Bettman and NHL implement helmet mandate to Blackhawks and others in honor of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau

PUBLICATION

Joshua Deeds
September 30, 2024 (3:49 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

At the start of the 2024-2025 NHL season, all 32 teams in the NHL will honor the Gaudreau brothers.

They will do so, by placing 13 & 21 Decals on the back of every player's helmet, and will be featured exclusively through October 24th at the beginning of the season.

They will be featured during the game between the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks, which is the final home opener of the season.

The decals themselves feature the "G" in the middle, and 13 and 21 on the sides.

The Gaudreau brothers were killed when they were struck by a car, in Salem, NJ on August 29th.

The New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres will be the first to wear the decals when they open the 2024-25 NHL regular season Friday at O2 Arena in Prague in the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia Presented by Fastenal (1 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, MSGSN, MSG-B). The teams also play a regular-season game in Prague on Saturday (10 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, MSGSN, MSG-B).

The NHL regular season will start on October 8th, and the Sabres had them on their helmets during the game in Prague on Monday.

«I think it's an incredible tribute to an incredibly sad situation,» Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. «We as a league, we as a team, have to try to honor these guys for what they did for the game.»

31-year-old Johnny played 11 seasons in the NHL split between the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Matthew Gaudreau played professionally in five seasons in the ECHL, AHL, and overseas in Sweden.

Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton felt the tribute to the brothers was awesome:

«Just great people. A Jersey family,» Clifton said. «It's just a terrible story, so preventable. It hit the hockey community pretty hard.»

There were numerous memorials that were built after Johnny and Matthew had died in August, ranging from Columbus to Calgary, and Montreal.

While the Columbus Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames held candlelight vigils for both brothers.

Source: NHL
NHL to honor Gaudreau brothers with helmet decals