Ex-Flames star Gaudreau making honourable donation to men's mental health awareness
Ex-Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau is stepping up to help support and raise awareness towards men’s mental health.
Gaudreau recently decided to join his Columbus Blue Jackets teammate, Patrik Laine, by donating $1,000 for every point he registers for the remainder of the season towards men’s mental health awareness. Laine announced that he would be doing the same prior to the 2023-24 season getting underway.
Laine, 25, stepped away from the Blue Jackets just over two weeks ago to seek care from the NHL’s player assistance program. Unfortunately, not long after doing so, a Blue Jackets-themed podcast mocked his struggles with an extremely insensitive remark, something Laine got word of and obviously didn’t appreciate.
This is just not okay https://t.co/Apai7g6TRP
— Patrik Laine (@PatrikLaine29) February 12, 2024
Despite the attention the insensitive remark made by the podcast got, Gaudreau told reporters that his decision to help support men’s mental health awareness was one that he made during the All-Star break.
“We miss Patty in the locker room. We miss seeing him around the rink and having him around the rink. When I saw he was doing that at the start of the season, I thought it was awesome. I thought it was for a great cause,” Gaudreau explained to reporters on Tuesday night. “Then he happened to go into the program to deal with stuff like that, so I thought what better way to support him than pick up from where he left off and try to help out any way I can?
“I decided over [All-Star] break that I wanted to do this. Obviously, an idiot comes out and says some terrible things like that. It’s just nonsense. Tough to see that, especially when someone’s going through something so tough. We have Patty’s back, if he ever needs anything, we’re always here for him.”
Johnny Gaudreau explains why heās picking up Laineās commitment to donate $1,000 a point for the rest of the season to promote menās mental health awareness and support in Columbus.
Got the idea over break, not because āan idiot comes out and says some terrible things.ā#CBj pic.twitter.com/6aIJFpQP9B
— Brian Hedger (@BrianHedger) February 14, 2024
Gaudreau is in his second season with the Blue Jackets after choosing to sign a seven-year, $68.25 million deal with them as a free agent. The 30-year-old got off to a slow start this season, but has been picking things up as of late with 10 assists through his last 10 games.
Gaudreau spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Flames, during which time he had plenty of success. His 399 assists rank fifth all-time in Flames’ history, as do his 609 points. He managed those totals in 602 games, which ranks 12th in franchise history.
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