I was sitting in Iulius Park in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, minding my business last week. Sitting in the park helped me clear my mind as I took a break from writing about the Vegas Golden Knights. Later, I would go to the city center and enjoy some dinner. Why not head downtown and enjoy a pizza and Cascaval pane while seeing the city? It was the perfect time to escape the United States for a week and return with fresh eyes.
But one catastrophic news story shook the hockey community to its core on August 29. Johnny Gaudreau, a former Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets star was killed with his brother, Matthew, by a drunk driver. The two siblings were riding their bikes as their sister's wedding was a few days later.
Now, a family lost two of their beloved members, with two sons, two brothers, and two fathers gone forever. They weren't the only people devastated by the tragic news, though. Hockey fans were hit hard, with two promising stars entering the prime of their lives. It didn't matter which team you rooted for because it felt like you lost a family member yourself.
But there was much more to Gaudreau's career than being a good hockey player. His story was one of perseverance and capitalizing on his opportunity. Golden Knights fans know a similar guy who won the Conn Smythe trophy. What made "Johnny Hockey" special? What does Gaudreau teach us about life and what we can do with it?
The story of Johnny Gaudreau (from the Calgary Flames to the Columbus Blue Jackets)
It's rare to see hockey players who are 5'9" make the NHL. It's even more rare when they weigh 165 lbs., where they can easily be pushed around. Still, that didn't stop Johnny Gaudreau, who was determined to make his professional dreams come true. That started with the Gloucester Catholic High School team in New Jersey, where he scored 21 goals and 27 assists in 14 games.
He dominated at Boston College, scoring 78 goals and 97 assists in three seasons and winning the Hobey Baker Award in 2014. But his biggest impact came with the Calgary Flames, where he scored 210 goals and 399 assists in nine seasons. In 2021-22, he scored 40 goals and 115 assists, making the first NHL All-Star Team. He was also on the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2014-15 and won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 2016-17. Later, he signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he immediately bonded with the community.
But his accomplishments weren't the only good things on the ice. Gaudreau was an excellent puck handler, fooling opponents with ridiculously great dangles and passes. The Vegas Golden Knights are familiar with his game, where he scored five career goals and eight assists against the team. He was a tough matchup given his puck control and quickness.
Golden Knights fans also know of a similarly undersized player with Jonathan Marchessault. The "Original Misfit" was undrafted in the NHL before making his rounds with teams such as the Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets. He was given a chance with the Golden Knights in the expansion draft, being taken with the eighth overall pick. Like Gaudreau, Marchessault defied the odds and became a prominent player by winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2023 and holding many franchise records within the Golden Knights organization.