By the Numbers: #13—Honoring Johnny Gaudreau, Hockey’s Heart

#13: Unforgettable

Ask a hockey fan what they think of the number “13” and you might still get a smirk. For years, it was the number nobody touched—too much superstition, perhaps. Most players stuck with the familiar. But slowly, a few bold ones leaned into number “13” simply because it felt right. Creative players, fearless players, guys who liked standing out just a little. And then Johnny Gaudreau showed up and changed what the number meant entirely.

A Few NHLers Who Wore #13

Some NHL greats helped reshape the reputation of number “13” before “Johnny Hockey” ever hit the league. Mats Sundin wore it with steady leadership. Pavel Datsyuk made it look silky, turning defenders inside-out on a nightly basis. Mike Cammalleri also helped give number “13” some character across his NHL career.

“Johnny Hockey” Makes His Mark

Gaudreau wasn’t the biggest guy on the ice, but good luck finding anyone who played bigger. “Johnny Hockey” didn’t just wear number “13”—he stamped his whole style onto it. Every shift felt like it could turn into something electric. One second he’d be gliding through traffic, the next he’d thread a pass nobody else saw. Fans would rise before the puck even left his stick. And he did it all with that easy grin that made him impossible not to root for (even from the northern NHL city in Alberta!).

By the Numbers

Over his NHL career with the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets, Gaudreau racked up 743 points in 763 games—243 goals, 500 assists, and 33 playoff points across 11 seasons. Seven All-Star nods, a Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, and far more highlight-reel moments than any stat sheet could capture. The numbers are impressive, sure, but they don’t tell you how teammates trusted him to change a game, or how arenas buzzed the moment the puck found his stick. That part lives in the memories fans still talk about.

#13 Lives On

The hockey world was shaken when Johnny and his brother, Matthew, passed in 2024. Hockey fans responded the only way they knew how: sticks on porches, jerseys hanging from fences, flowers outside rinks—quiet gestures that said more than any speech ever could. The number “13” became a symbol of everything “Johnny Hockey” brought to the sport: joy, creativity, heart. And now, whenever a player chooses to wear number “13”, there’s a sense they’re carrying a little piece of that spark with them.

Passing the Torch

In 2024, Montreal’s Cole Caufield shared that he’s switching his number to 13 in honour of Gaudreau. As an aspiring hockey player who grew up watching Gaudreau, Caufield said it showed him that size isn’t the final word in the NHL. Seeing Gaudreau carve out his path—and now carrying that number himself—keeps that message alive for today’s young players.

Why #13 Will Always Matter

In hockey, number “13” has come to stand for skill, heart, and the kind of love for the game fans instantly recognize. But more than anything, it stands for one player everyone still holds close: Johnny Gaudreau, who left the number “13” better than he found it.