On This Date: The CBJ Sign Johnny Gaudreau

On This Date: The CBJ Sign Johnny Gaudreau

On this day one year ago, The CBJ made what could be the biggest free agent signing in NHL history when they signed Johnny Gaudreau. No player of his caliber had ever reached free agency. Players like this are usually locked up quickly.

I remember waiting in a pizza shop, scrolling through Twitter when there were rumors popping up that Gaudreau could be signing in Columbus. Of course, no one actually believed it and thought it was all smoke. I remember texting a friend saying “There’s no way he’s actually coming to Columbus, Right?”

And then a few hours later, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman sent a simple tweet that read “Johnny Gaudreau is going to Columbus”. Now it seemed to be sinking in. But fans were still skeptical. After all the Jackets had already had their presser, they signed Erik Gudbranson earlier in the day. And then the CBJ announced that they had signed Johnny Hockey. The fans of the Jackets finally had something go their way.

For years fans have been told that no one would ever come back to Columbus and that players around the league hated the city, and other statements that were flat-out not true. On July 13^th, 2022, that all changed.

Now came the hate from fans of other teams. Calgary Flames fans couldn’t believe their beloved Johnny Hockey would actually leave, let alone go to Columbus. Flames fans took it personally and went to Twitter to voice their displeasure with Gaudreau and Columbus, but CBJ fans weren’t going to let the negative tweets bring them down.

Jackets fans started buying season tickets in record numbers, they were excited. And as the summer wore on, the anticipation of seeing Gaudreau in Union Blue was growing and growing. It was a crazy time in Columbus.

Finally on October 14^th, at home vs the Lightning, we all got to see Gaudreau take the ice for the first time wearing a CBJ uniform. The crowd was electric and couldn’t wait for him to Fire The Cannon. It didn’t take long. 2:21 into the 1^st period, assisted by Justin Danforth and Boone Jenner, Gaudreau scored his first goal as a Blue Jacket. The roof nearly blew off Nationwide Arena. It was really loud in that building.

Gaudreau would go on to have a fairly decent year considering how injured and bad the team was. He scored 21 goals and had 74 points. He had 21 power play assists which tied his career record. And on a team with over 500-man games lost, Gaudreau missed only two games.

Gaudreau is going to break Artemi Panarin’s single-season points mark sooner or later. Currently, that record stands at 87, and it could fall this next season. Once Adam Fantilli takes over that 1C spot, it wouldn’t shock me if Gaudreau gets 100 in a season. The CBJ record for points in a career is 547, held by Rich Nash. Gaudreau would need to average around 79 points a season over the next six seasons to break Nash’s record.

The Johnny Gaudreau effect didn't stop at ticket and jersey sales. Soon after the Gaudreau signing, Patrik Laine would ink an extension with the Blue Jackets as well. Adam Fantilli would tell the world his preferred destination in the draft was Columbus. Damon Severson was traded to the CBJ and signed an extension before he would've hit free agency, which is rare. It's a fun time in Columbus right now despite what happened last season. 

July 13^th, 2022, will always be remembered among Blue Jacket fans as the day their favorite team signed Johnny Hockey, and maybe, just maybe it changed the luck of the team that resides on Irish Broadway.