Islanders players reflect on the late Johnny Gaudreau as they face Columbus for the first time since his death

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Islanders’ team charter approached Columbus very early in the morning on Wednesday and Ryan Pulock’s thoughts naturally centered on the late Gaudreau brothers and their family.

Wednesday night at Nationwide Arena marked the Islanders’ first game against the Blue Jackets since their star forward Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother Matthew, a former Islanders’ farmhand, were killed while bicycling following their sister’s wedding rehearsal dinner.

“I don’t think it’s possible not to [think of them],” the defenseman said before faceoff. “Even flying in last night, it crossed my mind. Definitely we’ll be thinking of him and the family tonight and, being here, it enlightens that. There’s definitely going to be moments where he comes to mind throughout the night.”

The Blue Jackets are wearing a “13 and 21” sticker on their helmets to honor the Gaudreau brothers' memories. Johnny Gaudreau, who was 31, played the previous two seasons for the Blue Jackets, committing to Columbus for seven seasons as a coveted unrestricted free agent following nine seasons with the Calgary Flames.

Matthew Gaudreau, who was 29, overlapped with his brother playing for Boston College in 2013-14, and spent two seasons in the Islanders’ organization from 2017-19.

“That was a heartbreaking loss for our hockey community and for this team, to lose someone they loved as a teammate and as a person,” said captain Anders Lee, a Team USA teammate of Johnny Gaudreau for the World Championships.

“You play in the World Championships and you get to meet a lot of guys and see a lot of guys you played against. And then there's also opportunities to have some fun. We had some fun nights with Johnny and the team, enjoying each other's company, having a few drinks and hanging out. Those are a lot of the memories that I'll be taking with me with getting to know Johnny.”

Center Brock Nelson also was Johnny Gaudreau’s Team USA teammate at the World Championships.

“He was just a happy guy,” Nelson said. “Really soft-spoken, reserved, just quiet and went about his business. He was a great teammate and friend to a lot of guys. He meant a lot as a hockey player. Beyond that, he was a brother, husband, father and son and he was just a good guy.

“He comes from a great family. It's just a horrible situation and tragedy. You give the family your best thoughts and prayers and it's just something unthinkable.”

Like Pulock, Nelson’s thoughts quickly went to the Gaudreaus as he arrived in Columbus.

“For anybody that knew Johnny, the first time going back there it'll probably bring up a lot of memories for guys and different emotions.” Nelson said. “Just giving the family anything you can – support, thoughts, prayers. Try to remember Johnny and the times he had. He was a special person.”

Center Bo Horvat, who spent nine seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, faced Johnny Gaudreau often as an opponent and they were linemates for the NHL All-Star Game in 2017.

“It's hard to believe that he's gone,” Horvat said. “It's such a tragic and awful thing. But the way the hockey community has come together – and I've seen some videos of how strong his wife and his family have been - it's incredible. It’s just awful that he's gone.”

Both the Blue Jackets and the Flyers, coached by former Blue Jackets’ bench boss John Tortorella, have had the brothers’ father, Guy Gaudreau, a former high school hockey coach in New Jersey, join them on the ice for practices.

Notes & quotes: Defenseman Alexander Romanov (upper body/day to day) was out of the lineup for the third straight time but did skate prior to the game, meaning he might be available when the Islanders conclude this two-game trip against the Sabres on Friday night. “Yes, absolutely,” coach Patrick Roy said when asked whether Romanov skating was a good sign . . . Forward Pierre Engvall, in the second season of a seven-year, $21 million deal, was a healthy scratch just three games after being recalled from the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. He logged 9:16 skating on the fourth line in Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to the visiting Ducks and took two penalties that led to power-play goals…Forward Oliver Wahlstrom remained a healthy scratch.

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.