Moving tribute to Johnny Gaudreau by Darryl Sutter despite toxic relationship in Calgary

The relationship between the Calgary Flames and Johnny Gaudreau, and the team and former head coach Darryl Sutter, may not have had the perfect endings, but the love was there. And always will be.

Especially as the Flames’ organization gathers to celebrated the lives of Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother Matthew, who who passed away in a terrible incident last week. It occurred on Thursday evening when Sean Higgins, 43, of Woodstown, New Jersey, was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee north on County Route 551 and attempted to overtake another vehicle. He struck the Gaudreau brothers, both riding bicycles alongside one another on the shoulder side of the road. Johnny and Matthew were pronounced dead at the scene. Police reports say Higgins was intoxicated and charged with two counts of vehicular homicide.

Darryl Sutter and his son Chris joined Sportsnet’s Jamie Campbell to talk baseball on Wednesday afternoon, and the duo couldn’t help but share some moving words about Johnny Hockey and the impact had on them and the hockey community.

“He was everybody’s friend.”

When Chris spoke about his friend, he got emotional and his father was there to pat him on the back and support him.

When Darryl Sutter left the Flames, very little positive was said about his relationship with the players at the time. Reports even emerged in the summer of 2023 that the Flames launched an internal investigation into Sutter after he allegedly made physical contact with a player during a game. The news came after many players commented on Sutter’s temper and questionable attitude throughout the 2022-23 campaign.

A summer prior to Sutter's firing, Gaudreau signed as a free agent with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Of course, Johnny Hockey never said anything bad about his former head coach who guided him during two seasons.

Sutter also posted an emotional tribute to Gaudreau last Friday, describing a “sick empty heavy feeling.” He added: “Johnny and his family are amazing. Johnny’s enthusiasm and joy of the game, family, friends, children was beautiful to see.”