Meredith Gaudreau is still finding ways to honor her late husband, NHL star Johnny Gaudreau.
Meredith, along with her two children, led her late husband’s former NHL team the Columbus Blue Jackets onto the ice ahead of their matchup against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, March 1.
Meredith — who wore a white Blue Jackets letterman-style jacket in honor of her husband — is also pregnant with the pair’s third child. Johnny and his brother Matthew Gaudreau were killed by an alleged drunk driver in August 2024 while they were biking in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, just one day before their sister was scheduled to get married.
Johnny’s teammates also honored the late left winger by wearing Gaudreau’s “signature fit” — a blue hoodie, black pants, black Ugg boots and a black cap — ahead of the match as part of the pre-game festivities. “His style was definitely more unique, more laidback,” the team’s defenseman Zach Werenski said via NHL.com on March 1. “He wore the same stuff all the time. I think that’s what made him in a sense a special person, how laid back he was. Part of that was his style. We just thought it was a great idea to dress like him.”
Meredith was part of the plan to honor Gaudreau via his signature look from the beginning, said the team’s captain Boone Jenner. “She helped us a lot with pictures, trying to find his signature Johnny fit,” Jenner explained on the site on March 1. “We have to thank her a lot.”
Meredith bought the sweatshirts for her husband’s former teammates to wear from the Avalon Surf Shop in Avalon, New Jersey, where the Gaudreau family used to enjoy the beach together.
“He wore that sweatshirt a lot; just a simple hoodie, simple sweats,” Jenner also said. “He’s got the Ugg boots that he’d always wear in the winter. ‘’Mer bought him that Amiri hat with the three stars and he wore it all the time. It’s pretty funny, the ones we’re wearing are black, but his was pretty beat down with sweat stains.”
“When we see these outfits we think of him and it reminds us of him,” he continued. “It’s very special to us. We wanted to make sure we put the right pieces in to honor him the right way, the whole fit. I think it’s a good tribute the way it’s done. It’s not hockey equipment, just street clothes, more the person he was and the good memories we have.”
Meredith celebrated the pair’s son’s birthday on Saturday, February 22. “Happy 1st Birthday to our baby boy! We love you so much, Baby Johnny! Already so strong and so special,” she wrote via Instagram. “‘I can’t believe you gave me a boy,’ is all John said over and over again when baby Johnny arrived. I couldn’t stop staring at how happy John was — one of the best moments of my life.”
“Baby Johnny you are Mommy’s rock and Noa’s best friend. All of Daddy’s accomplishments don’t compare to the pride and joy he had in being your father,” she added.
