AUSTIN — Valerie Hunt is headed to Lubbock with two more gold medals won both her events Thursday at the Class 4A UIL state track and field meet It was the second year in a row the Texas Tech signee left Mike A Myers Stadium with gold in the discus and shot put Hunt set a 4A girls state meet record with a 160-foot 8-inch throw in the discus and reached 48-7¾ in shot put Both were significant improvements over her winning tosses last year "I definitely upped my stuff and my training," Hunt said Hunt reached the state meet all four years at Monahans Last season she also competed in the pole vault but she said she'll stick to throwing at Tech She said it was "kind of a relief" she didn't qualify in three events because of the busy schedule at the one-day meet Hunt didn't always foresee track in her future Her first exposure was in elementary school and then she grew to like it as she got older "Junior high I tried it again and ended up enjoying it," Hunt said facilities and her future teammates drew her to the program a similar but bigger city than Monahans with "more food options," she said with a laugh "(I'm excited about) just being able to see what I can do in college," Hunt said Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Azelyn "Azey" Nichol Taylor danced her way into the Lord's arms on April 27 at 16 years old surrounded by family and community She was a sophomore at Monahans High School She was excited and proud to be accepted into the Odessa College-Monahans Dual Credit Licensed Vocational Nursing Program She enjoyed fellowship and laughing with her friends at Monahans Community Church Our beautiful princess was a brilliant and selfless soul who always poured out endless love and laughter She was always sure to voice her opinions with straight sass Daddy's girl to the core and Mom's whole world She has her dad's witty personality and always wanted to make you laugh She had her mom's love for clothes and shoes Azelyn loved jamming to music as loud as she could but no one else mattered if there was a baby nearby the baby is asleep” her mom didn't know where the baby came from; she had snuck down the street and borrowed the neighbor's baby Azey shared a special bond with her brothers Her brothers will always remember her as beautiful Her cousins have described her personality as sassy Those who knew her and loved her saw her full personality There is no question she was definitely strong-willed Casey Dale Taylor and Kara Nichol Taylor; brothers Casen and Court Taylor; great-grandparents Carolyn "Mema" Touchstone-Darden and Maile "Gran" Weeks; grandparents Dale "Big Daddy “and Virginia "Gran" Taylor Billy "papa" and Bonnie "Mema" Smith Karen "Grammie" and John "Poppy" Tiemann Cathy "Marmee” and Rick "Pappy" Gonzalez Preceded in death by her great-great-grandma Dorothy "Little Grandmother" Weeks Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text Click to watch This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors How to watch Texas high school softball: Randall High vs Monahans High School is away from home against Randall High School How to watch Monahans vs. Randall High softballMonahans and Randall High will face off on Thursday, April 24, at 5 p.m. CT. Don't miss out on any of the action with NFHS Network The NFHS Network gives you access to live high school sports around the country Follow your favorite team and never miss a game Want to track your alma mater, local team or family member's school throughout the playoffs? NFHS Network has high school softball streaming live plus on-demand replays and highlights of all the action from thousands of schools across America Watch Randall High vs. Monahans on NFHS Network! All NFHS Network events are available to watch online at NFHS Network and through the NFHS Network Mobile Apps for iOS and Android and TV Apps for ROKU Tx to Robert (Motor) and Ella Craft on December 15 Melvin graduated from Monahans High School in 1968 He worked in the oil industry starting his career with BJ Oil later working for Kuykendall wireline before starting Craft Wireline Services with his dad He was a member of the Monahans Volunteer Fire Department for 27 years A director for the Ward County Livestock Show and served as swine superintendent and a past president He spent many years cooking for the 4H sale working cattle with his buddies Steve and Billy Melvin was also an avid Monahans Lobo football fan; he loved the Loboes and his community but it was spending time with his family that he loved most His children and grandchildren meant so much to him Melvin is preceded in death by his grandparents; and his father Lillie Craft of Monahans; his three children Ella Craft of Monahans; nine grandchildren A memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM A lunch will be provided by the Monahans Volunteer Fire Department following the service.  