Columbus Blue Jackets Player Names Son After Johnny Gaudreau In Heartfelt Tribute

Johnny Gaudreau's passing in the summer was an absolute tragedy, and it hit the entire NHL hard with every team around the league paying tribute to one of the modern day NHL greats.

Obviously, it hit the cities of Calgary and Columbus much harder than others, with the Flames paying immense tribute to their former star while the teammates of Johnny's in Columbus have gone through a very rough time as a result.

Those teammates have made it clear just how much No. 13 meant to them, with players like Cole Caufield in Montreal (former Team USA teammates) going a step further and honouring Johnny by changing his number.

Now, goaltender Elvis Merzlikins has made an incredibly touching tribute to Gaudreau, naming his new-born son Jaxon John Merzlikins, with the middle name John a tribute to his former teammate.

While so much of hockey culture in recent years has been seen as a negative, the way that teams and players have come together to honour Gaudreau has shown the very best of hockey and professional sports, with Merzlikins clearly showing how much he loved and respected Johnny with this tribute.

As time goes on, it's more likely than not that the Flames and Blue Jackets will honour Gaudreau in some way, with many suggesting they retire his iconic No. 13, but whatever happens, it's clear that Gaudreau will never be forgotten as these touching tributes for the star forward continue to roll in months after his tragic passing.