From Grief to Grit: The Blue Jackets’ Challenge in the Wake of Loss
On Aug. 29, 2024, the lives of a family and a hockey community were forever changed as Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother Matthew were killed in a drunk driving accident in Old Townsmanship, New Jersey. This tragedy occurred the day before they were to serve as groomsmen in their sister’s wedding. The Gaudreau brothers lived and breathed hockey, dedicating their lives to the game and becoming catalysts on their respective teams.
Gaudreau, or “Johnny Hockey,” as his teammates and fans would call him for his spirit on and off the ice, played 11 years in the National Hockey League, racking up 243 goals and 743 points, sending him to seven All-Star game appearances. The brothers grew up playing at the Hollydell Ice Arena, which has recently been renamed “Gaudreau Rink,” and then played together at Boston College. He and his brother were an integral part of the Boston College hockey program, and in 2014, Johnny was awarded the Hobey Baker Award, awarded to the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) top men's ice hockey player. From there, Johnny was drafted in 2011 by the Calgary Flames, where he played eight seasons before he signed as a free agent with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022. With the 2024-25 season on the horizon, the Columbus Blue Jackets face adversity on and off the ice. Columbus has struggled the past couple of seasons, whether it be injuries, mismanagement, or just plain bad luck—Gaudreau was to be their saving grace.
John Tortorella coached the Blue Jackets to four straight playoff runs before being fired after missing the postseason in 2021. The Blue Jackets made Mike Babcock their highest-paid coach in franchise history in 2023, however, that didn’t last long after he was let go before training camp even started due to complaints from players that his requests to look through the photos on their phones were deemed too invasive. The night before training camp started, associate coach Pascal Vincent went up in the ranks to head coach, where he coached the Blue Jackets to be one of the worst teams in the league and out of the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Now, with new general manager Don Waddell and head coach Dean Evanson, Columbus was turning over a new leaf with Gaudreau leading the offense. After his passing, team fans wondered what might be on the horizon for the Blue Jackets?
Columbus hoped to have Gaudreau and right winger Patrick Laine on a line together, but that is no longer possible. Even before Gaudreau’s death, Laine entered the NHL Player Assistance Program and told management he “needed a change of scenery.” He was traded to the Montreal Canadiens last month. Laine is known for his goal-scoring ability and would have been a leading offensive talent on the Blue Jackets. Captain and new winger Boone Jenner will need to step into a more prominent offensive role if the team can recover from these losses. Evanson said Jenner will be skating on a line this season with center Sean Monahan and winger Kirill Marchenko, a new but hopefully impactful adjustment amidst the recent tragedy. Young talents like center Adam Fantilli and forward Kent Johnson also will be stepping up into higher offensive roles this season. With Fantilli’s power and Johnson’s playmaking, they could become the missing part of the Blue Jacket’s offensive core loss.
Since the Gaudreau brothers’ passing, the Columbus Blue Jackets will honor the brothers with special stickers on their helmets. The stickers “are blue with gray trim and features GAUDREAU, two doves between the numbers 13, which Johnny wore throughout his career, and 21, which Matthew wore at Boston College, in white.” While Columbus will need to find new leadership and adjust to life without their star, Gaudreau’s legacy will live on, inspiring future generations of players, and the memory of his immense talent and passion for the game will never be forgotten.