Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield recently announced his plan to honor Johnny Gaudreau, who died in a tragic accident last week.
Gaudreau and his younger brother Matthew died last Thursday after the two were struck by a drunk driver while biking in their hometown of Oldmans Township, N.J.
Caufield grew up idolizing Gaudreau as an inspiration for smaller players in the NHL. The 5’9″ Gaudreau was a Calder Trophy finalist in 2015 and was named an All-Star during his final season with the Calgary Flames in 2022.
On Tuesday, Caufield announced in a heartfelt Instagram post that he would be switching his jersey number from No. 22 to Gaudreau’s No. 13 for the upcoming NHL season.
“Getting to play with your hero is something that most people only dream of,” Caufield captioned his Instagram post. “I was lucky enough to be Johnny’s teammate this past summer and it didn’t take long to realize how great of a person he was. He was the most welcoming, genuine, and funniest guy I have ever met. He was someone everyone gravitated towards and I took every chance I could to be around him.
“Not only was he an amazing hockey player and teammate, but he was down to earth and truly cared about every person he encountered.”
Caufield, who stands at 5’8″, also thanked Gaudreau for “paving the way” for smaller hockey players, proving that they “had a future in this game at the highest level.”
The two were never teammates in the NHL. Gaudreau played for both the Calgary Flames and the Columbus Blue Jackets, while Caufield has only suited up for the Canadiens.
However, Gaudreau and Caufield were able to take the ice together as members of the US team for the IIHF World Championship held earlier this year.
Gaudreau’s impact to hockey is undeniable. But based on his wife Meredith’s recent Instagram posts, Johnny may have been an even better person, partner, and father.
