Stoking the Hockey Dream, One Challenge at a Time
“It’s as simple as little voice inside me that, weirdly, never stopped when I was undrafted and during [the Milwaukee years, which included a good part of the season following the 2017 Cup Final],” said Gaudreau, quick to smile and laugh over the phone but contemplative in this answer. “I’m a passionate guy. I love many things in life, but hockey was number one from a very young age. I just kept saying I want to play in the NHL. I realized the only thing to keep me from the dream would be negative thinking becoming the leading force in my brain. I had the love and support of my family growing up, and now with my wife Kjersten for the last eight years, and married for the last three [the couple has a 15-month-old, Felix]. Kjersten has been a big part of it, keeping the positive flame going.”
You might say Gaudreau’s best move during his time in Milwaukee was meeting Kjersten, then a Marquette University student who had studied French growing up. Speaking French helped motivate the romance, and “so it just worked out that way,” said Gaudreau, smiling widely.
The belief paid off in a one-year free agent contract with Pittsburgh, then a two-year contract totaling $2.4 million with Minnesota, which then re-signed Gaudreau in 2023 to a five-year deal with an average annual value of $2.1 million. The Kraken forward has three years remaining on that contract.
When GM Jason Botterill met with the media after Friday’s first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, he mentioned versatility to play center or wing as an attractive part of Gaudreau’s game, along with elite penalty-killing skills and providing healthy competition for the bevy of forwards who will be in this fall’s training camp.
What Fans Can Expect from ‘Freddy’
Ask Gaudreau what Kraken fans will see from his game, and he said “versatility” is the first word that comes to mind, expanding beyond the position played to include whatever duties new coach Lane Lambert asks him to undertake. Among other responsibilities, Gaudreau figures to bring a positive attitude and team-first mentality to the forward group and the locker room culture. Teammates rave about “Freddy,” and it’s no accident he spent a good part of Thursday receiving calls from buddies on the Wild roster.
“With me, you're not just getting an offensive player or one who is strictly defensive [to wit, he averaged 17 goals a year in the three seasons that Minnesota made the playoffs during his tenure],” said Gaudreau. “I learned when I turned pro to really care about your D-zone, not just look to score goals. I’ve put a lot of emphasis throughout my career to become more and more versatile ... if you're only a centerman, then you have a chance to be one of four guys. If you're able to play both wings, then you get a chance for 12 spots on the lineup. There are special teams opportunities, too. I'm there for the team. Whatever they need, I can do. I'm not the type of guy who puts my ego into it, saying I should be on the ice. Team success is what makes me most happy.”
Team success for the Kraken in 2025-26 is, of course, making the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Gaudreau has played in 32 postseason games overall. He arrives with a perspective on how to prepare for the playoffs while still in the pressurized effort to qualify during the stretch run of the regular season.
“First of all, it's a grind to get there,” said Gaudreau. “Every game matters in the entire season. That's cliche but very true. For the playoffs, everybody prepares in their own way. I feel like playoffs for me have always felt like I've prepared not two days before, but the weeks before – mentally, physically, tuning into nutrition, rest, things like that to be ready for a long run. Once you're playing in the postseason, from my experience, it's about being not too high, not too low. That's so hard because the playoffs are a big emotional ride. You win a game [in the Stanley Cup Final] and you almost already start seeing yourself with the Cup. Then you lose one and you think it's over. You have to find that balance of staying in the moment.”
Staying in the Moment with Family and Inclusion
Gaudreau learned of the trade when he came off the ice from a summer drills workout back home in Quebec. He had a missed call from Wild GM Bill Guerin, who said he was reluctant to lose the glue-guy center both on and off the ice, but salary cap reality dictated it. Gaudreau has a strong support system in Bromont, with his wife and baby Felix, as well as his brother’s family, which includes four children, and his sister’s family, which has two children, all of whom are nearby his parents, Jean-Pierre Gaudreau and France Desrosiers.
One close relative is nephew, Noah, who just turned nine on June 21. Gaudreau was a key member among Wild players who started an annual Wine and Whiskey fundraiser event each year. For his part, Gaudreau raised funds to support treatment and research about Down Syndrome. The Kraken forward and his sister and brother-in-law know firsthand about the condition through Noah’s diagnosis. Gaudreau additionally worked with the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota. During World Down Syndrome Day this past March 21, all Wild players practiced in mismatched socks (or goalie leg pads) to signify the mismatch of an extra copy of chromosome 21 that identifies the syndrome.
