Johnny Gaudreau’s sudden demise in August 2024 shook the NHL world to its very foundations. After all, who could’ve thought that a quaint bike ride with his brother would turn deadly for the NHL star? Now, six months removed from that tragedy, Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks fans joined forces to give his son a memory of a lifetime.

When the late NHL star’s wife, Meredith Gaudreau, took her son to watch the Blue Jackets vs. Blackhawks game, she had no idea the surprise that was in store for them. The Blue Jackets announcer told the crowd that it was little Gaudreau Jr.’s first birthday, and urged them to sing ‘happy birthday’ for the one-year-old.

Johnny Gaudreau’s wife struggled to hold in her tears as the entire stadium sang in unison. The late Blue Jackets star’s son continued to make appearances on the jumbotron during the intermissions, attracting cheers each time. Sportsnet posted one such video reminding fans of the special tribute. “A special moment,” said the caster.

Meredith Gaudreau felt overwhelmed with the response of the crowd in attendance. She even shared a clip of the “Heartwarming moment in Columbus during the TV timeout,” that the Spittin’ Chiclets posted on her Instagram story. “The best boy. The best momma. The best daddy. The best girl,” Mrs. Gaudreau wrote in the caption. It didn’t stop at just one post.

Johnny Gaudreau’s wife shared another clip of another special moment inside the stadium. Gaudreau shared ESPN’s post, which captured the crowd chanting the late NHL forward’s nicknames during the game. Chants of ‘Johnny Hockey’ filled the stadium. Meanwhile, Meredith Gaudreau revealed how she felt during that goosebumps-inducing moment.

“So emotional hearing this all around me,” explained Mrs. Gaudreau. But that wasn’t all. “Kept thinking how I can’t wait to show these videos to our kids one day,” added the late NHL star’s wife. That being said, let’s not forget that the hockey world is yet to recover from losing the 31-year-old.

Johnny Gaudreau’s untimely demise still hits hard

The shocking accident that claimed Gaudreau and his brother’s lives is fresh in the minds of the entire community. Team USA star Matthew Tkachuk reminded everyone how they missed Gaudreau even during the 4 Nations Face-Off. Tkachuk got emotional while speaking about his former Calgary Flames teammate ahead of the tournament finals.

Tkachuk revealed how it felt watching he former teammate’s jersey hang in the USA locker room as tribute. “Everywhere you go in that locker room, you see his jersey and that No. 13,” said the Flames forward. “You get emotional because he should be here with us competing and playing for this country,” lamented Matthew Tkachuk.

And although Tkachuk missed his teammate, it also served as a reminder for the whole team to play their hearts out. “We don’t take this opportunity for granted, and he’s one of the big things we’re playing for right now… He’s with us, and he’s looking down on us,” Matthew Tkachuck said about his late teammate. Team USA ultimately lost the final 3-2 to Canada.

However, they fought with grit until Connor McDavid scored the match-winning OT goal. So it’s safe to say that the hockey community has already immortalized Jonny Gaudreau’s memory, and his legacy will live in Gaudreau Jr. and his siblings.