Johnny Gaudreau was one of the few NHL players whose star power transcended the hockey world. Even if you didn’t cheer for the Calgary Flames or, more recently, the Columbus Blue Jackets — even if you didn’t follow the NHL — you’d probably heard of Johnny Hockey.
The nickname just worked. Gaudreau played the game with dazzling, darting quickness and get-out-of-your-seat skill. And there was a Hollywood aspect to his career: the too-short, too-small player who many doubted could make it to the NHL much less be one of the league’s top players.
Advertisement
The 5-foot-7, 160-pound left winger touched and inspired an enormous number of lives.
That’s why so many were grieving
→ Continue reading at The New York Times Sports
