The USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints will honor the greatest player in its history this season when Johnny Gaudreau’s number will be the first retired by the team. The team is currently planning a full memorial ceremony with details to be announced at a later date, but Gaudreau’s No. 8 will never be worn by another player in Dubuque.

• Remembering Johnny And Matthew Gaudreau
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Gaudreau, who tragically died along with his brother Matthew after being struck by a car last month, spent one season with the Fighting Saints, in 2010-11. It was in Dubuque that Gaudreau’s star began to rise.

In his one season with Dubuque, Gaudreau scored 72 points to lead the team as a 17-year-old. He was named the USHL’s Rookie of the Year and helped the Fighting Saints capture the Clark Cup as USHL postseason champions. Gaudreau had 11 points in 11 games during the magical run that was helmed by current Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery. 

After that season, the undersized dynamo was drafted 104th overall by the Calgary Flames. He spent the next three seasons with Boston College, the last year playing with brother Matthew.

Johnny won a national championship as a freshman at BC and took home the Hobey Baker as a junior. He then signed with the Flames and embarked on a decorated NHL career that saw him reach the NHL All-Star Game seven times and earn a number of other accolades and awards.

He also became a minority owner of the Fighting Saints while still an active NHL player.

The USHL honored the Gaudreau brothers with a moment of silence before all 16 games at the 2024 USHL Fall Classic in Pittsburgh last week. USHL players and officials also wore black decals with “JG” and “MG” on their helmets throughout the event. 

Thinking of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau at the #USHL Fall Classic 🫶

Teams and officials are sporting JG/MG decals on their helmets 🤍 pic.twitter.com/Q8wJZmK1pc

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) September 19, 2024

The Dubuque Fighting Saints have been an active team in the USHL since 2010, though previous iterations of the Fighting Saints as far back as 1980.

Though many great players have come through Dubuque over that span, Gaudreau’s No. 8 will be the first hanging in the rafters at ImOn Arena in Dubuque.

Johnny's number 8 will forever hang in the rafters of ImOn Arena, alongside the history he helped build, as the first number to be retired in Fighting Saints history.

Planning for a full memorial ceremony continues with details to be announced at a later date. pic.twitter.com/Lbl7wn57kh

— Dubuque Fighting Saints (@fightingsaints) September 27, 2024

We will update this story when more details about the ceremony become available.

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