By Aaron Portzline (The Athletic)
COLUMBUS, Ohio — About 25 minutes before the Columbus Blue Jackets were scheduled to start practice on Monday in Nationwide Arena, goaltenders Elvis Merzlikins and Daniil Tarasov emerged through the tunnel to take the ice for early work with goaltending coach Niklas Bäckström.
Right behind the goalie group was Guy Gaudreau, the father of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, who died tragically two months ago when they were struck by a car while riding bicycles on a rural state highway in Oldmans Township, N.J., near their childhood home.
Gaudreau, in town ahead of the Blue Jackets’ home opener, arrived early at Nationwide on Tuesday following an invite from the team.
“I’ve been told that Johnny was a rink rat,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. “Well, the apple does not fall far from the tree. (Guy) just wanted to be on the ice. He wanted to be here. It looked on the ice like he was just having a blast. He had his gear on early. He saw Nik head out and he asked if he could go, too.
“We finished practice and I told him, anytime you want to come out (on the ice) with us, you’re more than welcome. He said, ‘Are you having a morning skate tomorrow?’ So he’s coming out (on Tuesday), too. He wants to be around. And it’s fantastic to have him.”
Tuesday’s game against the Florida Panthers will not celebrate the opening of a new season. Instead, it will celebrate the memory of the Gaudreau brothers. It figures to be an emotional evening in Nationwide Arena, with Guy and other members of his family present for a pregame ceremony.
It’s fitting that the game will be against the Panthers, who won the Stanley Cup last spring. One of Florida’s top players is Matthew Tkachuk, who became extremely close with Gaudreau during their seasons together in Calgary.
The idea to have Guy Gaudreau join them for practice was sparked by former Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, who invited Gaudreau to take the ice with his Philadelphia Flyers one day last month during training camp. As with the Flyers, the Blue Jackets players seemed energized by his presence.
“Guy’s on my mind, in my heart, all the time,” said center Sean Monahan, who signed a free-agent deal with Columbus over the summer, in part to play with Johnny Gaudreau, a former teammate in Calgary. They dreamed of raising their kids together in Columbus. “He’s a special person and obviously a great dad. Guy was a great coach for his kids. (Having him on the ice with us), it brings emotions. It’s nice to have him here in good spirits.”
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