donations may be made to the Monahans Volunteer Fire Department in honor of Melvin The family wishes to extend their sincere thanks to the staff at Ward Memorial Hospital Arrangements are entrusted to Harkey Funeral Home If you would like to send the family your condolences you may do so by signing his guestbook at www.harkeyfunerals.com Randall High School will host Monahans High School How to watch Monahans vs. Randall High softballMonahans and Randall High will hit the diamond on Friday, April 25, at 2 p.m. CT. Don't miss out on any of the action with NFHS Network Texas to Clyde and Ruth Ann Smith on May 29 He was married to Jeanette Smith (Hill) on January 22 He worked at Halliburton until he retired in 2019 after 25 years of total employment Wade Smith is preceded in death by his parents Clyde and Ruth Ann Smith Wade Smith is survived by his sister Melissa Dutton and husband Chris Dutton from Midland Texas Daphne Wells and Husband Andrew Wells from Abilene Texas Kinzley Wells and Izzy Roberts and great-granddaughter Rosalyn Ann Grace Mechelle Leake and Husband Mike from Midland Great nephew Gavin Douthit and Great Niece Megan Dutton from Midland Texas The family of Wade Smith wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Home Hospice A memorial service will be held on September 21 at 10:00 at Bethel Baptist Church in Monahans Matthew was adventurous and daring and knew no fear He loved to be outside… riding motorcycles and fishing He had an infectious smirky grin and always pulled for the underdog He lived from the heart and marched to his own drum Haybri Morriss; “his kids,” Anavay and Jacob; and his best friend If you would like to send the family your condolences you may do so by signing his guestbook at www.harkeyfunerals.com The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed center Sean Monahan on Injured Reserve and added center Owen Sillinger to the roster on emergency recall from the Cleveland Monsters the team’s American Hockey League affiliate club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today suffered an upper body injury in Tuesday’s 4-3 shootout win at Pittsburgh He has registered 14 goals and 27 assists for 41 points with 14 penalty minutes and a +17 plus/minus rating in 41 games with the Blue Jackets in 2024-25 He ranks second on the club in plus/minus rating and third in goals Ontario has posted 258-321-579 and 195 PIM in 805 career games with the Blue Jackets Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames since making his league debut in 2013-14 Originally selected by Calgary in the first round Monahan signed a five-year contract with Columbus as a free agent on July 1 two-way NHL/AHL contract with the Blue Jackets on July 1 He has recorded 8-17-25 with 18 PIM and 68 shots on goal in 34 appearances with Cleveland in 2024-25 148 PIM and 338 shots on goal in 192 career AHL games with the Monsters since making his professional debut in 2021-22 Saskatchewan native notched 51-64-115 and 125 PIM in 134 career collegiate games over four seasons at Bemidji State University (CCHA) from 2018-22 he set NCAA career highs in his senior campaign with 17-30-47 in 39 outings in his final campaign in 2021-22 The Blue Jackets return to action today against the Seattle Kraken The game will be broadcast live on FanDuel Sports Network and the FanDuel Sports Network app with the “Blue Jackets Live” pre-game show The game will also be heard on the Blue Jackets Radio Network they moved to Marshalltown where they would make that their home until 2015 when they moved to Prairie Vista Village in Altoona Flo worked for a brief time as a bank teller Doug Monahan; grandchildren: Sydney (Erin) Dunn Skylar (Andrew) Reaman and Saydie Monahan; great grandchildren: Talon Dunn and Isabelle Dunn; sister-in-law James “Jimmy” Monahan and her parents There are no services planned at this time Burial will take place at a later date this summer at Riverside Cemetery in Marshalltown Online condolences may be expressed at www.hamiltonsfuneralhome.com LLC | https://www.timesrepublican.com | 135 West Main Street to Eldon Lloyd and Jessie Horton at home in Wichita Falls Glenn met Helen Joan Horton in Burkburnett in 1957 and they were married on February 6th They lived in Burkburnett many years before moving to Monahans Texas in 1968 and making it their permanent home Glenn was a Mechanical Maintenance Supervisor for Texas Utilities Electric Company for over 40 years until he retired in 1992 He was a man who could do just about anything including welding He enjoyed time spent with his beloved wife Eldon Lloyd and Jessie Horton; his loving wife A graveside service will be held on Friday at 2:00 PM at Monahans Memorial Cemetery with Pastor Chris Powell officiating the family request any donations be made to First Baptist Church of Monahans or Home Hospice of Andrews Special thanks to Harkey Funeral Home and Home Hospice Monahans has strengthened its position as the south-west’s leading accountancy and business advisory firm with the acquisition of two leading local companies which saw the firm receive a significant investment from Sumer Group last year McGills Chartered Accountants and The Insolvency Company will now come under the Monahans umbrella marking a 30% increase in Monahans’ headcount The acquisition of Gloucestershire-based McGills