Johnny Gaudreau’s Columbus teammates were given a few options for how to handle their emotions during the Blue Jackets’ home opener.
If you want to cry, cry.
If you want to laugh, laugh.
The only rules — play the game the way “Johnny Hockey” would and with him in mind.
Emotions ran high in Columbus on Tuesday night, when the Blue Jackets paid tribute to their star and his late brother Matthew at their home opener against the Florida Panthers. Among the highlights: A banner was raised to the rafters in Gaudreau’s memory as both teams stick-tapped the ice in the traditional hockey salute and his family looked on, arms intertwined.
At game time, the teams stood still as 13 seconds — Johnny Gaudreau’s number — ran off the clock and with his left-wing position vacant, the Blue Jackets sending four skaters onto the ice instead of the usual five. The puck dropped, and the Blue Jackets’ Sean Monahan passed it to Florida’s Sam…
