The Columbus Blue Jackets are set to take on the Calgary Flames on Monday night, during which Johnny Gaudreau will make his first trip back to Calgary since leaving the franchise during the offseason. Ahead of his return to the Scotiabank Sattledome, Gaudreau's Blue Jackets were peppering him with some boo birds, preparing him for what he's likely to experience from fans in Calgary. Whenever Johnny Hockey touched the puck, his teammates immediately started jeering at him, foreshadowing what is to come later on, via B/R Open Ice.

Considering there were only about 15 guys booing Gaudreau during the morning skate, you can imagine how loud things will get at Scotiabank Saddledome, with some fans eager to give their former superstar an earful.

Gaudreau's decision to leave the Flames wasn't a big shock this offseason. It'd long been understood he'd prefer to play hockey closer to home on the East Coast. What was a shocker, however, was when he suddenly signed for the Columbus Blue Jackets, one of the league's worst teams, on a long-term deal.

Even Islanders fans, who were scarcely considered contenders for Gaudreau in free agency and just happen to live on the East Coast, booed the star forward during his first trip to Long Island this season.

Last year for the Flames, Gaudreau racked up a career-high 115 points. He reached 40 goals for the first time in his entire career, and poured in 75 assists on one of the NHL's most dominant top lines alongside Matthew Tkachuk, who has also since left the team.

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Now on a rebuilding Blue Jackets squad, Gaudreau's numbers have come back down to earth. In 2022-23, the 29-year-old has 44 points in 46 games, not bad considering his surroundings, but well short of the prolific season he enjoyed the year prior.

Now, in his first return to Calgary after spending nine seasons proudly repping the Flames, Gaudreau could be in for a rather cold welcome on the ice.