Latest news with #MeredithGaudreau
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Blue Jackets' Sean Monahan surprised by Meredith Gaudreau with prestigious NHL award
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A Columbus Blue Jackets center has won one of the most prestigious NHL awards and received the trophy during an emotional surprise visit from Meredith Gaudreau. Sean Monahan, 30, was named the winner of this season's Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is given to the NHL player that 'best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.' The first-year Blue Jackets player found out he won when Meredith Gaudreau, the wife of the late Johnny Gaudreau, came over to his house in Toronto to deliver the trophy. Advertisement WATCH: Meredith Gaudreau presents Bill Masterton trophy to Sean Monahan He specifically came to play for Columbus this season to be with his friend Johnny, who played with Monahan in Calgary for nine seasons. 'Sean stood by my side for every tribute, every walkout,' Meredith Gaudreau said. 'I dragged him out there to cry with me on national television so many times.' Monahan's wife Brittany was in on the surprise and told Sean they were taking family photos. Instead, Meredith showed up with the trophy that has been won by such NHL greats as Henri Richard, Mario Lemieux, and Jaromir Jagr. 'I know John is so proud of you,' Gaudreau said emotionally when giving Monahan the award. Advertisement 'John knows I don't like the spotlight or attention, so I feel like he's, he was probably watching down on that moment laughing at me,' Monahan said. Monahan is the fifth Blue Jackets player in franchise history to win an individual NHL others include Steve Mason, Nick Foligno, Rick Nash, and Sergei Bobrovsky. He's the first Blue Jacket to win the Masterton Trophy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
MLS club claims to have suffered illness, like the Crew, in CONCACAF final
VANCOUVER (WCMH) — One year after the Columbus Crew fell in the CONCACAF final while suffering from stomach issues, another Major League Soccer team claims to have fell victim to the same fate. The Vancouver Whitecaps made it to its first CONCACAF Champions Cup final, taking on Liga MX's Cruz Azul on Sunday at Estadio Olimpico Universitario in Mexico City. Vancouver lost 5-0, mirroring the Crew's convincing defeat to Pachuca 3-0 in the 2024 final. On Thursday, Vancouver confirmed another similarity: their team had played through wide-spread illness. Advertisement 'Following the team's return from Mexico, a significant number of Whitecaps FC players and staff reported gastrointestinal symptoms,' Vancouver said in a statement. Meredith Gaudreau surprises Monahan with prestigious NHL award The Whitecaps canceled training on Wednesday and held a modified session on Thursday for players who had been cleared by the club's medical team and an infectious disease consultant. In Sunday's final, Vancouver failed to register a single shot and had less than one-third of possession throughout the match. The Whitecaps also had just two touches in Cruz Azul's box. Upon their return to central Ohio after losing to Pachuca, Columbus Crew Coach Wilfried Nancy informed members of the media that multiple Crew players and staff members were dealing with a similar bout of stomach illness. See previous coverage in the video player above. Advertisement Former Crew star Cucho Hernandez commented on social media about the news. 'Should I be surprised?' he said. Despite the CONCACAF loss, the Whitecaps lead the MLS Western Conference standings with just one loss in 15 games. The Crew will play the Whitecaps at home on June 14 at 7:30 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Meredith Gaudreau surprises former Calgary Flames centre Sean Monahan with Bill Masterton Trophy for resilience and leadership
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. (AP Photo/Joe Maiorana) Columbus Blue Jackets centre Sean Monahan has been awarded the 2024-25 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, the NHL announced Thursday. 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. Thursday on social media, the NHL posted a video of Gaudreau's wife Meredith surprising Monahan with the trophy. 'Sean stood by my side for every tribute, every walkout and I dragged him out there to cry with me on national TV so many times,' Gaudreau said. 'But I'm excited about this one because it celebrates Sean.' Monahan said it meant a lot to win the Masterton Trophy. 'It's a real big honour,' he said. 'There's a lot of big names on that trophy and the meaning behind it. 'It's something I take great pride in,' he added, 'being on an (NHL) team, being a father, a husband -- it's a special thing and obviously fresh now, but definitely something I'm going to be reflecting on a lot. 'John knows I don't like the spotlight,' Monahan added, 'or attention, so I feel like he's probably watching down on that moment laughing at me.' 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 The Canadian Press
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Watch emotional moment Johnny Gaudreau's widow surprises his best friend with NHL's perseverance award
After dealing with the death of his best friend all season long, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Sean Monahan received an award from Meredith Gaudreau - the widow of the late Johnny Gaudreau - in an emotional moment. On Thursday, the NHL named Monahan the winner of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy - given to the player that 'best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.' But before then, Meredith was invited by the league to present Monahan with the award. 'When I was asked to be part of this surprise, I was so honored, so excited,' Meredith said in the video. 'Sean stood by my side for every tribute, every walkout and I dragged him out there to cry with me on national television so many times but I'm excited about this one because this one celebrates Sean.' Meredith presented the award to Monahan at his home outside of Toronto - revealing that she tipped off Sean's wife, Brittany, about what was being planned. So when Monahan opened the door, believing he was about to get ready for some family photos, he instead found Meredith with the Masterton Trophy. Johnny Gaudreau's wife, Meredith, surprised Sean Monahan with the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. 