The Nationwide Arena crowd recently serenaded Johnny Gaudreau’s son with a spur of the moment ‘Happy Birthday’. It was a moment of pride when nearly 20,000 fans celebrated the birthday of Johnny Gaudreau Jr., who turned one, during a break on the match day between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks on February 22. A touching act of gratitude to honor the late NHL star!

However, this time, Gaudreau’s favorite hat, hoodie, and boots were displayed before the Stadium Series match between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Detroit Red Wings on March 1. The Gaudreau family continues to be honored and made to feel included through the franchise’s course despite Gaudreau’s passing in August 2024. The ode to Johnny’s journey is a rite of passage that the Blue Jackets never fail to credit. Even more impressive is the active participation of the Detroit Red Wings in the display of solidarity for the late NHL star.

The NHL officials shared it on X—videos of the Detroit Red Wings and the Blue Jackets dressing up like Gaudreau. Both the teams arrived featuring the style of the late NHL star before their match at the Ohio Stadium. The Red Wings all wore Johnny’s hockey jersey, while the Blue Jackets’ attire was the signature Johnny flair that had been planning to adorn prior to their match. It became one of the most incredible moments in hockey history when Gaudreau’s family led the Jackets ahead for their Stadium Series.

“We wanted to do something to honor John, and we thought no better way than to dress like him,” said Zach Werenski, the defenseman of the Blue Jackets, to the NHL. The players wore everything that fitted the Johnny style—black UGG boots, black sweats, Avalon Surf Shop sweatshirts, and black AMIRI hats, that too with three black stars! It was a potpourri of everything that reflected Johnny. Talking about the style, Werenski said he wore the same stuff all the time. Every time Johnny was off the ice, he could be seen wearing his laid-back fit that made him a special person. And to honor the special person “We just thought it was a great idea to dress like him,” said Werenski.

The Detroit Red Wings had plans of their own, ensuring they didn’t miss the opportunity to honor Gaudreau’s legacy. Some of their players wore Boston College jerseys as a tribute to Gaudreau’s NCAA games and the 2011 NHL draft. While others highlighted his time in the USHL with the Dubuque Fighting Saints. Some also wore jerseys of Matthew Gaudreau, the younger brother, who also died in the accident. And the Red Wings captain, Dylan Larkin, who shared the ice with Gaudreau during the 2018 and 2019 World Championships, paid a personal tribute by wearing the iconic No. 13 jersey in his honor!

Team USA felt the void of Johnny Gaudreau’s absence

The Number 13 Gaudreau jersey was showcased perfectly in the Team USA locker room. During the 4 Nations Face Off, this was an honor of the team members to their beloved teammate Gaudreau, for they didn’t just want to pay their tribute as a namesake but to win the tournament for the star. In addition to this, the team went out of their way to invite Gaudreau’s father for dinner as a respectful offering. The following day, he was invited for the practice session too.

“He’s a guy that went to a ton of World Championships, scored big goals, and scored big goals in the World Juniors. He was a USA Hockey legend. He’s a guy that probably would have been on this team. It definitely gives us some extra motivation,” said Werenski, reflecting on his career as part of USA Hockey—winning gold with the junior team and appearing four times at the IIHF World Championships. JT Miller expressed a heart fully that Gaudreau’s presence still lingers among his teammates. “He’s with us every step of the way, their whole family is” Miller said after the USA’s game with Finland.

And while the team continued to compete against their rivals in the round-robin despite securing a place in the finals, Gaudreau’s wife, Meredith, conveyed her emotions, “Wish we could be there cheering for Daddy. Thank you. Go USA,” in an Instagram story. This reflected the void that was left behind in the hearts of his kin and team members as they went on to face nations on the international stage! Nevertheless, Gaudreau’s jersey will always hold a special place in the locker room with the boys, echoing the sentiment that he will always and forever be one among them.