On August 29, 2024, Sean Monahan and his family had their bags packed for Columbus. His best friend, Johnny Gaudreau, took it on himself to recruit his former Calgary Flames teammate for the Blue Jackets, and Gaudreau was the sole reason Monahan had even considered joining them during free agency. Yet, as the hockey center prepared to leave for Columbus, that life-altering news hit him like a freight train.
“That’s when I got the call. That’s how I found out Johnny had passed,” Monahan told The Athletic this April. Monahan and Gaudreau were supposed to start training camp with the Columbus Blue Jackets in just a couple of weeks when the NHL forward and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, died in an accident. However, Monahan didn’t back out. Despite the grief and never getting the chance to reunite with his Flames teammate, the center gave it his all, and it paid off. And who better to let him know about it than Meredith Gaudreau?
“There’s a lot of weight on our shoulders right now,” Monahan said back in September, as per Sportsnet. Now, a whole season later, Monahan has helped the Blue Jackets become the NHL’s most improved team, improving by 23 points and nearly qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That effort earned him the Masterton Trophy, which Johnny Gaudreau’s wife personally delivered.
“I’m nervous. I’m excited. I just want to make sure he knows that today is a good day. We are here to celebrate how amazing of a person you are,” said Meredith Gaudreau as she drove up to Sean Monahan’s door, the NHL trophy in tow. The best part was that he had no idea he was voted to win the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy or that Meredith Gaudreau would present it.
“Oh my god!” said Monahan, who scored 57 points with the Blue Jackets in his first season. “I thought we were doing family photos,” added the Blue Jackets forward, whose wife, Brittany, was in on it the whole time. However, the emotions kicked in right away when Monahan saw Johnny Gaudreau’s better half standing at his door with probably the biggest surprise of his life.
“Having Meredith come down is, I mean, having three kids at home, to surprise me… Something that, I mean, I’ll be thankful forever. It was a lot of emotions straight away. Very special for her to make the effort to come present that to me,” the former Calgary Flames star said about the heartfelt surprise. Needless to say, the fans felt equally emotional after the NHL posted the footage on social media.
Hockey fans praised Johnny Gaudreau’s wife for the exceptional gesture
The Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) presents the Bill Masterson Trophy to the player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.” And this year, they voted Monahan as the one worthy of this honor. Meredith Gaudreau agreed, as she nearly broke down while praising her late husband’s teammate’s spirit of perseverance throughout this difficult season.
“Meredith Gueadreau appears to be the strongest person alive,” commented one fan after watching the late Blue Jackets star’s wife show up for Monahan. “Don’t mind me, just sobbing at work! There’s truly no one more deserving. John is looking down, smiling so big,” commented one hockey fan who couldn’t keep it together. However, the emotional reaction was not surprising considering how Sean Monahan has stood by the Gaudreau family.
The former Calgary Flames forward has grieved with the Gaudreaus behind the scenes and cried with them on national television. Remember the incredible tribute by the Calgary Flames in December 2024 when they hosted the Columbus Blue Jackets? The 30-year-old wept as he embraced Johnny Gaudreau’s family after the emotional ceremony to honor the late NHL icon.
Meredith Gaudreau/Instagram
“This is one of the best and classiest things the NHL has ever done. Way to bring @meredithgaudreau_ to present the trophy,” commented on Instagram. Yet, it would be safe to assume that the NHL didn’t really have to try hard to bring Meredith Gaudreau on board. That was apparent in the way she described Monahan and his friendship with her late husband.
“You don’t hear John’s name without thinking of Sean, and you don’t hear Sean’s name without thinking of John. They’re best friends, they’re brothers,” explained the mother of three. She also couldn’t thank the hockey star enough for being there, no matter what. “Sean stood by my side for every tribute, every walkout, you know? I dragged him out there to cry with me on national television so many times,” confessed Meredith Gaudreau.
So she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate Johnny Gaudreau’s best friend. “Didn’t know I would be crying the second I opened IG today – what a great honor, done in such a special way,” commented another fan, praising Meredith for her beautiful gesture. Meanwhile, some Columbus Blue Jackets are proud that names like Gaudreau and Monahan will forever be tied to the Blue Jackets’ legacy.
“I can’t speak for the whole fan base, but I can say unequivocally. We are so proud in Columbus of all of these people. Inspired for sure to be better and live for the moment,” commented another inspired fan. In fact, it was because of sentiments like these that the PHWA probably chose Sean Monahan as the perfect fit for the Masterton Trophy and what it represents. After all, jumping back into having such a stellar season amid the grief of losing his best friend wasn’t easy for the 30-year-old.
To say the two best friends looked forward to playing together again would be an understatement. “I’d get 40 (texts) a day from him some days, I swear,” Monahan told The Athletic about Johnny Gaudreau. “He was so excited. I was so excited,” added the hockey star. Yet, the accident ripped away that opportunity and his friend. “I’ll miss him the rest of my life,” the Masterton Trophy winner said back in September. Thankfully, friends like Meredith Gaurdeau and the community’s support have eased the pain for Monahan.
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