Connor McDavid will remember Johnny Gaudreau fondly following the 31-year-old’s tragic death alongside his brother, Matthew.
The two players played the role of arch-rivals to each other through the majority of their careers during what was a renaissance for the Battle of Alberta between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames.
For the first time since the 1980s, both clubs found success at the same time, and while McDavid led the way for the Oilers, it was Johnny who toed the line for the Flames. Those two battling it out created some of the rivalry’s most iconic moments, and the Oilers captain is sharing in the grief with the rest of the hockey world following Gaudreau’s sudden death last month.
“I will miss him,” McDavid said in an interview with NHL.com’s Bill Price. “I’m grateful I had the chance to play against him, played playoff series against him, played many heated battles in the Battle of Alberta against him, and got to know him a little bit.
“I’ll miss him a lot. He was a great player and great person, and obviously was taken away way too soon.”
It has been an emotional week for those who knew Johnny and Matthew. The pair were killed after being struck by a drunk driver while riding their bikes on the side of the road in New Jersey. The two were in the state for their sister Katie’s wedding, which was supposed to be held the day after their deaths.
A funeral service was held for the two brothers in Pennsylvania earlier this week with a long, long list of NHL players attending along with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. It was there that Johnny’s wife revealed that she was nine weeks pregnant with Johnny’s third child, making the horrible situation that much more heartbreaking.
Vigils attended by thousands of fans were also held in their honour in both Calgary and Columbus over the past few weeks. The amount of public support coming out of Calgary has been massive, with members of the Flames in awe of the love the city has for the former player.
While McDavid never got a chance to play on the same team as Gaudreau, there is certainly somewhat of a unique connection when going up against such a talented opponent. While there is a healthy amount of competition, the more you play against a skilled player, the more mutual respect builds between the two.
The NHL won’t feel quite the same without Johnny Hockey.