Guy Gaudreau skates with Flames ahead of ceremony honouring sons

Guy Gaudreau took the ice at the Saddledome on Monday, chatting with numerous Calgary Flames players ahead of an emotional game on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The father of the late Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau was a fixture in Calgary rinks for the decade that Johnny starred for the team before signing with Columbus in 2022. The Flames asked him to serve as a guest coach at Monday’s skate.

Johhny and Matthew died in August after they were struck by a car driven by a suspected drunk driver while riding their bikes in Oldmans Township, N.J. Thousands of Flames fans attended a vigil for the brothers at the Saddledome a week after they died.

The Blue Jackets hosted the Flames last Friday, and many members of the Gaudreau family, including Guy and his wife, Jane, Johnny’s wife, Meredith, and sisters Katie and Kristen, have made the trip to Calgary for Tuesday’s rematch. The Flames have a pregame ceremony planned that will feature a video tribute and ceremonial puck drop.

Gaudreau spoke with several Flames players between drills during Monday’s practice, including Rasmus Andersson and Blake Coleman. At one point, Andersson and Gaudreau embraced.

“We talked about life,” Andersson said. “You try to spend a lot of time talking about hockey.”

Andersson said that Gaudreau was in good spirits and even had some friendly constructive criticism for the team.

“I told him he’s got to help us out there get our goal scoring going,” Andersson said. “He had his own conclusion why we’re not scoring. It was great just talking to him about that.”

Coleman said that Gaudreau was even teasing him.

“He started chirping me [after a drill],” Coleman said. “He said, ‘That’s all you got?’ It’s fun.”

Flames head coach Ryan Huska said that he called Guy several weeks ago and invited him to skate with the team ahead of the game.

“Hockey is kind of a family, and he and his family were a big part of this community,” Huska said. “We asked him to help teach our guys how to score. He did a good job with his son, so we asked if he could help some of our players along today. It was nice to have him out there, for sure.”

Several players and coaches said that the death of the Gaudreau brothers has changed their perspective on life.

“It’s a reminder everyday of how fragile life is and you’ve got to have your priorities right,” Coleman said. “I’ve got my little ones here today. Just little reminders to just spend time and be there for your family because you never know.

“Anytime something like that happens, you always re-evaluate,” Huska added, “especially if you’re a parent.”

Long-time Flames teammate Sean Monahan, who signed with the Blue Jackets last summer to play with Johnny, was visibly emotional when talking about their relationship on Monday.

“I’m still going through [the grief],” he said. “Good days, bad days…you just kind of take it day by day and try and enjoy life as much as you can.”

Monahan singled out Johnny’s Game 7 overtime winner in 2022 versus the Dallas Stars as a memory that stands out. Monahan was injured and didn’t dress, but met Johnny in the hallway right after.

“That hug after he scored that overtime goal is definitely one that I’ll always look back on and we have footage of it too,” Monahan said.

Four months after the tragedy, the Blue Jackets and Flames keep Johnny’s memory alive in various ways both public and private.

Columbus has kept his locker room stall at home and on the road. Monahan said he purposely does interviews in front of it. The Calgary Flames Foundation has made donations in his honour to the Calgary Food Bank and other charities. Coleman and Andersson have said they think of him often.

Blue Jackets blueliner Erik Gudbranson met Johnny during his lone season in Calgary in 2021-22. They formed a tight friendship and each wound up Columbus that off-season in free agency.
Gudbranson said the Jackets still share Johnny stories.  

“We giggle about him all the time,” he said. “You have a beer and you’re sitting down talking to each other and you’re like, ‘Remember when Johnny did this?’ Or ‘Imagine if John saw that.”
Guy Gaudreau’s presence has been part of that healing process.

He’s skated with the Flames, Blue Jackets, and Philadelphia Flyers this season. He and the Gaudreau family will surely get a rousing ovation from Flames fans before Tuesday’s game.

“It’s good to see him back where he belongs, on the ice,” Coleman said. "It’s healing for everybody to be together.”