Blue Jackets to Honor Johnny, Matthew Gaudreau with Helmet Decal During NHL Season

The Columbus Blue Jackets will honor Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau throughout the 2024-25 NHL season.

As part of the preliminary plans to honor the brothers who died on Aug. 29, Blue Jackets players will wear a special decal on their helmets that includes "Gaudreau" and two doves between the numbers 13 and 21.

In lieu of their traditional opening-night activities, the Blue Jackets will celebrate the memory of the Gaudreau brothers when they host the Florida Panthers at Nationwide Arena on Oct. 15. Fans in attendance will receive a No. 13 patch like the one players will wear on their jerseys.

Johnny Gaudreau wore No. 13 for most of his NHL career. Matthew Gaudreau wore No. 21 during his college career at Boston College.

The brothers died when a suspected drunk driver struck them while they were riding their bikes during the night of Aug. 29. New Jersey State police said the driver was traveling in the same direction as them in an SUV when he attempted to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind at around 8 p.m. local time.

Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, were pronounced dead at the scene. A prosecutor said on Sept. 13 that the driver of the vehicle had a blood-alcohol level of .087 at the time of the incident, above the New Jersey legal limit of .08.

The driver has been charged with two counts of death by auto, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle.

Johnny Gaudreau played 11 seasons in the NHL. He was a fourth-round draft pick by the Calgary Flames in 2011 and made his debut with the team in April 2014.

After nine seasons with the Flames, Johnny signed with the Blue Jackets as a free agent in July 2022. He appeared in 161 games with Columbus over the past two seasons.

Matthew spent the majority of his professional career with the Worcester Railers in the ECHL. He played four seasons at Boston College from 2013-14 to 2016-17.

The Blue Jackets will open the regular season on Oct. 10 against the Minnesota Wild. Their traditional opening-night festivities will be held on Oct. 17 against the Colorado Avalanche.