The Columbus Blue Jackets hosted a pre-game ceremony in Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau’s memory ahead of their home-opener against the Florida Panthers.

The Blue Jackets delivered a touching video tribute, a red carpet ceremony including Gaudreau’s family, a banner-raising and 13 seconds of play with a spot left for Johnny Gaudreau. He and his brother were killed while cycling in New Jersey by an alleged drunk driver on Aug. 29.

“There certainly will be tears, hopefully some smiles along the way as well and two prevailing sentiments: a love of this game and a love for family,” Blue Jackets play-by-play announcer Steve Mears said before the ceremony.

The ceremony began with a tribute video showing Gaudreau’s journey from youth hockey to NCAA to the NHL. Gaudreau battled against plenty of adversity at every level he played, constantly being labelled as too small to reach the highest levels of hockey. But he succeeded at every level he played and always with a smile.

However, it wasn’t just a hockey highlight reel, as Gaudreau’s family life was front and center through it all. In an interview clip, he talked about family being the ultimate factor in his decision to sign with Columbus.

“For me and my family, we always knew that this is a good place to land, and if there was ever an opportunity to come here, you know, we'd try to take it, and it all worked out,” Gaudreau said.

The video concluded with Gaudreau saying, “I think when it's all said and done, I just want to be kind of remembered as a guy who just wanted to be all around the rink, around his friends, around his family.”

That is certainly the case, as Gaudreau’s sisters Kristen and Katie, parents Guy and Jane, brother-in law Eddie, wife Meredith and children Noah and Johnny were all invited onto the ice for a banner raising.

Meredith Gaudreau held her eight-month-old son Johnny and passed him to the Blue Jackets’ Sean Monahan, a longtime friend of Gaudreau and teammate on the Calgary Flames.

Players from the Blue Jackets and the Panthers showed tears as fans in attendance stood and cheered for the banner ascending to the rafters of Nationwide Arena to the sound of Coldplay’s A Sky Full of Stars. Monahan later scored in the game, immediately pointing to the banner.

Prior to the ceremony, both teams’ players wore Gaudreau jerseys in warmup with his No. 13 on the back. On the concourse, there is also a tribute to Gaudreau that includes a replica locker, game-worn jerseys and equipment, and items from the fan memorial. Gaudreau's family viewed the tribute before the game as well.

“I want you all to be inspired by the life that John lived,” Meredith Gaudreau said in a pre-game video. “That means love your family first and foremost, and when it's time to drop the puck, let's love the game that John loved.”

Right before puck drop, Mears conveyed the awkwardness and difficulty of playing a hockey game after such an emotional moment.

“I don't know how I'm supposed to talk after such a beautiful ceremony,” Mears said. “All I can say is just what an unbelievable moment here in Columbus.”

In an unprecedented moment in NHL history, four Blue Jackets players lined up against five Panthers players for the game’s opening faceoff, leaving Gaudreau’s left wing position empty.

Monahan stood at the center dot for puck drop. The players stood at center ice as 13 seconds were counted down off the official game clock to the sound of “Johnny Hockey” chants. The play began with 19:47 remaining in the first period, a proper nod to “Johnny Hockey.”

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