The outpouring of support for NHL player Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed last week by a suspected drunk driver, continues to stun the hockey world.
A makeshift memorial for the forward has been erected outside Calgary's Scotiabank Saddledome and is decorated with flowers, jerseys, purple Gatorade, Skittles and messages written in chalk.
“I'm speechless,” Flames wrote to X on Monday.
Gaudreau, 31, spent the first nine years of his NHL career with Calgary after being drafted by the team in 2011 and began his professional career in 2014 after winning a national championship and Hobey Baker Award at Boston University.
He became a fan favorite during his time with the Flames, scoring 210 goals and 609 points in 602 games.
Gaudreau left town ahead of the 2022-23 season to join the Columbus Blue Jackets on a seven-year contract, but his influence in Calgary remains.
“Our hearts are broken by this heartbreaking loss,” the Flames said in a statement last week. “Jonny is and always will be a part of the Flames family. He came to Calgary at a young age and grew up here, not only as a superstar on the ice, but as a beloved member of our community.”
Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, 29, were killed when they were hit from behind while riding their bicycles on County Road 551 in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, at approximately 8 p.m. last Thursday.
They were pronounced dead at the scene.
The brothers were in town for their sister's wedding, which has since been cancelled.
“To know these two is to love these two” Katie Gaudreau he wrote on Instagram on Monday.It also included family photos: “The bond between family members cannot be expressed in words.
“The whole world knows there would be no John without Mattie and no Mattie without John. They are the best big brothers a little girl could ask for.”
“This will never be a breakup post because I will never stop calling out your names and honoring you both. Mommy, Daddy, Kristen, Mar, Madeline and your babies are all my cherish.”
