In late August, the lives of former Calgary Flames star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were tragically cut short. On Tuesday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome, with members of the Gaudreau family in attendance, Flames fans had an opportunity to pay tribute to the brothers prior to the game between the Flames and the Columbus Blue Jackets.

By sheer coincidence, Tuesday night was the 13th home game of the Flames’ season.

Prior to the game, during pre-game warm-up, both teams took to the ice wearing Gaudreau jerseys bearing the number 13.

Prior to the national anthems, both teams took to the ice for a two-part tribute to the Gaudreau brothers. First, there was a stirring video tribute featuring highlights of Johnny’s career with the Flames – with some on and off-ice moments shown – set to a sombre cover of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” performed by George Canyon. (Canyon previously recorded this song for the candlelight tribute to the Gaudreau brothers on the Saddledome steps in early September.)

Following the tribute video, members of the Gaudreau family – Johnny and Matthew’s parents Guy and Jane, their sisters Katie and Kristen, and Johnny’s wife Meredith (along with their children Noa and Johnny Jr.) – came out to centre ice to perform the ceremonial face-off. Sean Monahan represented Columbus while Backlund represented the Flames.

The pre-game festivities closed out with a standing ovation in tribute to the Gaudreau brothers.

The lives of the Gaudreau brothers were honoured by Columbus prior to their home-opener on Oct. 15 – the Blue Jackets played a player short for 13 seconds off the opening puck drop, with Gaudreau’s left wing spot left intentionally vacant – while the Flames paid tribute with a brief video prior to their home-opener on Oct. 12, with Tuesday’s festivities being a bit more extensive.

Originally selected by the Flames in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Draft, Johnny Gaudreau was part of the Flames organization for 11 seasons, including playing 602 games over nine seasons with the Flames themselves. He sits fifth all-time in Flames franchise history in points and assists, and ninth in goals. His younger brother Matthew spent part of the 2019-20 season in the Flames system try-out, playing four games with the Stockton Heat. The brothers were teammates at Boston College in 2013-14 – Johnny’s junior year and Matthew’s freshman year.

Since Johnny’s NHL debut on the final day of the 2013-14 season, nobody’s scored more goals or points on Saddledome ice than he did.