Johnny Gaudreau's wife Meredith expresses heartfelt gratitude toward Blue Jackets' support after husband's tragic death

Meredith Gaudreau, the wife of late Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau, shared her gratitude for the Blue Jackets' support following her husband's death last year.

She posted photos from the Stadium Series game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday and thanked the team for their support. Meredith wrote:

“Thank you @bluejacketsnhl for helping us turn some really hard days into very special memories 💙 So grateful for you. So grateful for John for giving us this hockey family ♥️. Miss you so much @johngaudreau03 😘”

Meredith and her children, Noa and John, took part in pregame ceremonies. The Blue Jackets honored Johnny Gaudreau, who died in August last year after being struck by a drunk driver.

The game was a special night for Columbus fans. The Blue Jackets beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-3 in their first outdoor game. Elvis Merzlikins made 43 saves, while Justin Danforth scored the game-winner.

Players and fans showed support for the Gaudreau family. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin said (via NHL.com):

"I know we just lost to those guys twice, but you know what those guys have been through. And, you know, knowing Zach (Werenski) personally, like they've been through the ringer and this city, this night was special. And I hope Mr. and Mrs. Gaudreau had something to smile about tonight.

"I want both of our teams in the playoffs, and I think those guys have quite the story going right now. And sometimes it's bigger than the game. Those guys are doing something that I tip my cap to and can appreciate."

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Johnny Gaudreau’s wife, Meredith, thanked Larkin and both teams for the support

Johnny Gaudreau’s wife, Meredith, thanked the NHL, Red Wings and the Blue Jackets for honoring her late husband.

Red Wings players, including Dylan Larkin, wore Gaudreau’s Team USA and NHL jerseys. Meredith shared an Instagram post, thanking Larkin for the tribute.

“@dylanlarkin71 thank you. Blew us away ❤️❤️ John's guy 🤝 Dylan’s been to Avalon with him tooo!! Getting you a hoodie 😆,” she wrote.

Johnny Gaudreau's wife also wrote an open letter appreciating both teams for their support.

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The Standium Series game was special for the NHL

The 2025 Stadium Series game between the Red Wings and Blue Jackets had 94,571 fans and 1.6 million TV viewers. It was the most-watched Stadium Series game on cable, with a 16% increase from 2024.

Retail sales set a single-game record. ABC’s Bruins vs. Penguins game also saw strong viewership, averaging 1.1 million viewers. The 4 Nations Face-Off final earlier drew 16.1 million viewers.