COLUMBUS — Johnny Gaudreau said he knows when the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Calgary Flames at Nationwide Arena on Friday (7 pm ET; SNW, TVAS, SNW, BSOH, ESPN+), it won’t be just another game.
The forward will face the Flames for the first time signing a seven-year, $68.25 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets on July 13, after playing the first nine seasons of his NHL career with Calgary from 2013-22.
“I think it’ll be a little different tonight,” Gaudreau said. “But when you’re playing against guys you’ve played with for such a long time you tend to sometimes start watching them a little bit more on the ice than the actual game, because you’re so used to playing with them.”
The Blue Jackets (8-15-2) have been hit hard by injuries and have lost three straight, outscored 17-7, including a 9-4 home loss to the Buffalo Sabers on Wednesday. But Gaudreau has been steady, leading Columbus with 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists) in 25 games.
Gaudreau is coming off NHL career highs in goals (40), assists (75) and points (115) in 2021-22, his final season with the Flames.
“He’s come as advertised,” Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. “He’s done a good job, especially with what we’ve been through. He’s been productive and made the players around him better.”
Gaudreau scored 609 points (210 goals, 399 assists) in 602 games with Calgary and 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 42 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
“I get to play against some old teammates, some really good friends over there,” he said, “get to see a lot of familiar faces around the organization. It’s great.”
He said he hosted seven or eight former teammates and a few members of the Flames training staff at his home Thursday evening.
“It brings back so many memories,” Gaudreau said. “You know, I was there as part of the organization for 11 years and played with a few of those guys over there for a really long time. So it’s great to see them, spend some time with them but it’s a big game for us. and we want to get back on the right track here for ourselves.”
Gaudreau isn’t the only Blue Jackets player with ties to Calgary (13-10-3). Defenseman Erik Gudbranson signed a four-year, $16 million contract on July 13 after playing with Calgary last season.
“You get excited thinking about it maybe a little bit differently during the day, had some good time with those guys,” Gudbranson said. “But when the puck drops its mano a mano, head-to-head and it’s a big game for us.”
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