Former Flame Sean Monahan surprised with Masterton Trophy win by Meredith Gaudreau
Article content
Sean Monahan has had to fight through the last year and the National Hockey League recognized it, awarding the 30-year-old the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance after losing his friend and fellow Calgary Flames alum Johnny Gaudreau to an alleged drunk driver last August.
It was Gaudreau's widow, Meredith, who surprised Monahan with the trophy at his home near Toronto. In a video posted to nhl.com, she talked about how Monahan supported her at every tribute for her late husband and now it was her turn to honour him.
In the video, Meredith Gaudreau said it was an honour to surprise him with the trophy.
'This is so important to me because Sean is so important to John,' she said.
'You don't think about John's name without thinking of Sean and you don't hear Sean's name without thinking of John and they are best friends. They are brothers. When I was asked to be part of this surprise, I was so excited. Sean stood by my side for every tribute every walk out and, you know, I dragged him out there to cry with me on national television. I am excited to celebrate this one because this one celebrates Sean.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Province
2 days ago
- The Province
Johnny Gaudreau's widow surprises Blue Jackets' Sean Monahan with Masterton Trophy
The award honours perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. Published Jun 05, 2025 • Last updated 5 hours ago • 2 minute read Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves (73) celebrates with centre Sean Monahan (23) following a game against the Washington Capitals on Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. Photo by Joe Maiorana / AP Columbus Blue Jackets centre Sean Monahan has been awarded the 2024-25 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, the NHL announced Thursday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The award honours perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey, commemorating Bill Masterton, a Minnesota North Stars player who died from an on-ice injury in 1968, and is voted on annually by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Monahan earned the trophy for his resilience and leadership after the tragic death of his close friend and teammate Johnny Gaudreau last August. He signed with Columbus last July to reunite with Gaudreau, with whom he played nine seasons in Calgary. Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were struck and killed by a driver charged with impaired driving while they were cycling in New Jersey on Aug. 29, 2024. As opposed to handing out some awards at a ceremony this year, the NHL has instead enlisted outside help to present winners with their honours — and it turned emotional for Monahan. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Columbus forward was presented the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by none other than Meredith Gaudreau, Johnny's widow. 'When I was asked to be part of this surprise I was so honoured, so excited,' Meredith said in the clip shared by the NHL on X. 'Sean stood by my side for every tribute, every walkout. I dragged him out there to cry with me on national TV so many times. 'But I'm excited about this one because this one celebrates Sean.' Gaudreau went to Monahan's Toronto-area home to drop off the trophy – a clear surprise to Monahan who was seen checking through a window after Meredith rang the doorbell. Gaudreau revealed that she enlisted the help of Sean's wife, Brittany, into helping him think they were doing family photos that day to distract him. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Oh my god, it's pretty special,' Monahan says while looking at the trophy. Things start to get really emotional after the pair go inside to talk. Read More 'Sean, you mean everything to John, so it's just really special that I could be a part of this because this one it about you,' Meredith said as Monahan wipes tears from eyes. 'This is celebrating your character and how good of a person you are.' 'I know John is so proud of you,' she says as Monahan gives her a hug. Monahan finished the season with 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points in 54 games. Other finalists included Marc-Andre Fleury of Minnesota and Gabriel Landeskog of Colorado. — With files from Dan Bilicki
Ottawa Citizen
2 days ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Former Flame Sean Monahan surprised with Masterton Trophy win by Meredith Gaudreau
Sean Monahan has had to fight through the last year and the National Hockey League recognized it, awarding the 30-year-old the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance after losing his friend and fellow Calgary Flames alum Johnny Gaudreau to an alleged drunk driver last August. Article content It was Gaudreau's widow, Meredith, who surprised Monahan with the trophy at his home near Toronto. In a video posted to she talked about how Monahan supported her at every tribute for her late husband and now it was her turn to honour him. Article content Article content In the video, Meredith Gaudreau said it was an honour to surprise Monahan with the trophy. Article content 'This is so important to me because Sean is so important to John,' she said. Article content 'You don't think about John's name without thinking of Sean and you don't hear Sean's name without thinking of John and they are best friends. They are brothers. When I was asked to be part of this surprise, I was so excited. Sean stood by my side for every tribute every walk out and, you know, I dragged him out there to cry with me on national television. I am excited to celebrate this one because this one celebrates Sean.' Article content Article content Article content In an interview in November, Monahan talked about how the grief of losing his teammate and friend was affecting him. Article content Article content 'You lose your best friend, your teammate, it's tough to comprehend,' Monahan told Postmedia at the time. 'Ninety per cent of the time, it doesn't feel real. When something happens in my life, I'd usually give John a FaceTime and he'd answer. I go through those situations a lot where you want to pick up the phone and give him a call or text or send him a picture or something, and then you realize. That's when it hurts.' Article content Monahan took to the ice this season with the Columbus Blue Jackets without Gaudreau and suffered a wrist injury in January. Despite that, he was tied for third place in Columbus' scoring with 57 points (19 goals, 38 assists). The Blue Jackets finished two points out of the second Eastern Conference wild card spot this season. Article content Article content Monahan, who signed with Columbus on July 1, 2024, to reunite with Gaudreau after the pair played together for eight seasons in Calgary, has served as an inspiration amid the tragedy of Gaudreau's death. He finished with the fifth-most points by a Blue Jackets player in his first season with the club — a list Gaudreau sits second on (74 in 2022-23). His 1.06 points per game was the highest by any first-year Columbus player. Article content The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded to players who have demonstrated perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the sport.
Edmonton Journal
2 days ago
- Edmonton Journal
Former Flame Sean Monahan surprised with Masterton Trophy win by Meredith Gaudreau
Article content Sean Monahan has had to fight through the last year and the National Hockey League recognized it, awarding the 30-year-old the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance after losing his friend and fellow Calgary Flames alum Johnny Gaudreau to an alleged drunk driver last August. It was Gaudreau's widow, Meredith, who surprised Monahan with the trophy at his home near Toronto. In a video posted to she talked about how Monahan supported her at every tribute for her late husband and now it was her turn to honour him. In the video, Meredith Gaudreau said it was an honour to surprise him with the trophy. 'This is so important to me because Sean is so important to John,' she said. 'You don't think about John's name without thinking of Sean and you don't hear Sean's name without thinking of John and they are best friends. They are brothers. When I was asked to be part of this surprise, I was so excited. Sean stood by my side for every tribute every walk out and, you know, I dragged him out there to cry with me on national television. I am excited to celebrate this one because this one celebrates Sean.'
