Sean Monahan dedicated this season to Johnny Gaudreau, following the tragic death of his best friend last offseason.
On Thursday, Monahan, the Columbus Blue Jackets forward, was announced as the recipient of the Masterton Trophy, voted for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
Monahan was presented the trophy at his home outside of Toronto when he was surprised with a visit from Johnny’s widow, Meredith Gaudreau.
“I let (Monahan’s wife) Brittany in on this secret a few days ago,” Meredith said. “I think she tricked Sean into thinking they were taking family photos today. All the little things he does behind the scenes and everything he means to the Blue Jackets, to the NHL, to my family.
“I’m nervous, I’m excited, I just want to make sure he knows today is a good day. We are here to celebrate how amazing of a person you are.”
