Wild’s Frederick Gaudreau lends his support to those with Down syndrome

An airborne clear out of Wild territory dropped right in front of Frederick Gaudreau, who scooped up the puck in stride and lifted it 80-some feet into the vacant Sabres net.

The finishing touch on a convincing victory.

Gaudreau’s impact has a similar vibe.

While not one of the go-to scorers on the top line, Gaudreau has had the best bounce-back season to become key to the Wild’s turnaround while suiting up for every game. His 16 goals, after that empty-netter to polish off a 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday at Xcel Energy Center, rank fifth on the team and are 11 more than he had in 2023-24 during his lone dip with the Wild.

Moreover, Gaudreau has embedded in the Wild’s steps to success because he can play center and wing, up and down the lineup and both sides of special teams.

“I just try to keep getting better,” said Gaudreau, who is in his fourth season with the Wild.

But amid this career renaissance, Gaudreau is also making his presence felt between games, showing his support for the Down syndrome community.

“It’s that opportunity to spread a message,” Gaudreau said, “spread inclusion.”

During the summer, Gaudreau lives two minutes away from his nephew and godson Noah, who has Down syndrome.

Noah is in Quebec, where Gaudreau is from, and he started playing hockey this year. But Noah is also a runner and loves to swim. “A really good athlete,” Gaudreau said. He and Noah FaceTime every week.

“He’s the best,” Gaudreau said. “He’s so fun.”

Over the years, Gaudreau has met others with Down syndrome, and he has gotten involved with the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota.

He and his Wild teammates wore mismatched hockey socks during practice Friday in recognition of World Down Syndrome Day, while goalies Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury had on different pads.

Last month, Gaudreau participated in the fifth annual Minnesota Wild Hockey Without Limits Camp that was created by former Wild defenseman Matt Dumba, who’s with the Stars team that will face off against the Wild on Monday night in Dallas.

Dumba founded the camp to bring more diversity and inclusion to the sport and help provide more kids the opportunity to play hockey. Despite him and the Wild splitting after the 2022-23 season, with Dumba signing with Arizona before getting traded to Tampa Bay and then joining Dallas as a free agent, the camp continued.

Connor Dewar and Brandon Duhaime kept it going last year before they were traded, and Gaudreau took over for this year’s event Feb. 17 at the Guidant John Rose MN Oval in Roseville.

“I was like, yeah, I want to do that. It sounds so fun. To be honest, I was just excited to go and meet everybody and just be a part of that. I think it’s so cool to see all different types of hockey,” Gaudreau said, mentioning blind hockey, deaf/hard of hearing hockey, sled hockey and Minnesota Special Hockey.

“That’s the beauty of it is the game [uniting] everybody,” he said. “That was awesome. I was happy to be a part of it.”

This was the first year the camp included the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota, thanks to Gaudreau hosting.

“They’re just great,” Gaudreau said. “It’s just pure. It’s pure love, pure fun, hugs when you don’t expect hugs — as life should be, I feel like. It’s just pure.

“It was awesome to have a couple friends like that there and just see them having fun playing hockey.”

Gaudreau believes inclusion for the Down syndrome community isn’t bad, “but it’s not great either.”

He was emotional after the Wild wore those mismatched socks at practice, a gesture he described as meaning the world to him; steps like that can pique curiosity, Gaudreau explained, and the realization that everybody’s uniqueness is “beautiful.”

But the difference Gaudreau makes by raising awareness goes both ways: He’s also affected, the 31-year-old enriched by the perspective he gains.

“Absolutely,” Gaudreau said. “The beauty of just right here and right now. Those kids have a special ability to be present, to live fully in their hearts. I like to think that they’re the highest evolution in some ways because they just love life.

“You walk into a room and you get hugs sometimes, and they’re pure and you can feel it. It’s just beautiful. They’re just warm, welcoming, fun, funny, and when you think about it, life should be like that in some ways.”