In Memoriam the Lightning Dedicate the 2025 Season to Johnny Hockey

[Lightning]

I have a lot of family from the Philadelphia area, mostly on the South Jersey side. While I spent the majority of my youth in and around Philadelphia proper, my wife grew up across the river in South Jersey in what amounts to a Philadelphia suburb.
For a short time in Johnny Gaudreau’s youth he played and lived in that same south Jersey area and his family has a lot of ties to it, so I’ve read. I’d been wanting him on my team for better or worse for a while and was excited to have him on the roster because of the connection, tenuous as it may be. It’s always kind of cool to find a personal connection to players even if it is a 6 degrees of separation kind of thing.

It was a devastating event to his family and friends and the hockey community at large when he and his brother were struck and killed by a drunk driver and a strong reminder to all of us on the fragility of life. How fast things can change at any given time. Hold the ones you hold dear close. Get your mind right and of course, don’t drink and drive. 

The Tampa Bay Lightning will dedicate the 2025 season to the memory of Johnny Hockey.

Thanks to the RSHL for continuing to provide this fun distraction for us and best of luck to everyone in the coming season.

Scott P, Lightning

[Boston Bruins]

Here here! Well done and said!

[HartfordWhalers]

Well done Scotty.

Blows my mind this idiot who killed them is pleading innocent. Wondering why he did not get to go home that weekend it all happened. Rot

[Lightning]

Not only that his lawyers tried to put the blame on the brothers... Crazy!