Canadians star Cole Caufield will honor his late friend Johnny Gaudreau each time he takes the ice this upcoming season.
Caufield announced Tuesday he will switch from his traditional No. 22 jersey to No. 13 to honor the former Blue Jackets star who, along with his brother, Matthew, was killed last week by a suspected drunk driver in New Jersey, a day before their sister’s wedding.
Gaudreau and Caufield were teammates on Team USA during the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship this May.
“The last few years playing as #22 have been some of the best years of my life. It truly has been a dream come true and I will forever hold those memories and that number close to me,” Caufield wrote in an Instagram post featuring the new jersey. “I wore #13 at a point in my career because of Johnny and now I will be wearing it again to honor him. He paved the way for smaller players and proved we had a future in this game at the highest level. I will forever be grateful to him for inspiring me and others.
“Rest in Peace, Johnny hockey.”
Gaudreau debuted in 2014, seven years before Caufield took the ice for the first time with Montreal. He wore No. 53 in his initial season before transition to No. 13 for his next 10 seasons.
While the two never shared an NHL locker room, they competed against each other while Gaudreau played for the Flames from 2013-22 and then for the Blue Jackets the last two seasons.
As Caufield noted in his post, Gaudreau excelled despite standing at 5-foot-9 and 163 pounds. Caufield is just 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds, but the forward has become an important part of the Canadiens’ roster.
It’s telling that the small time the two shared as Team USA teammates left such a mark on Caufield that he wanted to make this change for the 2024-25 season.
That glowing sentiment seems to be a common impression the brothers left on those they knew.
“We all lost an amazing person, both on and off the ice, in last week’s tragedy,” Caufield captioned the post including photos of his new jersey and the two competing in 2021. “My deepest condolences go to the entire Gaudreau family, especially Johnny’s wife and two kids, who I had the pleasure of meeting. Nothing will be able to fill the void in their families and loved ones hearts, but I hope it provides some comfort to know how these two positively impacted the lives of so many. They will truly be missed.
“Getting to play with your hero is something that most people only dream of. 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.”
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