A Montreal West Island U18 AA hockey team remembered one of their own Saturday.
The Pierrefonds Barracudas held a short pre-game ceremony to honour 16 year-old Lucas Gaudet, who died after he was stabbed outside a Pointe Claire high school February 8. The team was playing their first home game since the start of the pandemic, minus Gaudet.
“It was kinda tough,” said head coach Manni Leo after the game. “Especially seeing the lineup. His name is not on my lineup card.”
According to the coach the team is still processing what happened and he believes the ceremony was important.
“To make sure that we don’t forget Lucas and that the team doesn’t forget him,” he explained.
His parents, who were there, said the gesture meant the world.
“Extremely touching,” said his mother Lynne Baudouy. “I’m at a loss for words.”
His father Guy Gaudet who watched the game said much of his thoughts are centered on his son who was absent.
“I miss my boy,” he sobbed. “I miss my boy. It’s hard.”
Baudouy said the team was her son’s second family. The game, which he started playing at age 6, was his life.
“He played at the Bell Centre (home to the Montreal Canadiens),” she recalled. “He scored a goal there. So that was his dream.”
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She expressed gratitude to the hockey community who she said has been very supportive.
As much as it hurts, though, the parents want the public to know their son’s death goes beyond just their family.
“I’m not the only father that’s going through this right now,” the senior Gaudet pointed out. “There’s five other kids in the last little while. Things have to change.”
In all, six teens have been killed violently in Montreal since last February — four since last fall.
The family is organizing a demonstration for March 5th to help draw attention to the number of violent deaths among teens, and make sure Gaudet’s death means something.