Johnny Gaudreau's dad invited to Philadelphia Flyers practice

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella, along with the entire Flyers' community, made a heartwarming gesture by inviting Guy Gaudreau, the father of the late Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, to help coach at Philadelphia's training camp on Monday.

Guy Gaudreau coached his sons at nearby Hollydell Ice Arena and Gloucester Catholic High School in New Jersey, about 15 minutes away from the Wells Fargo Center.

"He's a coach and he's done some great work with some of the youth out here," Tortorella said to NHL. "I figured it's perfect to get him in with us. He was hesitant at first and we let him go at his timetable. I think it worked out really well today."

Tortorella, who coached the Blue Jackets from 2015-2021, mentioned that he invited Gaudreau to travel with the Flyers to a preseason game against Montreal, but Gaudreau said he feels it might be too soon. Tortorella has also made it clear that Gaudreau has an open invitation to join the Flyers in practice, hinting at a hopeful future collaboration.

On Monday, players saluted Gaudreau with stick taps and all shook his hand before they left the ice.

"It’s just horrible what happened," Tortorella said. "It’s still pretty fresh. It’s here. It’s with us. Down the street. We just want to be part of it and try and help."

More: Marc Staal, Alex Goligoski announce retirements after 17 NHL seasons apiece

Gaudreau brothers are mourned after tragic deaths

Johnny Gaudreau, a star player for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and his brother Matthew were killed on Aug. 29 when they were struck while riding their bicycles on a rural road in South Jersey. Police say the driver who collided with the Gaudreaus, 43-year-old Sean Higgins, had a blood alcohol level of .087%, which is just over the legal limit.

The crash occurred the day before their sister Katie's wedding. Prosecutors have charged Higgins with two counts of death by auto, reckless driving, possession of an open container, and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle.

Johnny Gaudreau played 10 seasons in the NHL. He spent the first eight seasons with the Calgary Flames, and in 2022, he signed a $68 million, seven-year deal with the Blue Jackets.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Flyers welcome Johnny Gaudreau's father to training camp