The Columbus Blue Jackets now have what they call a “Johnny skate” at the end of practice. It’s a shot someone takes from the far end of the ice toward the opposite goal. Make it, players skate one lap. Miss it, players skate three laps.
That’s as in 1 and 3. 13. Johnny Gaudreau’s jersey number.
And the shooter Monday missed it on purpose. Nobody minded, since it was Johnny Gaudreau’s father.
Guy Gaudreau — the father of the late brothers Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau — was a guest at the Blue Jackets’ practice in Columbus, a day before the team’s home opener against the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. He skated around with a few players, tapped his stick on the ice to encourage players as they skated past and had a fist-bump for everybody before the session ended
“He loves the game, loves hockey,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. “It was a joy to have him out there.”
Guy Gaudreau is former hockey coach at Hollydell Ice Arena and Gloucester Catholic High School in New Jersey. Johnny Gaudreau — a star who would have been entering his third season with the Blue Jackets and 11th full NHL season — and Matthew Gaudreau were killed Aug. 29 when police said they were struck by a suspected drunk driver while they were riding their bicycles on a rural road in South Jersey on the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding.
“It’s great to have Guy here,” Blue Jackets forward Sean Kuraly said. “Just reminds you of the exact same stuff John would do.”
Monday wasn’t Guy Gaudreau’s first time on the ice this season; he was a guest of the Philadelphia Flyers last month. Evason said the team got the idea to have Guy Gaudreau at practice from the gesture that Flyers coach John Tortorella made.
Tuesday night will be emotional for the Blue Jackets — for the whole NHL, really. The tributes to the Gaudreau brothers have poured in from around the hockey world for the past several weeks. In Calgary, where “Johnny Hockey” started his NHL career, goaltender Dustin Wolf‘s mask is now a memorial of sorts to the Gaudreau brothers, featuring both their jersey numbers and Johnny Gaudreau in a Flames uniform. It even includes purple Gatorade and Skittles, two of his go-to treats.
Guy Gaudreau was asked if he wanted to address the team Monday and initially declined, but eventually had a bit of a chat with players. And in case there was any doubt about whether he enjoyed being on the ice with Johnny’s club Monday, he had a question for Evason after practice.
The question: Are you having a morning skate on Tuesday?
When told that the Blue Jackets are, Guy Gaudreau said he’d be there for that as well.
“He just wants to be around,” Evason said. “It’s fantastic.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.