DUBUQUE, IA - The Dubuque Fighting Saints (23-9-0-0, 46 pts) host the Sioux City Musketeers (16-13-1-4, 35 pts) on Saturday night for Johnny Gaudreau Remembrance Night at ImOn Arena.
Here are five things to know about the night:
1. Fighting First
On Saturday, the Fighting Saints will retire Johnny Gaudreau's No. 8 jersey to the rafters at ImOn Arena with a pregame ceremony.
It will be the first jersey retired in Fighting Saints history and will hang alongside the Clark Cup Championship banner Gaudreau helped win in Dubuque.
2. Clark Cup Champion
Gaudreau was an integral part of the Clark Cup Championship team in 2010-2011, scoring 72 points in his lone USHL season.
The 17-year old scored 36 goals to lead the team with 15 coming on the power play. He scored 11 points in 11 postseason games and brought the Clark Cup to Dubuque in the Saints' inaugural season.
3. College Champion
Gaudreau left the Fighting Saints for Boston College and helped the team to a National Championship in his freshman season, scoring 44 points in 44 games.
Two years later, while playing for Boston College with his brother Matthew, Gaudreau won the Hobey Baker Award as the nation's top player. Gaudreau scored 36 goals and 80 points in 40 games, leading the nation in goals, assists and points.
4. Saints in the Show
Following his time at Boston College, Gaudreau joined the Calgary Flames, the NHL club that drafted him in the 4th round the summer following his Clark Cup Championship in Dubuque. He scored in his NHL debut in 2014 before spending eight more full seasons with the Flames and two with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Gaudreau was a seven-time NHL All-Star and scored 115 points for Calgary in the 2021-22 season to post a career-high.
5. Giving Back
Gaudreau became a minority owner of the Fighting Saints while still an active NHL player when he joined Fighting Saints alums and current National Hockey League (NHL) player Zemgus Girgensons, NHL executive Peter Luukko, and Stanley Cup champion coach Dan Bylsma, to purchase an equity stake in the team in June 2018.
All proceeds from the 50-50 raffle and special Johnny Gaudreau merchandise sold at Saturday's game will be donated to the John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation.
Saturday's game begins at 7:15 p.m. CST and tickets are available here (Standing Room Only available). The game will be televised on KCRG TV9 locally. It will also be available on Eagle 102.3 and FloHockey with pregame ceremonies beginning just after 7 p.m.