adds three prominent south-west locations McGills’ team of three Partners and 30 staff will seamlessly continue to provide accountancy and business advice to clients in the Cotswolds while also benefitting from Monahans’ wide-ranging experience McGills’ established presence in the region and proven track record with predominantly SME and owner-managed business clients made the firm a prime candidate to be a part of Monahans’ continued expansion The firms share a close set of common values and ethos and are confident this new partnership will expand the availability of high-quality services to businesses and individuals in the region Monahans’ managing partner, Simon Tombs said: “McGills has been providing excellent financial and business advice to organisations in the Cotswolds for more than half a decade with an unrivalled reputation in the region The firm complements Monahans in its expertise and shares the same focus on providing an excellent service for its clients.” Sharla Dandy and Helen Jones will become partners at Monahans Nuttall commented: “We are delighted to be joining forces with the team at Monahans which reflects our own beliefs and drive for quality as well as a shared dedication to our clients our clients and our local communities.” Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis The Insolvency Company’s provision of a range of debt advice from its offices in Taunton will enhance Monahans’ business recovery and insolvency practice while its team is due to move into the firm’s Taunton office over the coming months Tombs added: “As a family-run business and with 50 plus years of combined experience to strengthen our debt advice offering The Insolvency Company is a perfect fit to be a part of the Monahans Group from the perspectives of both culture and expertise “These acquisitions present great opportunities for our teams consolidating extensive knowledge and experience and broadening our reach across the south-west region in line with our growth plans.” Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network you acknowledge that GlobalData UK Limited may share your information with our partners/sponsors who may contact you directly with information on their products and services Your AI supplement access link will arrive shortly. While you wait, why not explore our other supplements The Columbus chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association has nominated Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy The award is given annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance has registered 18 goals and 32 assists for 50 points with 18 penalty minutes and a +15 plus/minus rating while averaging 19:17 TOI per game and winning 52.2 percent of his faceoffs in 49 appearances this season He leads Columbus in points per game (1.02) ranks third in assists and plus/minus rating and is fourth in points His ice time (19:37 with Calgary in 2014-15) and points per game (1.05 with Calgary in 2018-19) are the second-highest of his career and his point total is the second-highest since he tallied a career-best 34-48-82 in 78 games with the Flames in 2018-19 Signed by the Blue Jackets as a free agent on July 1 Ontario native has registered 262-326-588 and 199 penalty minutes in 813 career games with the Blue Jackets Montreal Canadiens and Flames over 12 NHL seasons in the 2013 NHL Draft and played nine seasons with the Flames from 2013-22 The winner of the Masterton Trophy is selected by a poll of the 32 chapters of the PHWA at the conclusion of the regular season The trophy was first presented by the NHL writers in 1968 in honor of the late Bill Masterton a player for the Minnesota North Stars who exhibited the qualities for which the trophy embodies Last season’s winner was Connor Ingram of the Arizona Coyotes (now Utah Hockey Club) Previous Blue Jackets nominees for the award include: Kevin Dineen (2000-01 and 2001-02 Justin Danforth (2021-22) and Boone Jenner (2022-23) The Blue Jackets return to action on Thursday when they host the Buffalo Sabres Live coverage on FanDuel Sports Network and the FanDuel Sports Network app begins at 6:30 p.m Coming off the ice after a recent practice the Blue Jackets were asked to pick which teammate they’d choose to pull a prank with whose quiet persona and monotone voice provide perfect cover for a side of him that’s apparently a bit more devious More on Sean Monahan: Columbus Blue Jackets ink center Sean Monahan to five-year contract “It’s honestly just how I am,” Monahan said stay light and that’s something I usually do on a daily basis so you’ve got to keep your head on a swivel.” The fact Monahan can still tap into his dry sense of humor is remarkable Monahan signed with the Jackets mostly to reunite with Johnny Gaudreau, whom he’d become close to as Calgary Flames teammates The rekindling of their friendship was cut tragically short but Monahan has persevered to become a key part of the Blue Jackets has also produced at a point-per-game pace He has 50 points with 18 goals and 32 assists in 49 games and his +15 plus/minus ranks third highest