The bench was made from the hockey sticks and pucks left in tribute to Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau on the steps of the Saddledome.
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It was fitting, then, that the first two people to sit on the new bench at Flames Community Arenas were Johnny Gaudreau’s two young children, Noa and Johnny Jr.
The Gaudreau family is in Calgary this week and will be attending the Flames’ game on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets — the team Johnny signed with in 2022 after nearly a decade with the Flames — where there will be a special ceremonial puck drop and pre-game tribute to the superstar and the brother he loved so much.
And on Monday, they attended the unveiling of the first of five benches that will grace Calgary arenas for years to come.
“It’s really important to share this with, obviously the family, but also everyone in the community,” said Candice Goudie, executive director of the Calgary Flames Foundation. “The outpouring of support and love after that was tremendous and it was overwhelming and a really special thing.
“We want people to know and share in the fact that the memorial on the stairs of the Saddledome is going to be turned into something that is going to last a really long time.”
The benches are only one part of what the foundation is doing to extend the reach of the fan-made memorial that was created at the Saddledome in the days after Johnny and Matthew were killed by a suspected drunk driver while riding bicycles in their home state of New Jersey in August.
- 124 hockey jerseys that were donated and left at the memorial were laundered and will be used to design blankets that will be donated to charitable organizations.
- 103 stuffed toys that were left on the steps of the Saddledome will be donated to Parachutes for Pets for their Lily & Dexter’s Legacy program.
- 1,600 purple sports drink bottles were emptied and donated to KidSport Calgary’s recycling program. Johnny Gaudreau was a longtime supporter and ambassador for KidSport.
- Many fans left bags of Skittles, Gaudreau’s favourite candy. The Flames Foundation is donating $0.13 for every Skittle to the Calgary Food Bank. There were a total of 105,563 Skittles left on the steps of the Saddledome, so the donation totals $13,723.
- All proceeds from the 50/50 draw during Tuesday’s game will go to KidSport Calgary.
“We want people know (what was left at the memorial) is being used in a good place and everything that was left will be utilized,” Goudie said. “I don’t think anyone realized how much was out there until it was all in one spot. The city is an amazing place and to see that outpouring was a difficultly special thing.”
