photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation / Matt Zambonin
Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and his brother, Matthew, 29, were struck and killed by a car Thursday evening in Salem County, New Jersey. The brothers were back home to attend their sister’s wedding and were listed as groomsmen for the event. Johnny is survived by his wife and two young children.
The accident occurred when a man driving an SUV tried to pass two slower vehicles. Police later issued a statement saying that, “Through further investigation, [the driver] was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol.”
The unspeakable tragedy has rocked the hockey world. Johnny Gaudreau was long one of the most popular players in the NHL. Affectionately nicknamed “Johnny Hockey,” he was respected for his skill and determination despite being one of the smallest players in the league. He represented USA Hockey many times during his career, most recently this past May at the World Championship in Ostrava and Prague.
“This is a terrible tragedy for his family and for the hockey community,” said IIHF president Luc Tardif. “Johnny was a proud and frequent player for Team USA in IIHF competition, and he always brought an energy and passion to the game whenever he played the game. Our hearts are with his wife and children.”
“It was our privilege to call Johnny our teammate for nine amazing years in Calgary,” the Flames wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “He came to Calgary as a young man and grew up here, not only as a superstar on the ice, but also a beloved member of our community. The pain we feel for Johnny’s wife Meridith, children Noa & Johnny, parents Jane & Guy, sisters Kristen & Katie, and the entire Gaudreau family is immense. Ownership, management, players, and staff of the Flames express our heartfelt sympathies during their time of sorrow.”
"Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice," the Blue Jackets said in a statement. "He brought a genuine love for hockey with him everywhere he played from Boston College to the Calgary Flames to Team USA to the Blue Jackets. He thrilled fans in a way only Johnny Hockey could. The impact he had on our organization and our sport was profound, but pales in comparison to the indelible impression he made on everyone who knew him."
Gaudreau made his Team USA debut in 2013, leading the Americans to a thrilling gold medal at the World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia. He played three years at Boston College during which time he helped the team win a national championship in 2012, and in 2013-13 he was named Hobey Baker Award winner as the top player in NCAA play.
Gaudreau turned pro with the Calgary Flames, the team that had drafted him 104th overall in 2011, on the same day he was named Hobey Baker winner and made his NHL debut on the final day of the 2013-14 regular season. Wasting no time, he scored on his first shot, signs of things to come. In the ensuing years he endeared himself to Flames fans who saw in him a new generation version of Theo Fleury, another small but skilled player of a previous era. Gaudreau played the game with passion, but he also had blistering speed and a world-class shot, and he quickly became one of the league’s top young stars.
In his first full season he had 24 goals, improving to 30, then 36 and finally 40 in 2021-22, during which time he also had a career high 115 points. That would be his final season with the Flames as he signed as a free agent with Columbus in the summer of 2022 in order to be closer to his family.
In IIHF play few Americans of this era wore the Stars ‘n’ Stripes as often as did Gaudreau. He played his first senior World Championship in 2014, a 6th-place showing during which he had ten points in eight games. Two years later, he was named to Team North America as one of the best U23 players in the NHL for the World Cup of Hockey, and he then played three more consecutive World Championships, 2017-19, winning a bronze medal in 2018.
Most recently, he played at the Men’s Worlds this past May in Czechia. The final goal he ever scored came on 19 May 2024 in a USA 10-1 win over Kazakhstan. In all, he had 32 points in 32 World Championship games.
The accident occurred when a man driving an SUV tried to pass two slower vehicles. Police later issued a statement saying that, “Through further investigation, [the driver] was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol.”
The unspeakable tragedy has rocked the hockey world. Johnny Gaudreau was long one of the most popular players in the NHL. Affectionately nicknamed “Johnny Hockey,” he was respected for his skill and determination despite being one of the smallest players in the league. He represented USA Hockey many times during his career, most recently this past May at the World Championship in Ostrava and Prague.
“This is a terrible tragedy for his family and for the hockey community,” said IIHF president Luc Tardif. “Johnny was a proud and frequent player for Team USA in IIHF competition, and he always brought an energy and passion to the game whenever he played the game. Our hearts are with his wife and children.”
“It was our privilege to call Johnny our teammate for nine amazing years in Calgary,” the Flames wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “He came to Calgary as a young man and grew up here, not only as a superstar on the ice, but also a beloved member of our community. The pain we feel for Johnny’s wife Meridith, children Noa & Johnny, parents Jane & Guy, sisters Kristen & Katie, and the entire Gaudreau family is immense. Ownership, management, players, and staff of the Flames express our heartfelt sympathies during their time of sorrow.”
"Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice," the Blue Jackets said in a statement. "He brought a genuine love for hockey with him everywhere he played from Boston College to the Calgary Flames to Team USA to the Blue Jackets. He thrilled fans in a way only Johnny Hockey could. The impact he had on our organization and our sport was profound, but pales in comparison to the indelible impression he made on everyone who knew him."
Gaudreau made his Team USA debut in 2013, leading the Americans to a thrilling gold medal at the World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia. He played three years at Boston College during which time he helped the team win a national championship in 2012, and in 2013-13 he was named Hobey Baker Award winner as the top player in NCAA play.
Gaudreau turned pro with the Calgary Flames, the team that had drafted him 104th overall in 2011, on the same day he was named Hobey Baker winner and made his NHL debut on the final day of the 2013-14 regular season. Wasting no time, he scored on his first shot, signs of things to come. In the ensuing years he endeared himself to Flames fans who saw in him a new generation version of Theo Fleury, another small but skilled player of a previous era. Gaudreau played the game with passion, but he also had blistering speed and a world-class shot, and he quickly became one of the league’s top young stars.
In his first full season he had 24 goals, improving to 30, then 36 and finally 40 in 2021-22, during which time he also had a career high 115 points. That would be his final season with the Flames as he signed as a free agent with Columbus in the summer of 2022 in order to be closer to his family.
In IIHF play few Americans of this era wore the Stars ‘n’ Stripes as often as did Gaudreau. He played his first senior World Championship in 2014, a 6th-place showing during which he had ten points in eight games. Two years later, he was named to Team North America as one of the best U23 players in the NHL for the World Cup of Hockey, and he then played three more consecutive World Championships, 2017-19, winning a bronze medal in 2018.
Most recently, he played at the Men’s Worlds this past May in Czechia. The final goal he ever scored came on 19 May 2024 in a USA 10-1 win over Kazakhstan. In all, he had 32 points in 32 World Championship games.