Flames fans create expanding homage to Gaudreau after tragic sudden loss

It's been a couple of years since Johnny Gaudreau left the Saddledome behind when he said goodbye to the Calgary Flames in free agency. 

Pretty much every inkling of his presence has been removed inside the rink since then. But outside the rink, a tribute to Gaudreau is growing. 

Skittles, sticks, stuffies, notes, hats, jerseys, flowers, photos, posters and purple Gatorade adorn the Saddledome steps. The concrete is covered in messages written in chalk. Not a lick of rain has dropped, despite the dark cloud of sorrow loitering over a city that lost a hockey hero. 

Hockey hero doesn't really do Gaudreau justice. He and his brother Matty, who were both struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver on Thursday night in Jersey, were more than their hockey accomplishments. In these days following the tragedy, you've likely heard many stories, read touching letters, watched many videos or seen the tear-jerking Instagram posts from John's wife, Meredith.

It's the off-ice moments that make this story even more sad. The hockey world lost a star, but the Earth lost a stellar husband, father, uncle, son and so much more. 

It was that relatively introverted but extremely endearing personality that made him the most popular Calgary Flames player in the post-Jarome Iginla era. It's the reason so many fans feel the need to pay their respects at the rink where a young prospect grew into superstar and super man. 

There's no telling how large the area of adoration will grow. And there's no rain in the long-term forecast, either.