It’s been a tough few days.
As the sports would mourns the passing of Calgary Flames legend, Johnny Gaudreau, and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, ideas are being discussed on how to best honour the life of one of Calgary’s most influential people.
From wearing #13 Gaudreau jerseys on the Flames’ upcoming 2024–25 home opener, to wearing the jersey again every time a game falls on the 13th of any month, there are so many ways that fans are thinking to offer tribute to Johnny Hockey.
While all these ideas are incredible in their own way, and should all be done, the one thing the Flames organization should do is retire Gaudreau’s #13 jersey as soon as this season, with the Gaudreau family’s blessing, of course.
Retiring a jersey is a special honour reserved for those who truly made an impact to a franchise, and are considered as a franchise legend.
Why they should retire his number
I can’t think of any reason why Gaudreau doesn’t meet that criteria.
His story is one of a kind. From humble beginnings in Philadelphia (Carney’s Point, NJ, to be exact), Gaudreau worked his way up from being drafted in the fourth round as an undersized winger, to the NHL’s elite.
He sits fifth in franchise history for points with 609, eighth in goals with 210, fifth in assists with 399, and played the sixth most seasons with nine. Gaudreau is one of just three Flames players to win the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, and one of just five to finish as a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy. He scored one of the most franchise-defining goals in Game 7 overtime against the Dallas Stars in 2022, and represented the team and city numerous times at All-Star games and international competitions.
Even more than all of this is the way that he inspired a generation of Flames fans to play and excel at hockey. Gaudreau proved that just because you don’t look like a hockey player, doesn’t mean you can’t be one, and a damn good one at that. The Flames have seen a lot of stars play in the Saddledome over the years, but few have inspired like Johnny Hockey did.
When Gaudreau came back to town after signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022, he was met with a chorus of cheers and boos from the crowd, both reactions a result of fans’ love for him as a player and person.
It shouldn’t even be a discussion of whether his number deserves to be retired or not. It does, and it should be.
Having played for just two NHL franchises in his career, it’s only fitting that his number is retired in a game between the Flames and Blue Jackets. This upcoming season, that game is Tuesday December 3, 2024.
Gaudreau touched the lives of so many in this city and around the globe, and was truly this generation’s icon and face of the franchise. He made people want to watch Flames games, and be proud to be Flames fans.
Thank you, Johnny, for everything you did for this city. You will never be forgotten, and I hope your jersey flies in the rafters forever, alongside the other Flames greats, where it belongs.
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