'THANK YOU, JOHNNY GAUDREAU': JAROMIR JAGR HONORS FORMER TEAMMATE WITH INSTAGRAM MESSAGE
One of the greatest players in hockey history is paying homage to one we lost too soon.
On Monday, NHL legend Jaromir Jagr posted on his Instagram honoring the late Johnny Gaudreau, who, along with his brother, was killed in a cycling accident last Thursday night. In it, the Czechia star honored his former Calgary Flame teammate, describing his ability and how that, despite not being the tallest player on the ice, made an impact on the game.
“I honestly never thought I would be writing a post like this,” Jagr wrote. “Thank you, Johnny Gaudreau, for being here and giving hope to all the guys with your incredible performances that even if they are not the biggest and heaviest, they can succeed at the world level in the NHL like you did. Sincere condolences to the entire family.”
Gaudreau, who only stood 5-foot-9 and weighed 163 pounds, proved that size didn’t matter throughout his career. From his time at Boston College, where he won the Hobey Baker Award as the best male player in college hockey and helped the Eagles win a national championship in 2012, to his 10 seasons in the NHL, the Salem, N.J. native let his skill speak for itself.
The former Columbus Blue Jacket was one of the more gifted playmakers in the game, something Jagr also noted in his post, as it displayed the clip from the final goal of Jagr’s NHL career. The two-time Stanley Cup Champion’s 766th career goal came on Nov. 9, 2017, his only tally in his 22-game stint with the Flames.
“Yes, it was my last goal in the NHL. Yes, it was quite a nice goal. Yes, it was a beautiful pass above all.”
Gaudreau’s time in the NHL saw him amass 243 goals and 500 assists in 763 games. He also registered 33 points in 42 career playoff games, all coming with Calgary.
Jagr joins a long list of former teammates, players and celebrities who have paid tribute to the man known as Johnny Hockey. From his former teams to the likes of LeBron James and Mike Trout, thousands have taken to social media to honor Gaudreau and send well wishes to his family and friends.
Want more articles like this? Follow Daily Faceoff on MSN to see more of our exclusive NHL content.
More must-reads:
2024-09-03T00:44:15Z dg43tfdfdgfd