The Canadiens just made a beautiful and emotional announcement.

Forward Cole Caufield has made a wonderful gesture, as he has officially decided to change his jersey number.

Cole Caufield will now wear jersey number 13 with the Canadiens

This is what the Canadiens organization has just officially announced.

And here is Caufield’s own announcement.

We all lost an amazing person, both on and off the ice, in last week’s tragedy. My deepest condolences go to the entire Gaudreau family, especially Johnny’s wife and two kids, who I had the pleasure of meeting. Nothing will be able to fill the void in their families and loved ones hearts, but I hope it provides some comfort to know how these two positively impacted the lives of so many. They will truly be missed.
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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. 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.
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The last few years playing as #22 have been some of the best years of my life. It truly has been a dream come true and I will forever hold those memories and that number close to me. I wore #13 at a point in my career because of Johnny and now I will be wearing it again to honor him. 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.
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Rest in Peace, Johnny hockey.

Cole Caufield

Just seconds after the announcement, Caufield’s gesture was praised by several NHL insiders.

Caufield will become the 9th player in Canadiens history to wear number 13.

Details to follow.