Gaudreau was prepared for the ribbing from fans, citing the passion he was supported with for nine seasons.
"It was great. I definitely heard (the cheers) over the boos for the most part," he said. "It felt nice to see everyone standing up and clapping their hands and cheering for me, then five seconds after start to boo again. It's what I expected coming here. It's a great fan base. They're passionate fans. I loved it. It was a special night for me."
Both teams tapped their sticks as Gaudreau stood and raised his stick to the crowd.
The video was filled with highlights, both on and off the ice, from Gaudreau's first nine seasons with the Flames, his only NHL team until he signed with the Blue Jackets as a free agent this offseason. Afterward, he thanked the fans again for their support when he wore the home colors.
"Just the non-stop support I've had since my first day, even in college, they were big fans of me," Gaudreau said. "I was drafted in 2011. I was part of this organization for 11, 12 years. They gave me an endless amount of support and gave our team an endless amount of support. I just want to thank them all for being great fans and welcoming me into their city. They treated me very well and my family really well."
- NHL.com Independent Correspondent Aaron Vickers contributed to this report.
