NHL Should Rename Lady Byng Trophy After Johnny Gaudreau – The Hockey Writers –

Both the Columbus Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames held vigils on Wednesday night to remember Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. Thousands of fans showed up at each vigil paying their respects to not only two hockey players, but two great people.

One thought prevailed in Columbus as the night went on. Thousands of fans came to pay their respects to a player in Johnny who left an indelible mark on them. He played two seasons for the Blue Jackets. Although they didn’t know him personally, he was like a member of their family.

All of the stories that have come out about Johnny and Matthew have pointed to one major theme. If you saw one brother, you likely saw the other not far away. To those that knew the brothers personally, they got to see their bond in action. It was unbreakable.

Johnny made some important decisions in his life based on wanting to be with his brother Matthew. That’s true love in its purest form. It’s one of the greatest things anyone can do.

Johnny carried over that spirit to the way he played the game of hockey. He brought fans out of their seats. He may have been small in size but you couldn’t measure the size of his heart. He played the game in a way that had highlight reels constantly rolling while also respecting the game and playing it the right way.

With that said, a question pondered on Wednesday night as the vigil took place was how can the NHL ensure that Johnny’s legacy is honored and never forgotten? Here’s my proposal. Given the way he played the game at the highest level of skill and respect, the NHL should rename the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy to the Johnny Gaudreau Memorial Trophy.

The Ultimate Honor

Johnny gave everything to the sport he love growing up. That’s all he wanted to do. He wanted to play as much hockey as he could.

Although the odds may have been stacked against him at the outset, Johnny overcame every obstacle thrown his way. He was able to adapt his game to the NHL and did it in such a way where he was consistently one of the most gentlemanly players. Sportsmanship topped the list of attributes that made him a superstar.

The Lady Byng Trophy has been a fixture in the NHL going back to the 1924-25 season when it was first awarded. The trophy was donated by Marie Evelyn Moreton (known as Lady Byng). She asked the first winner Frank Nighbor…