Johnny Gaudreau's wife Meredith to lead Blue Jackets onto ice against Red Wings at Stadium Series

Johnny Gaudreau's wife, Meredith, will lead the Columbus Blue Jackets onto the field at Ohio Stadium on Saturday night. The team will face the Detroit Red Wings in the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series.

Gaudreau and his brother Matthew died in August. The loss was tragic for his family, teammates, and fans. The team expects a crowd of more than 90,000 for this game. Meredith’s presence will remind everyone of Johnny’s impact on the team.

Coach Dean Evason spoke with captain Boone Jenner about Gaudreau’s love for the game. Evason asked if Johnny would have enjoyed this moment. Jenner quickly replied (via NHL.com),

"Hell, yeah, he would."

Gaudreau joined the Blue Jackets in 2022 to help build something special. His jersey hangs in the locker room every night. The team honors him after each game with a donkey hat, a tribute to his nickname for teammates.

The Blue Jackets see this game as more than just another match. It is a chance to honor Johnny’s memory.

“We think about him and what he would do a lot of times,” Jenner said (via NHL.com). “‘What would Johnny do, or what would Johnny say? How would he approach this?’ There’s no doubt he would have had a blast. We’re going to play for him, obviously, tomorrow like we have all year and honor him that way, the best way we can.”

Johnny Gaudreau’s family remains close to the team. His father, Guy, skates with the players in practice. His mother, Jane, joined the team’s mothers' trip. The family skate on Friday would have been another moment Johnny cherished.

Meredith Gaudreau leading the team onto the ice will be a special tribute. It will show Johnny Gaudreau’s love for the game, his family, and his teammates. The Blue Jackets will play with his memory in mind.

Meredith Gaudreau thanks Blue Jackets for honoring Johnny Gaudreau’s mother on mom’s trip

On Thursday, Meredith Gaudreau, wife of Johnny Gaudreau, thanked the Columbus Blue Jackets for including his mother, Jane, in their mothers' trip. The team invited her to honor Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau’s memories.

The Blue Jackets shared a group photo with Jane on Instagram. Meredith reposted it, thanking the players, their mothers, and the staff for their support. She called Jane the "strongest mom, MIL, and Mom-Mom."

“The boys are taking good care of Mom-Mom ❤️,” she wrote. Thank you @bluejacketsnhl players, their moms and the staff for making this trip so special for such a deserving hockey mom! @jgaudreau311 strongest mom, MIL and Mom-Mom for all of us ❤️."

The Blue Jackets’ Moms' Trip lets players bring their mothers on a road trip. They travel with the team, attend games, and join activities.