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Calgary Flames goaltender Dan Vladar unveiled a custom mask paying tribute to the late NHL player Johnny Gaudreau ahead of Friday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Gaudreau’s sister Katie shared her gratitude to Vladar and the entire hockey community for the love they have received.
Katie took to her Instagram to reshare a post by the page ‘ginohard_’, which depicted Dan Vladar holding his new goaltender mask with a black and white art of Johnny Gaudreau. In the caption, she wrote:
“Amazing. Thankful for this hockey community."
The mask featuring imagery honoring Gaudreau will be worn by Vladar during both games against Columbus and later auctioned for charity.
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Johnny, who was drafted by the Flames in 2011, played with Calgary for nine seasons before joining Columbus in 2022. Tragically, Johnny and his brother Matthew passed away in a cycling accident on Aug. 29, when they were struck by a suspected drunk driver in New Jersey.
The Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets have planned tributes to celebrate Johnny’s legacy during their matchup. CBJCENTER posted an image of a special #13 jersey for the game, a nod to Johnny’s No. 13.
Johnny Gaudreau’s wife expresses her gratitude to NHLer's former teammate and family
The tragic death of Matthew and Johnny Gaudreau shook the entire hockey community and those close to him. Amid the grief, Johnny’s former teammate and close friend Sean Monahan has been a pillar of support for the Gaudreau family, according to Johnny's wife Meredith.
Monahan, who joined the Columbus Blue Jackets this summer on a five-year, $27.5 million contract, has spoken about his connection to Johnny and his family. In an interview, he shared how much Johnny’s friendship meant to him.
“A huge reason I'm here [in Columbus] is because of John [Gaudreau], and I play for him, his wife, his kids, his family, and the guys in the room. At the same time, you are playing for yourself to get through a time like this. I try to enjoy it as much as I can.” [H/T Sportsnet]
On Friday, Meredith Gaudreau reposted Sportsnet’s Instagram post about Monahan’s comments on her Instagram story. She expressed her gratitude for Monahan and his wife, Brittany Rosenbergat.
In the caption, she wrote:
“Helping me with house chores, spending his free time with our kids to late nights watching TV together, spending holidays together...Sean & Britt have always been the best. John idolized him. Family type of friends. Forever type of people.”
Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan were very close during their eight seasons together with the Calgary Flames. They hoped to continue their friendship when Monahan signed with the Blue Jackets to stay near Gaudreau. However, tragedy struck on when Johnny and his brother Matthew were killed in late August.