on the team with five games left the Columbus chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association has chosen Monahan as the Blue Jackets’ nominee for this year’s Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy which is named after the only player in NHL history to die from an in-game injury The winner is determined by PHWA vote after nominees from the league’s 32 markets are put up for consideration by each chapter Monahan was an easy choice for the Blue Jackets “He’s just been everything you’d want in a teammate and more,” Blue Jackets center Sean Kuraly said “It’s unprecedented challenges he’s dealt with this year worked his butt off and has been a really good teammate .. and would definitely be deserving of an honor like that.” Johnny and “Monny” were eager to reunite in Ohio and rekindle their top line magic from Calgary It was a perfect fit from that aspect and Monahan gave the Blue Jackets another seasoned “top six” center to go with captain Boone Jenner Gaudreau and his brother were struck and killed by the driver of an SUV who’s currently jailed and has multiple criminal charges levied against him just as it was for the Blue Jackets who played with Gaudreau the past two years How could Monahan or any of his new teammates even possibly think about The NHL’s schedule is 82 games long — not including preseason tilts — and stops for nothing other than league-issued lockouts and worldwide pandemics so Monahan and the Blue Jackets started on time They’ve also made a surprising push to join the playoff race in the Eastern Conference while honoring Gaudreau in numerous ways Monahan first wore the team’s new donkey hat postgame award after a 6-4 victory Oct 12 over the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena in Denver who’d kiddingly call friends or teammates a “donkey” whenever they made him laugh the Blue Jackets have handed out “the donkey” after every win kept Gaudreau’s stall intact in their locker room at Nationwide Arena — right next to Monahan’s — displayed his jersey after every single game He and Erik Gudbranson even walked with members of the Gaudreau family to lead the Blue Jackets out of the home tunnel at “The Shoe” for the NHL Stadium Series victory over the Detroit Red Wings Monahan has connected with the Blue Jackets to a point where it now feels like he’s been in Columbus much longer They’ve bonded over memories of Gaudreau and have special moments of their own now “I’ve heard a couple (Gaudreau stories) for sure,” Monahan said I was very excited to play with him again and be his teammate but with the group knowing his personality and whatnot it’s fun to tell stories about him and relive some of the memories.” Gudbranson emerged from a back entrance to the Blue Jackets’ locker room and sauntered down a hallway lined with reporters Numbers for players requested for interviews are written on a white dry-erase board inside the locker room “Anybody here want to talk to me?” he asked a hallway of shaking heads “Or did ‘Monny’ write my number on the board again?” Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social Derrick George MonahanBirth date: Dec 12 he was a regular practitioner at The Shala Pittsburgh studio And took the time to ask how your practice went Derrick also came to many weekend long workshop with guest teachers many of us had the honor of practicing with him online with his long time teacher He was kind to himself even when he struggled with difficult asanas On behalf of the studio and several students and teachers a contribution of $400 has been made to Tree Pittsburgh We have so many great memories I won’t ever forget I’ll always remember watching horror movies while we each crushed a Large pizza on our 12-hour watch at Pax River our time learning how to Lead climb in VA Beach our many climbing adventures at New River Gorge My favorite memory was during one of our climbing adventures in WV… you were about halfway up a route and I started yelling/complaining because I got stung by a bee Then it was my turn on the wall… and you got stung… and you said ‘dang Turns out we were belaying each other right above a beehive hidden in some rocks you setup some weird anchor at the top of a route I thought you were off belay so I let out a ton of slack You started dropping about 30-40’ and just said and I quickly realized it could have been very bad Plenty of other great memories and I’m so glad to have been able to experience friendship with such a great person You helped teach me about strong work ethic Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) warms up before Game 5 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights NEW YORK - Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and forwards Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche and Sean Monahan of the Columbus Blue Jackets were named the finalists for the NHL’s Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy on Friday Voting was conducted by the local chapters of the Professional Hockey Writers Association The award is presented annually to the player who best exemplifies