Calgary Flames to host vigil to honour lives of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau

Nearly a week after the world learned that hockey star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew had been killed while riding their bicycles, a candlelight vigil will be held outside the Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday night, the Calgary arena where “Johnny Hockey” spent years thrilling fans with his highlight-reel plays. Matthew Gaudreau had also played professional hockey.

The Flames sent out an invitation to Calgarians to attend the event in a social media post on Tuesday afternoon. The vigil will take place at 8 p.m. local time.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Flames announced the NHL club would need to move part of a massive makeshift memorial that has grown each day outside the Saddledome, in part to accommodate Wednesday’s vigil. The items that were moved now rest nearby, outside the Saddledome, and can still be visited by fans. The memorial includes a large stretch of concrete covered with tributes to the Gaudreau brothers written in chalk. It also features flowers and Gaudreau jerseys.

2:07 Remembering Johnny Hockey

The Gaudreau brothers died after they were struck by a vehicle while riding their bicycles in New Jersey on Thursday night. Police said investigators suspect the driver of the vehicle was impaired. The collision occurred the night before the Gaudreau brothers were to be groomsmen at their sister Katie’s wedding.

After finishing his U.S. college hockey career, Johnny Gaudreau graduated to the NHL where he would then spend eight full seasons playing for the Flames and playing a starring role with the club. In 2022, he signed a contract to join the Columbus Blue Jackets, saying that he and his family wanted to be closer to relatives in New Jersey.

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On Tuesday afternoon, the Blue Jackets posted on social media that fans in Columbus are invited to a candlelight vigil “in remembrance of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau” at 7:30 p.m. local time in Ohio on Wednesday.

“The vigil will be held on the Front Street Plaza outside the east entrance to Nationwide Arena,” the NHL club said.

Visitors continued to flock to the memorial outside the Saddledome on Tuesday. Among them was Flames general manager Craig Conroy, who spoke about the connection he had with Johnny Gaudreau ever since the club signed him to a contract.

“Seeing him go from where he was to getting married to Meredith, having kids … He’s like one of your kids too,” Conroy explained.”And you’re watching him grow and get older and learn how to be an adult.

“When he got here he was a kid, and then he grew into a man and then a dad.”

3:19 Memorial grows for Johnny Gaudreau at Scotiabank Saddledome

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Lindsay Hamilton, a Flames fan who is also an artist, was seen painting a portrait of Johnny Gaudreau at the memorial on Tuesday.

“Just being a Flames fan for my whole life and growing up in Calgary, this was obviously something that hit the city pretty deep. So I was just feeling extremely inspired,” she explained. “It hits home.

“It’s tough to see how many people have come out and are sad and show love for him.”

Flames fan Hayden Paddock suggested that visiting the memorial was more emotional than he anticipated.

“I knew what I was coming to see but it’s a different feeling when you get here in person,” he said. “Lots of memories.”

Gaudreau’s widow, Meredith, who is also the mother of their children, posted about the Saddledome memorial on social media.

“Thank you Calgary,” she wrote.

“This is amazing. But I’m not surprised. The best people ever.”

Over $500K raised to help Matthew Gaudreau’s family

A GoFundMe fundraiser set up to provide financial assistance to Matthew Gaudreau’s widow, Madeline, and their unborn child had raised over $500,000 as of noon on Tuesday. Over 7,600 people have made donations to the fundraiser.

Matthew Gaudreau was also a professional hockey player and many of the donations came from his peers in the sport.

As of noon on Tuesday, the top donation was listed as being $10,000 and came from Cliff Rucker. Rucker owns the East Coast Hockey League’s Worcester Railers HC organization. Matthew Gaudreau played for the team from 2017 to 2019.

“You and Matty will always be part of our Railer family, and I hope you can feel the love and support we are sending your way,” Rucker said.

— with files from The Associated Press’ Stephen Whyno and Global News’ Craig Momney

1:30 Former Calgary Flames NHL player Johnny Gaudreau, brother Matthew killed in New Jersey collision

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