NHL Blue Jackets honor Johnny Gaudreau and his brother before the game

CNN
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If there were dry eyes in Nationwide Arena, the game broadcast didn't show them.

Before Tuesday night's home opener against the Florida Panthers, the Columbus Blue Jackets held a ceremony to honor and remember a pair of brothers whose recent deaths have affected so many people.

It's clear emotions are still prevailing following the tragic deaths of Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother Matthew on August 29, when a suspected drunk driver hit the siblings while riding their bikes the night before their sister Kate's wedding and killed.

Both the Blue Jackets and Panthers participated in pregame warmups wearing No. 13 Gaudreau jerseys.

In the presence of many friends and members of the Gaudreau family, Johnny Gaudreau's widow Meredith, along with his brother-in-law Eddie, carried Gaudreau's children Noa and Johnny to the ice center.

Meredith wiped away tears as a banner with Gaudreau's number 13 and “1993-2024” was unveiled. Gaudreau's parents and sisters hugged in the pew area as the banner was raised to the rafters.

The fans in attendance then chanted “Johnny Hockey,” a reference to the left wing’s nickname.

When it came time to drop the puck, the Blue Jackets left Gaudreau's position empty while players on both teams' benches stood for the emotional moment.

The puck was thrown into Johnny's free spot on the ice with 13 seconds left before an official came in to pick up the puck. The game was then restarted.

Earlier on Tuesday evening, Meredith Gaudreau spoke to those gathered in the arena in a pre-recorded video message.

“Hey, fifth line. I would like to thank you all for your support during this time. “Your love has helped our family tremendously,” she said in the video.

“As the team prepares to warm up before the game, I don’t want anyone to be sad. I want you all to be inspired by the life John lived. This means that you love your family first and foremost. And when it's time to drop the puck, let's love the game John loved. Thank you and let’s go, jackets.”

Both brothers' wives are pregnant.

In her eulogy at her late husband's funeral in early September, Meredith revealed that she was nine weeks pregnant with the couple's third child.

“In less than three years of marriage, we have raised a family of five. It doesn't even sound possible. But I consider it the ultimate blessing,” she said on September 10.

“How lucky am I to be the mother of John’s three babies?”

Matthew's wife Madeline Gaudreau is expecting the couple's first child, a boy, next month.

Earlier this week, she shared pictures and a video on social media from a recent baby shower she threw for Baby Tripp.

“Hug your loved ones, appreciate your time on earth, be grateful, help others, stay positive, be humble, do what is right and be kind. It really makes a difference in your own life and the lives of others! Be a good person like Matty and Johnny,” Madeline Gaudreau posted on Instagram.

The older brother should have been on the ice Tuesday night, playing his 11th NHL season and third with the Jackets.

Instead, his number 13 was displayed throughout the building, and the team handed out patches bearing the 31-year-old's famous jersey number to everyone in the arena.

In another subtle nod to the late NHL All-Star's cap, the team announced before the game that puck drop was scheduled for 7:13 p.m. ET – 13 minutes later than the usual peak time.