Canadiens’ Cole Caufield reveals No. 13 jersey change in honor of Johnny Gaudreau | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

“We all lost an incredible person, both on and off the ice, in last week’s tragedy. My deepest condolences to the entire Gaudreau family, especially Johnny’s wife and two children, whom I had the pleasure of knowing. Nothing will fill the void in the hearts of their families and loved ones, but I hope we can take comfort in the positive impact these two have had on so many lives. They will be truly missed.

The opportunity to play with your hero is something most people only dream of. I was fortunate enough to be Johnny’s teammate last summer and it didn’t take me long to realize what a great person he was. He was the most welcoming, genuine, and funniest guy I’ve ever met. He was someone everyone gravitated towards, and I took every opportunity to be around him. Not only was he an incredible hockey player and teammate, but he was also down-to-earth and genuinely cared about everyone he met.

The last few years playing as #22 were some of the best years of my life. It was a dream come true and I will forever hold those memories and that number close to me. I wore #13 at one point in my career because of Johnny and now I will wear it again to honor him. He paved the way for smaller players and proved that we have a future in the game at the highest level. I will forever be grateful to him for inspiring me and others.

Rest in peace, Johnny Hockey.

Gaudreau, who wore No. 13 for eight seasons with the Calgary Flames and two with the Columbus Blue Jackets, died Thursday at age 31.

He is survived by his wife Meredith and two daughters.

Caufield and Gaudreau played together for the United States Men’s National Ice Hockey Team at the 2024 IIHF World Championship in the Czech Republic.

Both also won the Hobey Baker Award for top college hockey players, with Gaudreau winning the trophy with Boston College in 2014 and Caufield winning it with Wisconsin in 2021.

Gaudreau has also been linked to Caufield for his role in promoting small forwards as draft targets for teams.