Sean Monahan reveals new team tradition for Columbus Blue Jackets that honors Johnny Gaudreau

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Graham Montgomery
October 13, 2024 (10:16 PM)

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Columbus Blue Jackets forward Sean Monahan gave a big speech last night after the team took down the Colorado Avalanche, revealing a new team tradition in the process.

The Blue Jackets trounced Colorado 6-4 last night for their first win of the season. It was an emotional night for the team as they earned their first win since Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau passed away this summer.

After the game, Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner made a short speech, revealing a new team tradition. Many teams around the NHL celebrate victories by awarding a player of the game with a special trinket. It can be anything from a chain with the team logo to a wrestling belt and anything in between. This season, the Blue Jackets have elected to go with a piece of headwear with donkey ears on it. As Jenner explained, Johnny was always calling his teammates donkeys, which is a tribute to him.

The first player to receive the honor was none other than Sean Monahan, perhaps the player on the team that was closest to Johnny. After all, the two men played together in Calgary for many years and developed a close friendship there. It was clearly an emotional moment for him as he donned the donkey ears for the first time.

"Big win boys. Thanks for making it feel like home right away here. Great staff, great teammates. It's obviously emotional for me coming here and it's been great so thanks guys. Huge win."

Monahan had a big night picking up two assists and capping off the scoring with an empty net goal to seal the game with 11 seconds left. he also lead the team's forwards in ice time with just over 20 minutes in the contest.

Unfortunately, it could be another tough season for the Blue Jackets as they continue their rebuild. Hopefully, we get plenty of opportunities to see other players on the team wear the donkey ears though. Be sure to stay tuned to the Blue Jackets this season to see who will be the next donkey for a day.