Monday was a pretty emotional, tough day for hockey fans and fans of the Calgary Flames, as Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were laid to rest during a funeral service in Media, Pennsylvania. The service featured some beautiful eulogies by Meredith, Johnny’s wife, and Madeline, Matthew’s wife – if you missed the service, the Flames have archived their eulogies on their YouTube channel.
Back in Calgary, the Scotiabank Saddledome – Johnny Gaudreau’s home arena for nearly a decade – paid host to its first major live-broadcast event since the brothers’ tragic passing in the form of WWE’s Monday Night Raw. In an event that featured local legend Bret Hart, WWE and its performers paid loving tribute to the Gaudreaus twice during the show.
At the beginning of Raw’s second hour, Hart made his entrance and was interrupted by the reigning World Heavyweight Champion, Gunther, a noted bad guy. But Gunther was interrupted when prominent Montreal Canadiens super-fan and beloved babyface Sami Zayn made his entrance – wearing a Johnny Gaudreau Flames jersey – to confront Gunther.
Later in the hour, coming out of a commercial break, commentator Joe Tessitore noted the recent passings of the Gaudreaus, and threw to interviewer Jackie Redmond, a prominent analyst on NHL Network and TNT’s hockey programming, who was outside the Saddledome in front of the Gaudreau memorial and spoke about the brothers’ passing, impact and legacy.
If there are two things the Saddledome has been synonymous with during its lifespan, it’s hockey and professional wrestling, so it was rather fitting that the most prominent wrestling company in the world was able to pay tribute to the Gaudreaus during such a challenging time for the hockey world.
Say what you will about WWE, but their Gaudreau segments on Monday night were heartfelt and note perfect.