Gaudreau’s father goes ice with Blue Jackets – “Pleasure to have him”

The Columbus Blue Jackets now have what they call a “Johnny Skate” at the end of practice. It is a shot taken by someone from the other end of the ice at the opposite goal. If you succeed, the players run a round. Don’t miss it, players run three laps.

It’s like 1 and 3. 13. Johnny Gaudreau’s jersey number.

And the shooter on Monday intentionally missed it. It didn’t bother anyone since it was Johnny Gaudreau’s father.

Guy Gaudreau – the father of late brothers Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau – was a guest at the Blue Jackets’ practice in Columbus a day before the team’s home opener against the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. He skated around with a few players, tapped the ice with his stick to encourage players as they skated by, and gave everyone a fist bump before the session ended

“He loves the game, loves hockey,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. “It was a joy to have him out there.”

Guy Gaudreau is a former ice hockey coach at Hollydell Ice Arena and Gloucester Catholic High School in New Jersey. Johnny Gaudreau – a star who would have been starting his third season with the Blue Jackets and 11th full NHL season – and Matthew Gaudreau were killed on August 29 when police said they were hit by a suspected drunken driver, while riding bikes on a country road in South Jersey on the eve of her sister Katie’s wedding.

“It’s great to have Guy here,” Blue Jackets forward Sean Kuraly said. “Just reminds you of the exact same things John would do.”

Monday wasn’t the first time Guy Gaudreau was on the ice this season; He was a guest of the Philadelphia Flyers last month. Evason said the team got the idea to use Guy Gaudreau at practice through a gesture from Flyers coach John Tortorella.

Tuesday night will be emotional for the Blue Jackets – in fact, for the entire NHL. Tributes to the Gaudreau brothers have poured in from around the hockey world in recent weeks. In Calgary, where “Johnny Hockey” began his NHL career, goalie Dustin Wolf’s mask is now a memorial of sorts to the Gaudreau brothers, displaying both their jersey numbers and Johnny Gaudreau in a Flames uniform. It even includes purple Gatorade and Skittles, two of his favorite treats.

Guy Gaudreau was asked if he wanted to address the team on Monday and initially declined, but eventually chatted a bit with the players. And in case there was any doubt about whether he enjoyed being on the ice with Johnny’s club on Monday, he had a question for Evason after practice.

The question: Do you go skating on Tuesday morning?

When they found out the Blue Jackets were there, Guy Gaudreau said he would be there too.

“He just wants to be around,” Evason said. “It’s fantastic.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.