"Luckiest girl in the world": Johnny Gaudreau's widow Meredith appreciative of No. 13's most memorable stories from Blue Jackets members

By ARJUN B

Modified Oct 15, 2024 12:01 GMT

Johnny Gaudreau's widow, Meredith, finds solace in the outpouring of love and memories shared by his Blue Jackets teammates. Columbus Blue Jackets honor Gaudreau's memory before their home opener on Tuesday. His teammates have been sharing fond stories and memories of their time together.

Meredith took to social media to express how appreciative she was to read the kind words and anecdotes about her late husband, who wore Blue Jackets jersey no. 13.

"Love reading these stories. And to think I got to be his wife. Luckiest girl in the world," she wrote on X.

The tragic biking accident that claimed the lives of Johnny and his brother Matthew on August 29 near their New Jersey home sent shockwaves through the NHL community.

Meredith recently celebrated their daughter Noa's second birthday. Sharing joyful photos of a smiling Noa, Meredith highlighted the continued support from Johnny's teammates and their families, who sent loving birthday messages.

Meredith Gaudreau/Instagram story

Blue Jackets members sharing their loving memory of Johnny Gaudreau

The Columbus Blue Jackets were heartbroken to lose Johnny Gaudreau. Though Gaudreau was only in Columbus for two seasons, he made an unforgettable impact both on and off the ice.

“It’s clear how many people these two brothers touched. The stories and videos we have been seeing are incredibly moving and need to continue to be put out there to highlight just how impactful John and Matt were. Their legacy deserves to be remembered and celebrated.” Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner said.

Defenseman Zach Werenski has fond memories of celebrating with Gaudreau.

“I’ve been in Columbus for nine years, and I don’t think there’s ever been a day as exciting as when John signed here. I remember texting Boone and Eric Robinson when the reports were coming out. We just couldn’t believe it. My dad even drove over and we had a celebratory drink because we were so excited about it.”

CBJ head coach Dean Evason shared his memory of Gaudreau:

"Obviously it was quite an honor to speak with him and have that time with him personally. But at no point in our conversation in the two and a half hours did he mention he wanted to play with this guy, wanted the power play to be this.”

While he's gone, Johnny Gaudreau's legacy won't be forgotten.