The Columbus Blue Jackets are set to pay an emotional and enduring tribute to the late Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau during the 2024-25 season. The team announced that they will honor the brothers, who tragically lost their lives in a bicycle accident, through a series of heartfelt gestures and memorials throughout the upcoming season.
Tribute on the Ice
Starting from their first preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres on September 23, the Blue Jackets players will don special helmet stickers in memory of Johnny and Matthew. The stickers will be blue with gray trim, featuring the name "GAUDREAU" encasing two doves, symbolically placed between the numbers 13 and 21. These numbers hold great significance; Johnny Gaudreau wore number 13 during his illustrious NHL career, while his brother Matthew sported number 21 at Boston College.
This tribute will not be a fleeting gesture. The Columbus players will wear these special helmet stickers throughout the entire 2024-25 season, ensuring that the memory of Johnny and Matthew remains a constant presence both on and off the ice.
Moment of Silence and Community Support
Before their first home preseason game against the St. Louis Blues on September 25, the Blue Jackets will hold a moment of silence to honor Johnny and Matthew. This solemn pause will give fans, players, and staff alike a chance to reflect on the lives of the Gaudreau brothers and the impact of their untimely passing.
Adding to their season-long tribute, the Blue Jackets have organized a unique 50/50 raffle during all four of their home preseason games. Proceeds from these raffles will be directed to the John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation, a charitable organization presumably set up to continue the brothers' legacy of kindness and community involvement.
Regular Season Honors
The commemorations will extend well into the regular season. On October 10, the Blue Jackets will face off against the Minnesota Wild in their first regular season game. Throughout the season, the team will wear a special patch on their jerseys that bears Johnny Gaudreau’s number 13, serving as another poignant reminder of his contributions to the sport and the void his absence leaves.
Moreover, during the Blue Jackets' home opener against the Florida Panthers on October 15, all attending fans will receive a replica of the No. 13 patch, bridging the community and the team in their joint remembrance of Johnny and Matthew.
A Tragic Loss
The Gaudreau brothers' lives were tragically cut short when they were struck by a drunk driver while riding their bicycles in Oldmans Township, New Jersey. The driver has since been arrested and charged with two counts of death by auto, unnerving reminders of the fatal consequences of impaired driving.
As the Columbus Blue Jackets step into the 2024-25 season, their efforts to memorialize Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau highlight the profound impact these brothers had on those around them. Through helmet stickers, moments of silence, charity raffles, and jersey patches, the team ensures that their memories will continue to inspire and be celebrated by the hockey community and beyond.
The season will be infused with the spirit of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, etching their legacies permanently into the fabric of the Blue Jackets' 2024-25 campaign. In these acts of remembrance, the Blue Jackets show that while the brothers may no longer be present, their influence and memory will forever be honored and preserved.