The hockey world is in mourning after the loss of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, who was also a professional hockey player, spending his time in the AHL and ECHL.
Johnny and Matthew lost their lives on Thursday evening while out riding their bicycles, heading home from a rehearsal dinner for their sister’s wedding, which was set to be held on Friday. A 43-year-old man, who was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, attempted to overtake a vehicle in front of him by passing on the right when he struck and killed Johnny and Matthew.
It’s been a tough couple of days for everyone in the hockey community from former teammates and teams of Johnny and Matthew, along with every other NHL club and international federations showing their sympathies through statements on social media. Not only did the hockey community come together to grieve, other sports leagues did as well, with the MLB releasing a statement and a number of ballclubs holding a moment of silence before first pitch on Friday night.
It’s hard to describe the feeling when I first heard of the passing of Johnny Gaudreau. Johnny was well liked by fans across the NHL, no matter who your favourite team is, he’s been a star in the league for quite a while and overcame the odds just to make it.
Gaudreau was drafted in the fourth round by the Calgary Flames back in 2011 and despite his small stature, he proved everyone wrong and became a superstar for Boston College in the NCAA during his three seasons with the school. In his final season with Boston College, Gaudreau had a whopping 80 points in 40 games, which earned him the Hobey Baker Award as the best NCAA player for the 2013-14 campaign.
Shortly after his third year with Boston College, Gaudreau decided to turn pro, signing his entry-level contract with the Calgary Flames and made his debut in their final game of the season against the Vancouver Canucks. In that game, Gaudreau scored his first career NHL goal on his first shot and from that moment, it was evident that he was going to be an elite player in this league for a very long time.
In the years that followed, Gaudreau became a reliable piece of the Flames’ forward group, playing on the first line and first powerplay unit, which gave him the opportunity to blossom into a star. He would go on to spend nine seasons with the Calgary Flames, setting a new career-high in goals (40), assists (75) and points (115) before signing a seven-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets as an unrestricted free agent. It was tough to leave Calgary, but Gaudreau wanted to be closer to his family, who lived in New Jersey.
In his two seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Gaudreau may have taken a step back from that 115-point campaign, but still showed everyone how effective he could be, putting up 74 and 60 points during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, respectively. Over the years, he grew into a leader on the ice and was the perfect person to mentor the Blue Jackets’ young core.
On the international stage, Johnny always showed up when USA Hockey called him to represent the nation at a tournament. He even played for them at the 2024 IIHF World Hockey Championship where he set the new tournament record for points by an American with 43. During his international career, Johnny took home a gold medal at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and a bronze at the 2018 IIHF World Hockey Championship.
Gaudreau leaves behind his wife, Meredith, along with their two young children, Noa (2 years old) and Johnny, the latter who was only born back in February. Johnny’s brother Matthew was going to be a dad for the first time. His wife Madeline is due to give birth to their first child in fourth months. But the actions of one reckless driver, who should be in jail for life, has torn apart two families.
Not only did the Columbus Blue Jackets and National Hockey League lose a star of the game, the Gaudreau family lost a son, a brother, a father and a great person. Johnny did a lot of work for charity, one of which during his time with the Calgary Flames was KidSport. KidSport is a charity that helps low-income families cover registration and equipment costs for young athletes. At first when Johnny joined up to help KidSport, he donated $1,000 for every goal he scored. Gaudreau was also an ambassador for an anti-bullying charity called Bullying Ends Here.
There’s no doubt that the Columbus Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames will honour Johnny Gaudreau’s life and legacy during the 2024-25 season, which begins in just over a month. I believe that both organizations should retire Johnny’s number 13 and raise it to the rafters when they play each other this season. The Blue Jackets are set to host the Calgary Flames on November 29th and then just four days later, on December 3rd, the two teams will meet again, this time at Scotiabank Saddledome. It would be the perfect opportunity for both teams to honour Johnny Gaudreau’s career. It’s also safe to assume that both the Blue Jackets and Flames will wear some sort of patch on their jersey for the season to celebrate his life and career in the NHL.
Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau are going to be missed by everyone they’ve touched in their lives – family, friends, teammates, fans, and others they helped through charity work. It’s a tough loss for the Hockey community as a whole. My thoughts continue to be with the Gaudreau Family, as well as Johnny and Matthew’s friends and teammates at this difficult time.
Everyone should use this as an opportunity to call or text a family member or friend and tell them you love them and care about them. We never truly know when it’ll be our last day on this Earth.
RIP Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, we will miss you.