Johnny Gaudreau: Thank you for inspiring me on my path as an undersized hockey player

Late Thursday evening in his home state of New Jersey, Columbus Blue Jackets All-Star forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were allegedly struck by a drunk driver and killed a day before their sister's wedding while on a bike ride.

Early Friday morning, on my walk to CAS 100A, I saw the reports as I scrolled through X, and the news struck a rather emotional side that I never truly released to the world around me.

In the early 1990s, my dad attended Bowling Green State University, where Jerry York was the head coach of the men’s hockey program. My dad dreamed of being a Division One hockey coach and earned a student manager role with the Falcons his senior year, where he got to work under one of his idols in York in what would be his last year with the program. He often talks about those times because they were his glory days, but also because of his admiration for Coach York.

For those who don’t follow college hockey closely, after the 1994 season, York took the head coaching role at Boston College, where he eventually won four national titles.

Almost 20 years later, in 2013, in my dad's home city, Pittsburgh, an annual college hockey tournament, the Three Rivers Classic took place over the Christmas holiday. That year, the tournament included Boston College, Penn State, Robert Morris and Bowling Green.

I was ten at the time, and I was beginning to find a deep passion and love for the game of hockey.

That holiday, I was sitting on the couch at the house my father grew up in, in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a nearby suburb in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, when my dad came down the stairs and told my brother and me that we would be going to this newer college hockey tournament as part of our Christmas presents that year.

Most kids my age were getting electronics and other toys, but growing up, that never tickled my fancy, so when I heard I was going to see college hockey, I was ecstatic.

The tournament started on December 27, and the first game was between Bowling Green and Boston College. The game meant a lot to my father, who was getting to see Jerry York coach against Bowling Green for the first time in person.

Two years prior, the Eagles won the national championship and were accustomed to having NHL talent throughout their roster. In 2013, the most notable NHLers were Kevin Hayes, Gaudreau, Thatcher Demko and Mike Matheson.

That year, Hayes and Gaudreau were lighting up college hockey and were on pace to have spectacular seasons.

I remember sitting in my seat next to my dad for the BG-BC game at the then-Consol Energy Center, which wasn’t too full because the hometown Robert Morris Colonials were playing in the second game. All around us were fans of all four teams in the building, but I remember seeing a Boston College jersey with the No. 13 on the back, followed by another and another and so on.

At that time, I wasn’t too familiar with the name “Johnny Hockey” like I was with the name “Johnny Football” given to Johnny Manziel during that era when he was at Texas A&M. I knew Gaudreau was a solid player because he played in the World Junior Championships the year prior and was a Hobey Baker Award finalist.

However, I quickly learned how good he was.

In college, Gaudreau was 5-foot-9 and a wiry 150ish pounds soaking wet. After a successful sophomore campaign, there were rumors that he was leaving Boston College for the NHL, but Gaudreau elected to stay at BC to play with his younger brother Matthew.

As puck drop between the Falcons and Eagles approached, I was starting to hear murmurs about Boston College’s top line of Gaudreau, Hayes and Bill Arnold. The trio was lighting up college hockey and was one of the most feared lines in the sport.

One minute and 19 seconds after puck drop, I understood why. Gaudreau scored the game's opening goal, assisted by his two linemates and from there, the Eagles thrashing off the Falcons didn’t stop. Johnny Hockey finished the game with a goal and two assists, but his statistical performance wasn’t what stood out to me at the time, it was the way he played.

As an undersized hockey player growing up, it was hard to pick players that I wanted to be like because I knew I couldn’t copy the biggest, strongest guys in the NHL as the usual smallest kid on the ice in youth hockey.

The first thing you develop in hockey as an undersized kid is hockey IQ. You have to know where to be on the ice so you don’t get crushed by the bigger, stronger kids.

Gaudreau mastered this skill and always seemed to be in the right place on the ice.

After seeing Gaudreau play, I had a new hockey idol. I had a player that I could learn from and take notes on.

Luckily for me, I got to experience Gaudreau’s excellence the next day in the Three Rivers Classic Championship when Boston College took on Penn State.

After entering the Pittsburgh Penguins home barn on December 28 for the championship, I had a couple of thoughts: How many points is Johnny Gaudreau going to have in this game? Does Penn State even stand a chance?

The Nittany Lions never stood a chance in that game, losing 8-2, and Gaudreau had two points.

Growing up in Indiana, there wasn’t triple-A hockey until I was a few years older, and the first time I tried out for the team, I got cut. That year, I had to play single-A hockey because the double-A program had tryouts the same week as the AAA team and wouldn’t take anybody who didn’t go to their tryout.

During that year of A hockey, I knew I had to get better if I wanted to make the AAA squad the next year, so I spent a lot of time watching hockey, more specifically, Gaudreau highlights.

The next summer, I made the AAA team for the upcoming season. A few weeks after making it, my parents received an email with the jersey numbers that were available for new players. That night, I made the easiest decision of my life when I chose to wear the No. 13 for Gaudreau, the player who inspired me to grow in my craft and become a better hockey player.

Although my career never reached the heights that Gaudreau’s did, what he accomplished in college and his early pro years is one of the reasons why I pushed myself to the level I did.

Today, as the hockey world mourns the passing of the Gaudreau brothers, it should also be a time to celebrate all the good they brought the world.

Johnny was often described as one of the nicest players on any team he played for, and although I never had the chance to meet him, I’m sure the stories are true.

Johnny Gaudreau inspired a generation of undersized hockey players to go out and chase their dreams, and without him, who knows if the world would’ve ever known the likes of Cole Caufield or other undersized players in the league now.

If I could share any words with Gaudreau right now, it’d be a simple thank you. Thank you for inspiring me and thousands of undersized hockey players to skate for our dreams as we hoped to one day be like you.

Hayden Lewis is a third-year majoring in digital journalism and media. To contact him, please email lewis1818hayden@gmail.com.