Remembering Johnny Hockey: Johnny Gaudreau and brother Matthew shined on and off the ice

Getting a nickname in hockey is not only a sign of affection but a sense that a player has really made it. If you believe in him that strongly, then let’s do it because I know that small guys can play in the game.’” Feaster and assistant Craig Conroy the next couple of summers visited with Gaudreau and his family at Hollydell Ice Arena, which father Guy managed, to encourage Johnny to turn pro. “There are few players in hockey history who matched his passion and love for the game of hockey,” said longtime executive Brian Burke, who knew Gaudreau from his time running the Flames and the U.S. men’s national team. If it comes to the point where ‘Johnny Hockey’ becomes really popular, like if cancer people want to do fundraisers, we’ll let them do all the fundraising they want with it and they can have all the money.” In the same interview before Gloucester Catholic High School retired Gaudreau’s number, Guy said his son “just wants to play hockey. If Calgary told him, ‘We’re not paying you this year,’ he’d say, ‘Well, can I still play hockey?’” He and his brother took different paths in the sport they loved, with Johnny finding NHL stardom and Matthew playing in the minors with a stint in Sweden before retiring two years ago and going to serve as boys hockey coach at Gloucester Catholic.