💙 Watch the #NHLAwards on June 12 at 6p ET on @NHL_On_TNT and @Sportsnet before Game 4 of the #StanleyCup Final. — NHL (@NHL) June 5, 2025 Meredith Gaudreau, the widow of the late Johnny Gaudreau, helped to surprise Columbus Blue Jackets star Sean Monahan with the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy In the video of the surprise, Monahan was seen wiping away tears in an emotional moment Monahan was confused, but gave Meredith a hug, before letting her and the award inside the house. It was then that NHL cameras caught a very emotional exchange between the two - with tears being shed by both. 'Sean, you mean everything to John … this one's about you,' Meredith said, choking up, while Monahan wiped tears from his eyes. 'You persevered through one of the hardest things and you just lead by example and this one's just celebrating your character and how good of a person you are. I know John is so proud of you.' The award was named after Bill Masterton, a player on the Minnesota North Stars who is the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result from injuries sustained in a game. Monahan won the award over 40-year-old Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who put up impressive numbers in the final season of his career, and Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, who returned to the ice in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in nearly three full seasons after suffering injuries en route to the 2022 title. 'Winning that Bill Masterton Trophy means a lot to me. It's a real big honor. It's a lot of special names on that trophy and the meaning behind it — it's something I take great pride in in day-to-day life being on a team, being a father, a husband,' Monahan said. 'It's a special thing and obviously fresh right now and something I'm definitely going to be reflecting on a lot.' Monahan signed a contract with Columbus in July 2024 to re-unite with Gaudreau on the ice Monahan was picked sixth overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames two years after the franchise took Johnny Gaudreau 104th overall. They developed a strong friendship there and continued that after the 2022 season - when Johnny departed for Columbus in free agency and when Monahan was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. Last summer, Monahan signed a five-year, $27.5million contract with Columbus so that he could be re-united with Gaudreau. The friends never played an NHL game together again. Almost two months after Monahan signed that deal - and a month-and-a-half before the start of the season - Johnny and his brother Matthew Gaudreau were struck and killed by a drunk driver in their native New Jersey. In documents seen by Sean Higgins - who has been indicted on six charges related to the brothers' deaths - admitted to cops that he drank '5-6 beers' before getting behind the wheel of his Jeep Grand Cherokee and crashing into the back of Johnny and Matthew. Monahan played roles in both the Blue Jackets' and the Flames' tributes to Johnny Gaudreau in the regular season. When Gaudreau's number was raised to the rafters of Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Monahan was part of a ceremonial puck drop across from another former Flames teammate of Johnny's, Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers. The Blue Jackets then visited Calgary later in the season, where Monahan was seen weeping in a similar ceremony. In spite of dealing with the loss of his best friend throughout the campaign, Monahan finished tied for third on the team in points and a Blue Jackets team that no one expected to be competitive fell just two points short of a playoff spot. All along the way he's received praise for his ability to keep playing, with Columbus captain Boone Jenner quoted as saying, 'Just the way Monny has persevered through really, really hard times. It's been inspiring to me and to the whole group. 'The way he's handled himself, just stepping in here under those circumstances. He's been a leader in the room and a leader on the ice. He's a true pro. Everyone can learn from him.'
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Johnny Gaudreau's wife presents Sean Monahan with the Masterton Trophy in an emotional tribute
(Image Source: Getty Images) Sometimes, sports aren't just about goals or wins. They're about the stories behind the stats, stories of friendship, loss, and unbreakable bonds. Sean Monahan's 2024–25 season was one of those stories. After suffering a heartbreaking loss, he found a way to honor his best friend, Johnny Gaudreau, with every shift on the ice. Now, his perseverance and loyalty have been recognized in the most touching way possible: by winning the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, presented to him by Johnny's wife, Meredith Gaudreau. Sean Monahan lost his best friend before the season, but never lost his purpose In August 2024, tragedy struck the hockey world. Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were killed in a devastating accident, sending shockwaves through the NHL community. Just weeks before the season started, Sean Monahan had signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets, excited to reunite with Johnny on the ice. But nothing could have prepared him for the loss that awaited. Despite the pain, Monahan didn't retreat. Instead, he dedicated the entire season to Johnny's memory, playing with a heart full of grief but a spirit unbroken. For him, this wasn't just hockey. It was a mission. With 19 goals and 38 assists in 54 games, he delivered a standout performance that helped the Blue Jackets nearly clinch a playoff spot. But beyond the numbers, it was his quiet strength and sportsmanship that caught everyone's attention. He stood alongside Meredith Gaudreau during every tribute game, a visible pillar of support and friendship. For fans and teammates alike, Sean embodied what the Masterton Trophy stands for: perseverance, dedication, and sportsmanship in the face of adversity. The surprise that brought everything full circle: Meredith delivers the award The emotional highlight came when Meredith Gaudreau surprised Monahan at his Toronto home with the Masterton Trophy. The moment was raw, intimate, and powerful. Meredith's words resonated deeply: 'Sean stood by my side for every tribute… this one celebrates Sean.' Meredith Gaudreau Surprises Sean Monahan with Masterton Trophy For Monahan, this wasn't just an award, it was a moment of healing and recognition for a journey filled with heartbreak and hope. Sean Monahan's story this season was bigger than hockey. It was about love, loss, and the power of friendship. His Masterton Trophy win is a testament to how the game can bring people together even in the darkest times. Also read - Jake Walman's hilarious laugh at Tomas Nosek's overtime penalty sparks viral frenzy in Stanley Cup Final Game 1
