Featured Columnist IVSeptember 30, 2024
Zak Krill/NHLI by way of Getty Pictures
All 32 NHL groups will wear a helmet decal to honor Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau to open the 2024-25 season.
The decal design contains the letter “G” together with the Gaudreaus’ jersey numbers.
B/R Open Ice @BR_OpenIce
Each NHL group will put on this helmet decal via October 24 to honor Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau ❤️
(by way of @drosennhl) pic.twitter.com/xGkqgnZlIj
The Gaudreau brothers were killed in August after they had been struck by a driver whereas bicycling in New Jersey.
The driving force, Sean M. Higgins, has been charged with two counts of dying by auto and faces fees of reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motorcar. Prosecutors allege he had a blood-alcohol stage of .087, above the authorized restrict (.08) within the state.
Johnny Gaudreau, an 11-year veteran within the NHL, was approaching his third season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He had been with the Calgary Flames for 9 years earlier than signing with Columbus.
Like his older brother, Matthew Gaudreau competed collegiately at Boston Faculty. After enjoying professionally, he finally returned to his highschool alma mater, Gloucester Catholic, as its hockey coach.
Throughout their funeral, Matthew’s spouse, Madeline, highlighted in her eulogy how shut the brothers had been.
“The bond that Matt and John shared is one thing that, except you knew them personally, even essentially the most excellent phrases, footage, or movies can’t adequately describe it,” she said. “They had been hooked up on the hip. They slept in the identical room up till faculty, and neither of them ever wished that to vary. … To know each of them was to really love them. It was unattainable to not fall in love with them. Meredith mentioned it finest: You don’t hear one title with out the opposite. They had been so extraordinarily happy with one another.”
The NHL season will get underway Oct. 8. The tribute to the Gaudreaus will stay on each helmet via Oct. 24, which is when the ultimate group has its house opener. The Blue Jackets previously unveiled the same decal they plan to put on on their helmets for your complete yr.
