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How the Columbus Blue Jackets continue to keep Johnny Gaudreau's spirit alive
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- How the Columbus Blue Jackets continue to keep Johnny Gaudreau's spirit alive
Johnny Gaudreau's death on Aug. 29, 2024 , took the Blue Jackets' top scoring forward and a beloved friend away.
They were forced to deal with the gravity of his loss in the same car/bike crash that took his brother Matthew's life and was caused by an alleged drunk driver.
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"There's no manual for that situation," said center Sean Monahan, who signed with the Blue Jackets to reunite with Gaudreau. "He's going to be missed for the rest of my life and by all the guys on the team, but I still think about it every day."
The Blue Jackets never let Gaudreau's memory fade, keeping his spirit alive by incorporating memories and reminders of him throughout a season that nearly led to a playoff berth. That's not changing for the upcoming season.
"The whole idea is that Johnny is a presence for us," Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. "He's going to be with us if he's not here physically, so he's going to help us and he's going to teach."
Here are some ways they kept Gaudreau's spirit with them:
Blue Jackets left wing Johnny Gaudreau takes the ice prior to the 2023-24 season opener.
Johnny Gaudreau taught Blue Jackets through video
Evason and his coaching staff had a moment while putting together videos when they debated whether to keep the ones with Gaudreau or cut them. They opted to keep him in there regardless of the clip's intention.
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"Keeping him in our video was one of my favorite things we did," center Adam Fantilli said. "We'd see him on video all the time, and it would be a quick reminder of something that sucks, but also how amazing he was at the game. It was really cool to see."
The Johnny Skate
After most practices, the Blue Jackets line up in a corner at one end of the ice. Down at the other end is an empty net that a chosen shooter tries to hit from about 200 feet out. A goal gives the Blue Jackets one lap around the rink. A miss nets three.
It's an homage to Gaudreau's jersey No. 13.
"I've always done that type of thing, where you shoot it and you get either one or two laps, or one and four," Evason said. "As we chatted as a staff, we said, 'Why don't we make it the Johnny Skate, one or three?' I think (Monahan) shot the first time."
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Guy Gaudreau, Johnny and Matthews' father, also fired a shot after a practice he attended as a special on-ice guest. Prior to shooting, he announced that he would purposely miss his shot to give their legs a workout.
Once a coach, always a coach.
Columbus Blue Jackets introduce Gaudreau donkey hat award
Before Gaudreau's death, captain Boone Jenner had already planned to switch the Blue Jackets' postgame award after wins from a Civil War-era kepi hat to something else.
After Gaudreau's passing, Jenner was speaking with Dustin "Dusty" Halstead, an equipment manager and Halstead joked that he should put a donkey on a piece of Erik Gudbranson's equipment, since Gaudreau often called the hulking defenseman a donkey.
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"I was just like, 'Boom, there it is. Donkey hat for player of the game,' " Jenner said.
Blue Jackets forward Sean Monahan wears the team's player of the game award, a donkey hat that honors late teammate Johnny Gaudreau.
He went home, ordered a handful of styles and picked one out.
Monahan wore it first, barely able to get it pulled over a mane of hair after helping the Blue Jackets stun the Colorado Avalanche to split a two-game road trip that opened the season.
"He'd call me a donkey every day," Monahan said. "It was a bit of a group decision, and it was pretty special. I remember the first time I got that hat in Colorado. It's still a moment I think about quite a bit. It's honoring him, but I'm sure he was laughing at me when I put it on."
Fans high five members of the Blue Jackets during a pep rally at St. John Arena prior to their NHL Stadium Series game against the Red Wings on March 1, 2025.
Blue Jackets adopt Johnny Gaudreau's wardrobe
When it came to fashion, Gaudreau was low maintenance. The guy loved hoodie sweatshirts, sweatpants, ballcaps and Uggs – often wearing all in one outfit.
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Incorporating those items into the look the Blue Jackets wore to their NHL Stadium Series matchup against the Detroit Red Wings was a unanimous decision. Meredith made sure they were authentic, too, ordering powder blue hoodies from Avalon Surf Shop in Avalon, New Jersey.
They wore black sweatpants, Uggs and black designer ballcaps to complete a look that Gaudreau wore countless times. It sent chills down their spines to see each other dressed like him, while Monahan's wife, Brittany, couldn't hide her reaction.
"I got dressed at home," Monahan said. "I walked out of the room and my wife broke out laughing because it was spot on."
The Blue Jackets walk to Ohio Stadium prior to their NHL Stadium Series game against the Red Wings. Players wore an outfit similar to that Johnny Gaudreau regularly wore.
That wasn't the only time the Blue Jackets wore those outfits. Following their outdoor victory, players randomly wore the ballcaps, sweatpants and/or hoodies around Nationwide Arena.
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"I was just hanging out with (Jake) Christiansen recently and he was wearing the hat, and I saw Silly (Cole Sillinger) wearing it a couple weeks ago," forward Kent Johnson said. "I still wear it, too, in the summer. It's cool to have those clothes, and you think of him every time you put it on."
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social
Coming Sunday
Special section:How Gaudreau's passing has shaped the Blue Jackets
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: How the Columbus Blue Jackets keep Johnny Gaudreau's spirit alive