perseverance Fleury posted a 14-9-1 record and 2.93 goals-against average in 26 games this season The 40-year-old ranks second all-time in wins (575) starts (1,017) and minutes played (over 60,000) Landeskog capped a long road back when he made his AHL debut April 11 on a conditioning assignment with the Colorado Eagles The 32-year-old Colorado captain hadn’t played since June 26 due to a serious knee injury that forced him to miss the entire 2023-24 season and 2024-25 regular campaign 2024 to reunite with Johnny Gaudreau after the two were teammates for nine seasons with the Calgary Flames that tragically never transpired as Gaudreau and his brother were killed in August when they were struck by a vehicle while cycling Monahan tied for third in Blue Jackets scoring with 57 points A $2,500 grant from the PHWA is awarded annually to the Bill Masterton Scholarship Fund in the name of the Masterton Trophy winner This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 2 Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account and drive through the night so that 3-month-old Leo could spend the six hours sleeping where the Monahans were excited to start a new adventure “That’s when I got the call,” Monahan said “That’s how I found out Johnny had passed.” Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were struck and killed while riding bicycles in Oldmans Township, N.J., the evening before their sister Katie was to be married and just a few weeks before Monahan and Gaudreau — best of friends since playing together as Calgary Flames — were to start training camp and be reunited as Columbus Blue Jackets would even consider signing as a free agent with the Jackets Gaudreau’s recruiting pitch was a little intense “I’d get 40 (texts) a day from him some days “We were looking forward to playing together again But we were both really excited to raise our kids together.” “It was obviously devastating,” Monahan said and then we drove down and got Leo situated in Columbus we went to Philadelphia to see Mere (Gaudreau’s wife Monahan wasn’t sure if it was going to work in Columbus The car sat packed in the driveway for a couple of days When grief makes every hour seem interminable Did he even want to be in Columbus without Gaudreau I was in Columbus for a while and I couldn’t bring myself to the rink “I was pushed to come to the rink by a few of the people around me and that’s something that helped me get by.” As the Blue Jackets play out the final days of the season there has been a clutch of superlative performances that helped make the Jackets one of the NHL’s best stories: Zach Werenski’s stellar all-around play Mathieu Olivier’s mix of power and production 20-year-old Adam Fantilli’s capacity to play as a No who has centered one of the top lines in the NHL served as a mentor to the Blue Jackets’ bevy of young players and stood as an inspiration to every player in the dressing room SEAN MONAHAN SCORES IN HIS BLUE JACKETS HOME DEBUT!! What a moment. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ddwCMBBRKN — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 16, 2024 Every player in the dressing room has grieved Gaudreau’s death but he and Monahan were best friends and kindred spirits even those who have lived with grief in their own lives have been awed by Monahan’s ability to play at a high level while modeling grace and vulnerability has been nominated by the Columbus chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy awarded annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies “perseverance he’d talk about Monny all the time,” Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner said “Just the way Monny has persevered through really It’s been inspiring to me and to the whole group just stepping in here under those circumstances “He’s been a leader in the room and a leader on the ice Monahan’s power-play goal on Tuesday in the Blue Jackets’ 5-2 win over the Ottawa Senators kept him above a point a game for what would be the second time in his 12-year NHL career he’s fourth on the club in points despite missing 28 games following wrist surgery in January Anybody who has followed or played in the NHL knows that Monahan is one of the league’s best two-way centers but what the Blue Jackets have witnessed up close has been eye-opening Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason has marveled at the small plays he makes that can often go unnoticed The small touch passes that act as a relief valve when the puck is trapped in the defensive zone And also the way he’s helped the young players especially the way Monahan has shown him how patience in the defensive zone can be beneficial he’s been a huge help for me,” Fantilli told The Athletic earlier this year “Part of it is being able to talk with a player like him But to be up close to him … I can absolutely learn something every day.” but when asked flattering questions about his own game or performance he’d rather talk about the supporting cast around him “Leo is my world,” Monahan said of his now 11-month-old son When I come to the rink … I think