Each the Columbus Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames held vigils on Wednesday evening to recollect Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. 1000’s of followers confirmed up at every vigil paying their respects to not solely two hockey gamers, however two nice individuals.
One thought prevailed in Columbus because the evening went on. 1000’s of followers got here to pay their respects to a participant in Johnny who left an indelible mark on them. He performed two seasons for the Blue Jackets. Though they didn’t know him personally, he was like a member of their household.
The entire tales which have come out about Johnny and Matthew have pointed to at least one main theme. When you noticed one brother, you possible noticed the opposite not far-off. To those who knew the brothers personally, they received to see their bond in motion. It was unbreakable.
Johnny made some vital choices in his life primarily based on eager to be along with his brother Matthew. That’s real love in its purest kind. It’s one of many biggest issues anybody can do.
Johnny carried over that spirit to the best way he performed the sport of hockey. He introduced followers out of their seats. He could have been small in dimension however you couldn’t measure the scale of his coronary heart. He performed the sport in a manner that had spotlight reels consistently rolling whereas additionally respecting the sport and enjoying it the correct manner.
With that mentioned, a query contemplated on Wednesday evening because the vigil passed off was how can the NHL be sure that Johnny’s legacy is honored and by no means forgotten? Right here’s my proposal. Given the best way he performed the sport on the highest degree of ability and respect, the NHL ought to rename the Woman Byng Memorial Trophy to the Johnny Gaudreau Memorial Trophy.
The Final Honor
Johnny gave every thing to the game he love rising up. That’s all he wished to do. He wished to play as a lot hockey as he may.
Though the chances could have been stacked towards him on the outset, Johnny overcame each impediment thrown his manner. He was capable of adapt his sport to the NHL and did it in such a manner the place he was constantly one of the crucial gentlemanly gamers. Sportsmanship topped the listing of attributes that made him a celebrity.
The Woman Byng Trophy has been a fixture within the NHL going again to the 1924-25 season when it was first awarded. The trophy was donated by Marie Evelyn Moreton (referred to as Woman Byng). She requested the primary winner Frank Nighbor of the Ottawa Senators if she thought the NHL would settle for it as an award for probably the most gentlemanly participant. When he mentioned sure, she awarded him the trophy.
New York Rangers’ Frank Boucher gained the trophy seven of eight years to which Woman Byng ultimately allowed him to maintain the unique trophy. This led to a second trophy being donated through the 1935-36 season. Upon her passing in 1949, the NHL offered one other trophy and formally modified the title to the “Woman Byng Memorial Trophy.” That has been in place since.
Sometimes, new awards are launched for quite a lot of causes. Given how Gaudreau performed the sport, each with excessive ability and excessive sportsmanship, there’s a sturdy argument for his title to hold on the legacy of what it means to play hockey with good sportsmanship.
Making Argument to Replace Identify
Whereas there may be a variety of historical past round Woman Byng and the way the trophy got here to be, most followers at the moment will not be capable of relate to one thing that passed off earlier than they had been born. A reputation change right here would enable followers to have the ability to relate to the magnitude of a transfer like this.
Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau tragically handed away on the evening of Aug 29 resulting from being hit whereas driving bikes by a suspected drunk driver. Given the overwhelming outpouring of assist all through the hockey world particularly in Columbus and Calgary, a reputation change would enable followers to recollect Johnny’s legacy and the influence he had on the sport of hockey.
In components of 11 seasons between the Flames and Blue Jackets, Johnny scored 243 targets together with 500 assists for 743 factors in 763 video games. He’s thought of one of many biggest U.S. born gamers of all-time.
Johnny completed all of that whereas by no means taking greater than 26 penalty minutes in a season. He gained the Woman Byng Memorial Trophy in 2016-17 when he took simply 4 penalty minutes in 72 video games.
In all, Johnny completed with a complete of 176 penalty minutes in his 11 NHL seasons. Not counting 2013-14 when he made his NHL debut, that’s a median of 17.6 penalty minutes per season or beneath 10 minor penalties taken. That’s the very definition of gentlemanly play. He averaged virtually 19:00 per sport he performed in as effectively.
Ultimate Ideas
If there was one factor that was clear being on the Columbus vigil and watching the Calgary vigil, it’s that the Gaudreau’s had been universally liked within the hockey world. Not one unhealthy factor was mentioned about them within the midst of all of the outpouring of affection and assist.
The Gaudreau’s had been gents on the ice. They had been extra so off the ice. Johnny performed his NHL profession and lived his private life in probably the most gentlemanly manner attainable.
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That’s why the NHL ought to think about altering the title of the Woman Byng Memorial Trophy to the Johnny Gaudreau Memorial Trophy. His life and legacy together with Matthew need to be remembered within the highest regard. Renaming this main award would accomplish that whereas giving current-day followers a solution to proceed to have a good time who they had been on and off the ice.
Let’s hope the NHL agrees with this ultimately and provides the Gaudreau’s the final word honor of being the namesake on one of many sport’s biggest trophies.
