The Calgary Flames held a candlelight vigil Wednesday night at the Saddledome for Johnny Gaudreau, just short of a week after the former Flames star and his brother, Matthew killed by a suspected drunk driver while cycling on a rural New Jersey road. The vigil marks 13 days of mourning for the best Flame to ever wear the #13 jersey. On Sportsnet.ca, Eric Francis wrote, “For 13 minutes upwards of 10,000 jersey-clad fans stood at the west stairs of the Saddledome Wednesday night, holding their cell phones aloft with virtual candlelight flickering on the screens.” “As they did, the only sounds other than a hovering drone were of those sniffling, or crying.” .Gathered above the crowd on the steps of the Saddledome were Flames players, alumni, staff and members of their respective families, heads bowed in memory of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. Flames' general manager, and former player, Craig Conroy addressed the crowd, “To see all of you here, this is what makes me proud to be a Calgarian,” he said. “And this is what made Johnny so proud of this city.” Former Flames superstar Lanny McDonald also spoke, “Johnny didn’t crave the spotlight, but with that big smile and those fast hands he couldn’t outrun his fate, he was a hero,” he said. “He carried this big hockey town on his small frame. Let our chants echo so loudly the boys can hear it in the sky.” .“He came into the room quiet and tired every morning, we never knew what pair of sweats he was going to show up in,” said Flames' captain Mikael Backlund. “He loved his Ugg boots and his beanie, no matter how warm it was. Johnny was all about being comfortable.” “I’m going to miss Johnny chirping me about everything,” said Backlund. “He would always say, ‘C’mon Backs, talk to the coach and get us a day off.” “C’mon Backs, have a beer. C’mon Backs loosen up, it’s just hockey.’” Conroy spoke about drafting Johnny, signing him and bringing him back on a flight on which Gaudreau pulled out a big bag of Skittles, the candy his father used to teach him how to skate, wrote Francis. “For the next 25 to 30 minutes he just pounded those Skittles,” said Conroy, “and I’m thinking, ‘this is the next superstar of the Calgary Flames? I don’t know about that.’” “I hope this untimely passing of these young men will force people to stop for a second,” said McDonald. “And I pray it leads to people to make different choices in the moment so that no other family will have to endure what the Gaudreaus now face.”
The Calgary Flames held a candlelight vigil Wednesday night at the Saddledome for Johnny Gaudreau, just short of a week after the former Flames star and his brother, Matthew killed by a suspected drunk driver while cycling on a rural New Jersey road. The vigil marks 13 days of mourning for the best Flame to ever wear the #13 jersey. On Sportsnet.ca, Eric Francis wrote, “For 13 minutes upwards of 10,000 jersey-clad fans stood at the west stairs of the Saddledome Wednesday night, holding their cell phones aloft with virtual candlelight flickering on the screens.” “As they did, the only sounds other than a hovering drone were of those sniffling, or crying.” .Gathered above the crowd on the steps of the Saddledome were Flames players, alumni, staff and members of their respective families, heads bowed in memory of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. Flames' general manager, and former player, Craig Conroy addressed the crowd, “To see all of you here, this is what makes me proud to be a Calgarian,” he said. “And this is what made Johnny so proud of this city.” Former Flames superstar Lanny McDonald also spoke, “Johnny didn’t crave the spotlight, but with that big smile and those fast hands he couldn’t outrun his fate, he was a hero,” he said. “He carried this big hockey town on his small frame. Let our chants echo so loudly the boys can hear it in the sky.” .“He came into the room quiet and tired every morning, we never knew what pair of sweats he was going to show up in,” said Flames' captain Mikael Backlund. “He loved his Ugg boots and his beanie, no matter how warm it was. Johnny was all about being comfortable.” “I’m going to miss Johnny chirping me about everything,” said Backlund. “He would always say, ‘C’mon Backs, talk to the coach and get us a day off.” “C’mon Backs, have a beer. C’mon Backs loosen up, it’s just hockey.’” Conroy spoke about drafting Johnny, signing him and bringing him back on a flight on which Gaudreau pulled out a big bag of Skittles, the candy his father used to teach him how to skate, wrote Francis. “For the next 25 to 30 minutes he just pounded those Skittles,” said Conroy, “and I’m thinking, ‘this is the next superstar of the Calgary Flames? I don’t know about that.’” “I hope this untimely passing of these young men will force people to stop for a second,” said McDonald. “And I pray it leads to people to make different choices in the moment so that no other family will have to endure what the Gaudreaus now face.”
