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Caufield, 23, long admired Gaudreau for proving
players didn't have to be physically imposing to succeed in the
sport. Gaudreau, who most recently played for the Columbus Blue
Jackets, was just 5-foot-9; Caufield is 5-7.
Caufield wore No. 22 in his first four NHL seasons but donned
No. 13 as part of the U.S. National Team Development Program in
2018-19.
"I wore #13 at a point in my career because of Johnny and now I
will be wearing it again to honor him," Caufield wrote on
Instagram late Tuesday. "He paved the way for smaller players
and proved we had a future in this game at the highest level. I
will forever be grateful to him for inspiring me and others."
Caufield, a Wisconsin native, and Gaudreau played together on
the U.S. team at the IIHF men's world championship in May in the
Czech Republic.
"Getting to play with your hero is something that most people
only dream of. I was lucky enough to be Johnny's teammate this
past summer and it didn't take long to realize how great of a
person he was," Caufield posted.
"He was the most welcoming, genuine, and funniest guy I have
ever met. He was someone everyone gravitated towards and I took
every chance I could to be around him. Not only was he an
amazing hockey player and teammate, but he was down to earth and
truly cared about every person he encountered."
--Field Level Media [© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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