It’s been almost eight months since the hockey community tragically lost Johnny Gaudreau. And although August 2024 feels like ages ago, there isn’t a day when the late hockey star’s loved ones don’t reminisce about the good times. So it was no surprise when wife Meredith Gaudreau didn’t miss sharing a post featuring her husband on the anniversary of his special achievement.

On March 27, the Instagram page In The Dome shared an image Torie Peterson posted on X in 2021. “Johnny hits the 500-game mark tonight,” Peterson wrote in the caption. She followed it up with a bunch of impressive stats, like the winger leading the Flames in points since the 2013-14 season. Yet, what truly caught Meredith Gaudreau’s and everyone else’s attention was the photograph of the young NHL star from over a decade ago.

“A flashback to his first development camp in 2011,” Peterson wrote in her caption. It was an image of a very young Johnny Gaudreau working out with one of the Flames’ training staff in the gym. His younger version looked nothing like the bearded Johnny Gaudreau whom the NHL community had grown familiar with. Meredith Gaudreau, who regularly posts about her late husband on social media, couldn’t help but share it on her Instagram story. “My baby daddy right here,” she captioned her story.

The post also put into perspective that despite his untimely demise at 31, the Flames star was nothing short of a hockey veteran. Gaudreau’s stats also spoke for the late icon’s talents and why he was a fan favorite. By the time Gaudreau reached the 500 mark with the Flames, he led “all Flames with 470 points & 139 PPP.” Peterson also pointed out that he was “2nd in goals (164) & GWG (30).”

By that time, Gaudreau was also a USHL champ, NCAA champ, and had bagged accolades the Hobey Baker award and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy among other accolades. The Flames’ player was so prolific that he became the sixth-highest points scorer (within 500 games) in Flames history. He was in the same league as Theo Fleury (531) and Hall of Famer Kent Nilsson (562). And while Meredith Gaudreau is no stranger to celebrating her late husband’s milestone, she is far from the only one who continues to cherish and honor the NHL star.

Running for Matthew and Johnny Gaudreau

The tragedy that claimed the NHL star’s life also claimed his brother Matthew Gaudreau’s life. Yet, the Gaudreau family has chosen to channel their grief to continue inspiring others, just like the brothers. So just like his wife, Meredith, the former CBJ player’s mother also takes every opportunity to extend her sons’ legacy.

The family’s latest endeavor to do so comes in the form of a charity event. However, this isn’t your regular fundraising event where guests arrive to donate money. Instead, it’s a 5k run that promises to get participants moving for a noble cause. The “1st Annual 5K Run/Walk & Family Fun Day” is also going to be the first event of its kind by the family.

Slated for May 31st at Washington Lake Park, Sewell, NJ, all proceeds from the event will go toward helping the Archbishop Damiano School construct an adaptive playground for students with disabilities. The private school, which provides an inclusive learning environment for kids with disabilities, holds a special significance for the Gaudreau family for a host of reasons. Apart from being the workplace of Jane Gaudreau and her eldest daughter, Kristen, the school was also the alma mater of the former’s brother. Besides, the Gaudreau brothers would often volunteer there, with Johnny even choosing the school as the beneficiary of the $10,000 donation after his 2023 All-Star game hat trick. Johnny Gaudreau’s mother, thus, invited everyone to sign up for the special event in memory of her sons.