NHL insider Frank Seravalli is facing major backlash for his recent comments where he referenced Johnny Gaudreau's death in a tasteless way.
This last summer was marked by a major heartbreak for the NHL with Johnny Gaudreau's sudden passing which has left fans & players in complete shock. Johnny also known as Johnny Hockey was beloved by his peers & many have paid touching tributes to him in the months since. However, not everyone showed the same level of respect.
In a recent article predicting the upcoming NHL season Seravalli made a controversial remark suggesting that the Columbus Blue Jackets could land the number 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft with help from Gaudreau "looking down on them from heaven." This comment sparked outrage on social media with many criticizing Seravalli's poor judgment.
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After facing intense backlash Seravalli addressed the situation & issued an apology on social media:
Earlier today, in an annual season predictions column, I picked the Columbus Blue Jackets to win the Draft Lottery and included commentary about Johnny Gaudreau looking down on them from heaven for good luck.
What I wrote and how my poor choice of words was received was not intended to create any hurt or anger. Especially as a member of the Philly hockey community, I've been absolutely gutted by John and Matty's passing - like so many around the hockey world. This tragedy is a difficult topic we're all grappling with and what I wrote was never intended to add to that. Simply put, I should not have tied the two together. I am sorry and I promise to be better.
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Despite this apology fans are continuing to criticize Seravalli saying that he made a few edits to amend his original comments without fully addressing the insensitivity of his words.
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Although there are unlikely to be any professional consequences for the reporter many hope this will serve as a learning lesson for him to show greater respect in the future.
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