The events of the tragedy on this past Thursday night were unfathomable, as it was confirmed that Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau, and his brother Matthew, were killed by a drunk driver while riding their bicycles in Oldmans Township, close to their home in Salem County, New Jersey, while on their way to participate in the wedding of their sister, Katie, which was slated to take place this past Friday. The NHL community is gutted at this loss.
It’s not only a tragic loss for the Columbus Blue Jackets, who dealt with the tragedy of losing Matiss Kivlenieks three years ago, but also the Calgary Flames, the NHL, and the entire hockey world.
Johnny turned 31 less than three weeks ago, and was due to report to Columbus for his 11th NHL season, on the third year of a seven-year, $68.25 million contract. Matthew was 29.
Fans laid flowers, hockey sticks, and jerseys for Gaudreau outside both Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus and the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, paying tribute to “Johnny Hockey,” knowing what he means to both cities.
Gaudreau’s Rise to Prominence in Hockey
Johnny Gaudreau made headlines in the hockey world with Boston College in 2011. Though 5′ 9″, he showed his endless heart and passion for the game, with one of the smoothest hands that the hockey world has seen. He was a middle round pick, drafted in the fourth round (104th overall) in that year’s NHL Entry Draft.
It was in that fall that the Flames saw they got a draft steal. As a freshman, he scored a highlight-reel National Championship-sealing goal to remember in 2012, which added to his legendary 2012 season, having won Hockey East playoff MVP and Beanpot MVP. He built on his outstanding freshman season onto a sophomore year where he was named Hockey East Player of the Year, and then returned for his junior season with the intent of playing alongside his brother Matthew. Johnny captured the Hobey Baker Award as the MVP of the NCAA men’s ice hockey season in the 2014 season, before joining the Flames for the final game of the 2014 season.
Upon landing in Calgary, he was an instant impact player. He quickly was linemates with 19-year-old Sean Monahan, where both piled 60+ point seasons in the 2015 campaign to get the Flames in the playoffs for the first time since 2009, and winning a playoff series for the first time since the Flames reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2004. He was named to the NHL All-Star Game as a rookie, replacing Sidney Crosby, for that year’s festivities in Columbus. He displayed the slippery and silky skills that showed his creativity that is reminiscent of some all-time greats in the sport.
The Life and Legacy of Johnny Gaudreau
Johnny Hockey would spend eight years in Calgary, and was well on his way to having his no. 13 hang on the rafters on the ceiling of the Saddledome before shocking the hockey world upon signing with the Blue Jackets. He cited that he wanted to be closer to his family, and while his first two seasons were tough, there were reasons for optimism, as he continued to be a leader in the locker room. In his first two years with Columbus, he led the team in scoring, notching 74 and 60 points in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Not only was he a great on-ice talent, but he was also one of the classiest human beings off the ice. He won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in the 2017 season, given to the NHL player “who exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.” This February, he was also at the front of the Blue Jackets’ efforts of donating $1,000 per point for men’s mental health awareness by way of the “Laine Gives Back” program in support of Patrik Laine after he received verbal attacks for his mental health struggles. Laine was admitted to the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program the month prior. Gaudreau also was a proud supporter of the OhioHealth Foundation’s Men’s Mental Health Fund.
Whether he was in Columbus or Calgary, Gaudreau inspired many around the Philadelphia area. His father, Guy Gaudreau, operated a local rink in Sewell, New Jersey, and once played college hockey at Norwich in his home state of Vermont. Matthew also was a professional hockey player, having played for the ECHL’s Reading Royals and the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders when it was known as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and their ECHL affiliate, the Worcester Railers.
Johnny Hockey put up a career where he would bring up a conversation for admission to the Hockey Hall of Fame, having registered 743 career points in 763 games. He was one of the best playmakers of his generation, as he racked exactly 500 assists. His 2019 and 2022 seasons were ones to remember, as he put up 99 and 115 points in those two years, respectively, and in both years, the Flames finished atop the Pacific Division, with him finishing 4th in Hart Trophy voting both years.
He is survived by his wife, Meredith, his two children, daughter Noa and son Johnny Jr., his parents, Guy and Jane, and his sisters, Kristen and Katie.
A GoFundMe has also been created for Matthew Gaudreau’s wife, Madeline, who is expecting their first baby, Tripp, later this year, to which several NHL players and executives donated to, including Matthew Tkachuk, Monahan, Brad Treliving, Zach Werenski, and the family of Mark Giordano.
We at Shady Sports Network send our deepest condolences to the Gaudreau family, their friends, their fans, and the many hockey organizations where both brothers have played for.
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