Mike Eruzione Serves As Team USA Ceremonial Captain, Wears Johnny Gaudreau Sweater

The 4 Nations Face-Off Championship got underway on Thursday night with an emotional pre-game ceremony featuring two of the most iconic players to ever represent the United States and Canada.

First — to the surprise of no one — the Great One himself, Wayne Gretzky served as Team Canada's honorary captain.

I mean, how do you top the Great One? I don't think you can…

Unless of course, you bring out the man who wore the C for the 1980 Miracle On Ice team, the one and only Mike Eruzione

And if that doesn't give you chills, take a look at what Eruzione had on. That wasn't his No. 21 on the back of that sweater, that was a No. 13 Johnny Gaudreau jersey.

The late Blue Jackets star would have without a doubt been on this team, had he and his brother — both of whom played their college hockey at Boston College, and this Championship game took place in Boston — not been tragically killed last summer.

Team USA has had Gaudreau's jersey hanging in their locker room all tournament, and have welcomed the Gaudreaus' father, Guy, to a team dinner and had him help run practices with Team USA.

Eruzione also has some Boston ties. He's a Massachusetts native and played his college hockey at Boston University.

So, a USA Hockey legend, honoring a USA Hockey legend gone too soon, in a town that they both have deep ties to?

Yeah, that's a recipe for an emotional moment that left the rafters at TD Garden shaking.

The NHL has done a great job of paying tribute to former players throughout this tournament, which has been so cool. That's something that I feel like the NHL — and the hockey world at large — is pretty good at, and it's nice to see that continue through this tournament.