about him all the time “He’s a big reason why I’m having the success I am this year I’m playing for a bunch of different reasons He’ll also start picking up on the world around him which means games at Nationwide Arena could be quite hysterical Blue Jackets fans have shouted “Leo!” in unison just before anthem singer Leo Welsh steps to the microphone “I love how the fans scream the name,” Monahan said “Once (Leo) gets a little bit older and understands it The other big part of Monahan’s support staff has been Meredith Gaudreau Monahan has raced home to get Leo together to play with Gaudreau’s daughter the entire Blue Jackets team attended Noa’s birthday party Guy Gaudreau (Johnny’s father) will get the little guys up and moving.” Meredith Gaudreau announced the birth of her third child (via Meredith Gaudreau on Instagram) pic.twitter.com/2W7u1lniC6 — The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) April 7, 2025 Monahan was full of emotion during the Blue Jackets’ 8-4 rout of Nashville in Nationwide Arena It’s been a rough end to the season for the Blue Jackets but this was a triumphant night that felt like many of their wins from earlier in the season one of his more productive nights on the season He felt like there was a higher power at work When Meredith eulogized her husband at the funeral in Media Carter Michael Gaudreau was born in the early hours of April 1 “It was a pretty emotional day,” Monahan said I was on a FaceTime with my wife and Meredith You wonder if all of this — the Blue Jackets and Monahan finding joy playing hockey Monahan and others playing at a high level this season — would be happening if not for the strength and grace shown by Meredith Meredith made a point of speaking directly to the Blue Jackets players who were assembled together at the service By imploring them to honor Johnny Gaudreau by having fun at the rink having fun playing hockey and having fun bonding as a team she gave them emotional permission to go forth into the season with energy and passion It was hard to care about hockey after the tragedy It’s impressive that she does what she does “I look at it this way: She’s one of the leaders on this team.” Gaudreau wasn’t Monahan’s only pull toward Columbus It probably hasn’t been understood enough that Monahan has known Jenner for years They’ve played against each other scores of times way back into their Ontario Hockey League days but they’ve also hung out together in the offseason with their mutual friend Monahan was also looking for a family-friendly city — big and close to his family in Ontario — to establish roots Long before the free-agency bell rang on July 1 it was understood that Monahan was heading to Columbus “I had no idea what to expect signing here,” Monahan said but I wasn’t sure what the situation was going to be or how the city was going to be the Monahans and the Gaudreaus all live on the same street — it’s a loop Both are famously hard workers and players who would rather do the work than talk about it but not excited by cameras and fanfare — but apparently quite different in their comfort zones Veteran defenseman Erik Gudbranson has said that Monahan who he’s played with in Calgary and now Columbus is one of the funniest guys he’s met in the game On a whiteboard in the Blue Jackets dressing room members of the public relations staff write the sweater numbers of the players who have been requested for interviews they don’t shower and slip out the back door without answering questions Gudbranson came out to chat and found no takers “Was anybody looking for me?” Gudbranson asked Monahan has been enthralled with Marchenko — who has scored a career-high 31 goals playing mostly with Monahan this season — and not just because he has one of the best shots in the NHL It’s Marchenko’s boundless enthusiasm and passion “I don’t think I’ve ever talked between shifts with somebody as much as Marchy,” Monahan said “We have these great conversations where … (laughs) honestly I don’t know what he’s saying half the time ’cause it’s like half Russian and half English But I always (laughs) think I know what he means it’s been delightful to see him in this mode again Gaudreau’s sweater still hangs in the stall right beside Monahan’s and when he does step forward for interviews he also steps to the side so that Gaudreau’s No It’s proof that you don’t move beyond grief as much as you learn to carry it “It’s really fun to come to the rink,” Monahan said “I look at some of the teams I’ve played on There are guys on the team who are 10 or 11 years younger than me I enjoy being a hockey player with these guys and I enjoy being a teammate with every guy here Blue Jackets fans sang Happy Birthday to Johnny Gaudreau Jr Today is Baby Johnny's first birthday. ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/IqXYFbyiyr — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 23, 2025 The Blue Jackets’ first star player was Rick Nash who observed in his early days that he could move about Columbus — a restaurant — without drawing attention or creating a scene No way that would have been possible in Toronto or anywhere in Canada Plenty of people noticed him in public — the smiles the whispers said as much — but he was mostly given space other than a few young fans who approached “Everybody has so much respect,” Monahan said and they give you a little wave or a smile But there’s a small-town feel here in a decently sized city “Playing in that building for those fans … there’s nothing like it for me.” when the tragedy was still raw and the calendar kept ticking closer to hockey season it was only fair to wonder if Monahan could ever get to this point watching his kids and the Gaudreau kids grow But I feel like I’ve played here in Columbus for more than a year It feels like I’ve been a part of it here for a long time.” “And it feels like I’m supposed to be here.” 2024 after a lifelong fight with mental health and addiction challenges Craig leaves so many that loved and supported his journey Riley Monahan who all know that he is finally at peace.  He attended the Westford public schools as a child and teen Craig was a member of Laborers Local 429 out of Lowell especially taking them fresh water and deep sea fishing He was an avid collector of popular memorabilia and was tattooed head to toe He loved his '95 and '96 Chevy Impala SS and listening to music on cranked sound systems Craig loved the ocean and watching the waves hit the beach He also loved all animals especially his dogs mother of his son Riley; Amanda Bouffard mother of his daughter Haley; siblings Nicki Monahan and her son Nicholas McEnnis Ryan Livermore and his son Lincoln Livermore “Dada” Robert Livermore; father He was predeceased by grandparents Corrine and William Monahan and Patricia Reekie Craig faced the challenges of mental health throughout his life His journey reminds us of the importance of compassion and understanding and we encourage anyone struggling to reach out for help by texting 988 Let us honor his memory by supporting one another and fostering open conversations about mental health and substance abuse Family and friends will gather to honor and remember Craig for visiting hours on Sunday with a funeral service at 3:30 PM at the Badger Funeral Home donations may be made in Craig’s memory to the Westford Remembers MA 01886 or Venmo westford-remembers  Arrangements under the care of Badger Funeral Home, 347 King Street, Littleton, MA 01460  978-486-3709 www.badgerfuneral.com After skating through a full practice Sunday, the veteran stalwarts will suit up Monday against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena in Elmont More: Monahan, Gudbranson and Sillinger nearing return to Columbus Blue Jackets' lineup will reunite with Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko on the top line skated with rookie Denton Mateychuk as the third defensive pairing in practice The Jackets also have the Islanders two points ahead of them and New York Rangers three points up all vying for the East’s last playoff spot which gives Monahan and Gudbranson another chance to rejoin the Blue Jackets’ effort to honor teammate Johnny Gaudreau’s memory “The range of emotions we’ve had this year has been probably on the high end,” Gudbranson said you just feel overwhelmingly proud of what the guys have accomplished so far There’s a lot of belief in this (locker) room and a lot of opportunity ahead of us This isn’t either player’s first time returning from a long-term injury midseason in the NHL so the hope is that it won’t take long for either to contribute positively Gudbranson could add defensive stability to a third pairing that’s been a rotating mix of defensemen since he left the lineup in the season’s third game adds another veteran to take key faceoffs and help the Blue Jackets’ top line gain more offensive possession time Monahan is also one of the NHL’s best at playing the “bumper” role on the power play a vital position in the 1-3-1 system that’s deployed in variations across the league the Blue Jackets ranked ninth in the NHL with a 23.9% success rate on power plays They’ve since dropped to 24th overall at 18.8% and were dead last at 7.8% in the 29 games Monahan has missed but I worked on it quite a bit while I wasn’t playing just kind of visualizing it and getting into spots that I’m going to need to get in,” Monahan said “I’ve played enough games with those guys where we have some chemistry and I can make some reads but it’s still going to take some communication and reading off each other.” Monahan and Gudbranson were officially activated off injured reserve Monday morning and no corresponding roster moves are required because the 23-man roster limit doesn't apply following the NHL's trade deadline that passed March 7 Two need to be opened for Monahan and Gudbranson to play and the two most likely candidates to sit against the Islanders on Monday are forward Yegor Chinakhov and defenseman Jack Johnson so some guys are going to have to sit and we’ll explain why but they have to be non-disruptive when they’re out of the lineup.” bhedger@dispatch.com @BrianHedger.bsky.social Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker