Conroy remembers Gaudreau as a special player and person

Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy spoke publicly Tuesday for the first time about his relationship with former Flames star Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed last week in a cycling accident in Oldmans Township, N.J., by an alleged drunk driver. Gaudreau’s younger brother, Matthew, also died in the accident. 

Conroy, who wrote a tribute to Gaudreau on the Flames website, worked in the Flames front office for the forward’s entire eight-season tenure with the Flames. Gaudreau was drafted in 104th overall in 2011, and the Flames were eager to sign him after his freshman season at Boston College. 

Conroy led the Flames contingent that travelled to Gaudreau’s hometown of Salem, N.J., multiple times that summer to meet with his parents and try to convince him to turn pro, but Gaudreau wanted to remain in college. 

Two seasons later, Conroy finally got Gaudreau’s signature on a pro contract in April of 2014. “Johnny Hockey” would score in his first NHL game just two days later, a 5-1 Flames loss in Vancouver to end their season.

On Tuesday, he spoke to TSN about their relationship, his memories of Gaudreau, and how the organization is coping with the tragedy.

TSN: How have these past few days been for you? 

Conroy: “Heartbreaking, to say the least. But the one thing is, we have so many people that have been here and worked with Johnny. We’ve all been hanging out together, not being alone, being together, telling a lot of the good stories. You have your emotional highs and lows, and you're mad, you're crying. But then when you think all of the all the positives and good stuff when Johnny was here, it brings a smile to your face. It almost doesn't seem true.”

TSN: Who do you lean on and how is this organization supporting one another? 

Conroy: “We reached out to everybody, and we have support that's there for everybody. For me personally, to have my good friends that work here and that know Johnny, we've all been able to be together. You call them, ‘Hey, can you come to my house? My wife hasn't been here.’ 

It's not a time to be by yourself and to have them come over, it means more than I can put into words, because of that support. We lost a great friend, and Matthew too. We didn't know Matthew as well, but if you knew Johnny, you knew Matthew. We knew that special bond that they had. So, it's been heartbreaking.”

TSN: What was Johnny the human being like? 

Conroy: “Johnny was just such a good person. Laid back, loved hockey. Nothing bothered Johnny. I'd say, ‘Johnny, you’ve got to do your taxes.’ I’m like, ‘We have to get the taxes to Lewis [Gross, Johnny’s agent]. We have to do certain little things. Your rent, your different things you need to do.’ He's like, ‘I just want to play hockey, Craig.’

That was him, but I think when I look back, when I see his interaction with his teammates, with the staff and with us, for being a superstar, he was so gracious to everybody. He just never got a big head. The way he treated the fans, the way he treated people in Calgary, that's why you see this outpouring, because they love Johnny the person more than they love Johnny the player.

Johnny the player was the bonus for us. Johnny the person was special, and his family was special to this city. When I look back all those great moments [in the city], playing at West Hillhurst [Arena in Calgary] with [Johnny’s father] Guy Gaudreau, shinny hockey, and that was like his third game. I'm thinking, ‘Are you kidding me, Guy?’ 

Those are special things. To see [Johnny’s mother] Jane. His uncle always would be posting things online. I loved it. I thought it was great, because they just had a special bond with the city and the city had a special bond with them.” 

TSN: What stands out about trying to get him to sign with the Flames while he was in college?

Conroy: “How hard it was. I thought it was going to be really easy. We were going to go in and get it done and then when I got there, I learned quickly that it wasn't going to be that easy. Jane really wanted him to go back [to Boston College], and Jane was going to be the one more so than Johnny was going [to make that decision,] if Jane was willing. In the end, I think at 11:30 in their driveway, from what I'm told, is when Johnny said, ‘Mom, I really would want to go [turn pro].’

They talked about it, and then I got a call about it an hour later. They wanted to be a Calgary Flame, and they were excited. I slept a lot easier that night.”

TSN: How special was the Gaudreau family’s bond with the city of Calgary?

Conroy: “Once we got over the signing, they were all in. They loved the city. Sometimes I'm like, ‘Are we making the Gaudreaus do too much [media appearances]?’ They're always doing interviews and they're on TV. I said, ‘Is it too much?’ I asked Johnny one day, and he's like, ‘No, my parents love it. They love being a part of this. They love when people come talk to them and talk about our relationship and what it's been like to be a Calgary Flame.’ 

I used to always love the Gaudreaus coming because, as great as Johnny was, when they were coming, I knew it was going to go to another level. He always played better when his parents were in the building.”

TSN: What do you think Johnny's legacy should be to fans of the Flames? 

Conroy: “There’s eras here in Calgary. You had the [Stanley Cup champion] ‘89 guys, with [Al] MacInnis, [Joe] Nieuwendyk, [Theo] Fleury, [Mike] Vernon, and Lanny [McDonald]. Then you had Jarome [Iginla] and Kipper [Miikka Kiprusoff]. Johnny started that next group when we were going forward. 

It brought a lot of Calgary Flames fans back and it gave a lot of young kids hope, especially smaller kids. ‘If Johnny can do it, I can do it.’ That's what he always said, ‘Anybody can do it. You believe in yourself.’

I think he's just a special, special player for us and he did so many amazing things. Everyone's got [a story], ‘I was at a game.’ 

For me personally, I was there the whole time. I got to watch so many of those moments live, and I always joke around that I even enjoyed watching him practise more, because he would do some amazing things. It's just a special, special person and player. He's always going to be a Calgary Flame.”

TSN: Lastly, how does this organization move forward during such a tough time? 

Conroy: “We're just taking it day by day right now, and it's never going to be easy. We're always going to be thinking about Johnny. He's going to be there – him and Matty and the whole family. They mean that much to us that. We're just going to take it day by day and work through it. But we're never going to forget him.”