. They were both insanely gifted hockey players, but even better fathers and husbands and sons and brothers. The video tribute did an incredible job putting all of that on display.
Since the moment Johnny and Matthew were taken from this world, I've been so amazed by how incredibly strong Meredith Gaudreau has been throughout this entire thing. Madeline, Matthew's wife, and the rest of the Gaudreau family have also been ridiculously strong. But the way Meredith has carried herself has made this tragedy a little easier for everyone to handle. Because if she's able to be so strong throughout, then so can everyone else. So it was great to see her out there at center ice as Johnny's #13 was raised into the rafters, and it was beautiful to see Monahan holding on to little Johnny the whole time.
Before the game got started, the teams let 13 seconds tick off the clock while the Blue Jackets took the opening faceoff with just 4 men on the ice. Again, a touching tribute to make sure that Johnny's presence was felt as strongly as possible out there tonight at Nationwide Arena.
Stick taps to the Blue Jackets, and here's to hoping they pull out the W tonight because I'm sure Johnny would love the 2 points.