MONTREAL – If all the lights went out at Bell Centre during Team USA’s practice on Tuesday, you wouldn’t have noticed. Guy Gaudreau’s smile was that bright.
Gaudreau was invited by USA Hockey to be part of the 4Nations Face-Off with the team his son would have played for. John Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were tragically killed in August by an alleged drunk driver. ‘Johnny Hockey’ would have been a lock for Team USA’s roster at this tournament.
Golden Knights defenseman and Team USA player Noah Hanifin had a close friendship with the Gaudreau brothers. He was a teammate of Matthew’s at Boston College and skated alongside John for four seasons with the Calgary Flames. Having Guy Gaudreau around was commonplace during Hanifin’s time as Matthew’s classmate and John’s NHL teammate.
“It’s hard. I’ve known Guy for a long time,” Hanifin said. “Guy is just such a hockey dad. He was always around the rink. Even when I was at BC, he would drive up for every game. I saw firsthand how special Johnny and Matthew were to Guy. That will never go away. To have him here in Montreal and getting out on the ice with us is just so special. I think all of us want to stay in touch with Guy and make sure he always feels welcome around the rink because he is.”
When someone loses a friend, the relationship with their family often grows stronger. Hanifin’s bond with Guy and the rest of the Gaudreau family is one he said he will cherish for the rest of his life.
“I just try to be a friend to him and be there for him,” Hanifin said. “I can’t even imagine what it’s like to go through something like that with their whole family. I think all of us feel the same way, that we’ll help them out and support them in any way that we can.”
Team USA keeps a stall in its dressing room for Johnny Gaudreau. His number 13 jersey hangs in a locker and is a reminder that his and Matthew’s spirits are part of the team. Golden Knights center Jack Eichel said the American team’s collective love for the Gaudreau family is something it will rally around throughout the tournament.
“It’s all in the front of our minds. I think it’s something we’re all still continuing to process,” Eichel said. “Having his jersey in the locker room and having Guy here shows how much Johnny meant to USA Hockey and how much he meant to us. It’s really special to have Guy here. You want to do as well as you can for Matthew and Johnny knowing that they’re watching down on us and they’re here with us.”
Team USA general manager Bill Guerin said that the impact the Gaudreau brothers made on USA Hockey during their lives was tremendous. Having Guy with the team in Montreal was important to Guerin and the American coaching staff. He joined the team for dinner on Monday night, skated with the group at practice on Tuesday and was part of the team photo. He also took a group photo with everyone from Boston College who’s part of Team USA: Hanifin, Guerin, and forwards Matthew Boldy and Chris Kreider.
His presence has brought back of flood of fond memories for Hanifin.
“He reminds me of them all the time,” Hanifin said. “Even last night when he was there and he was walking around talking to everyone, he almost sounds like Johnny. It’s heartbreaking. Even last night when he was speaking to us, it brought back all the memories that I have with John and Matthew. It’s awful, but I think having Guy around in settings like this helps a little bit.”
