The family of late Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau, Jane, left, Meredith, right, and his children walk to Ohio Stadium before a NHL regular-season game against the visiting Red Wings on March 1, 2025.

The Stadium Series game between Columbus and Detroit on Saturday promised to have it all: a crowd of more than 90,000 — the second largest in NHL history — and an electric atmosphere at Ohio Stadium. The NHL also ensured a key figure was front and centre.