August 13th would have ben Johnny Gaudreau’s 32nd birthday. Although it has been almost a year since he passed, lots of birthday messages were posted by his family, organizations, and hockey fans around the world. Gaudreau is missed by so many, and he gave hockey fans so many great memories. In order to honour and celebrate his birthday, we thought it would be a great idea to take a walk down memory lane. What is your favourite memory of Johnny Gaudreau? We asked, you answered.
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Remembering Johnny Gaudreau
We presented the below question to our readers for them to reply with their best Johnny Gaudreau memory.
Heorics against the Ducks in 2015
This moment (and year was incredible for the Flames. The team was not even supposed to be in the playoffs, however, the young, skilled rookie Johnny Gaudreau gave the team a massive boost. It seemed like no matter what, the Flames would find any way to get themselves a win, even if it meant coming back from a deficit. This is where the “Find a Way Flames” were born. During round two of the NHL playoffs, the Flames were up against a very good Anaheim Ducks team. With less than a minute left, the Flames were down by one goal, and needed someone to be the hero to make the series 2–1 for the Ducks. With 20 seconds left, here comes Johnny Gaudreau, sniping a game-tying goal, and making the crowd erupt.
First NHL goal
Back when Gaudreau was just a little guy wearing number 53, not many knew just how good he would become. In the last game of the 2013–14 season, Gaudreau made his NHL debut in Vancouver, and he scored the lone goal for the Flames, tipping a shot from the point past the goaltender. It was an exciting moment for not just Gaudreau, but for the whole Flames fanbase, as this was a sign of the many goals to come for the star.
Two goals in 16 seconds
10 years ago, during his rookie season, Gaudreau showed the world once again how he would be one of the league’s best players one day. In the first period against the Edmonton Oilers, Gaudreau stripped the puck in the offensive zone and put the puck past Fasth with his patented backhand five-hole move. Just a couple of seconds after, while his goal was still being announced, Gaudreau had a breakaway and once again put the puck past the Oilers’ goaltender. It was an incredible moment to see from the rookie, and fans recognized that as they started chanting “Johnny! Johnny! Johnny!” right after.
Bond with Monahan
Gaudreau and Monahan were great teammates on the ice, but off the ice, they were best friends. Earlier in their careers, it seemed like you couldn’t mention Gaudreau without mentioning Monahan, and vice versa. They were a packaged deal. They were one of the league’s best up-and-coming duos. They were most Flames fans favourite players. They did so much together off the ice, and it was clear that there was a strong bond between the two. Years later, this was truly showcased when the Flames got past the Dallas Stars in game 7, when an injured Monahan was waiting for Gaudreau in the tunnel to embrace him after scoring his game-winning goal. Although both players’ careers as Flames didn’t end how fans wanted it to, Flames fans were truly blessed to see both of these players on the ice.
Purple Gatorade
During the 2018–19 season, the Flames were one of the best teams in the league. Much of that was due to the incredible chemistry of the top line with Monahan, Lindholm, and Gaudreau. It’s unclear when exactly this tradition started, however, after every goal from that line, the three of them would always take sips out of the same purple Gatorade bottle. This started as Gaudreau’s ritual, and suddenly the whole top line was in on the tradition.
Game seven OT winner
Last but certainly not least, there is his game seven OT winner against the Dallas Stars. Unsurprisingly, this moment was the most popular response. The Flames were in a very tough series against the Dallas Stars and a goalie who was putting up a historical performance in Jake Oettinger. It was game 7, and tensions were incredibly high in the Saddledome. The Flames were dominating the Stars, but once again, Oettinger was incredible in net, and he dragged his team to overtime. The next goal would decide who was moving on to play the Oilers in round 2. Here comes Johnny Gaudreau, with the Flames’ 63rd (yes, 63rd) shot for the Flames. He took a shot from a sharp angle on the left side of the ice, and squeaked it top left right past Oettinger’s right shoulder. The rest was history. I was in this building during this goal, and I don’t even think I can put into words the emotions of what I was feeling. I have never heard the Saddledome be so loud, and I have never seen fans celebrate a goal the way they celebrated this one. This is something I, and many other Flames fans, will remember for the rest of their lives.
Thank you for the memories, Johnny
It’s been almost one year since Johnny Gaudreau passed away, and sometimes it still doesn’t really feel real. Gaudreau was such a special player, but he was even more special as a person. Flames fans were so lucky to have been able to watch him play with the Flaming C on his chest for eight years. He brought the team back to relevance, gave fans something to cheer for every night, and got fans out of their seats with his skill level constantly. A whole generation was introduced to hockey because of Johnny Gaudreau, and he is many people’s favourite player because of this. He is one of the Flames’ best players of all time, and I hope to see his number retired by the organization soon. Thank you, Johnny, for everything you have done for the city of Calgary, and for the sport of hockey. Rest in peace.
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