Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew have died, the team announced Friday.
According Frank Seravalli from Daily FaceoffGaudreau and his brother were riding bicycles and were struck by the same vehicle. New Jersey State Police said the crash happened around 8:30 p.m. ET Thursday night in rural Salem County, New Jersey, just outside Philadelphia.
The police said NJ.com that The suspected drunk driver attempted to pass two other vehicles before colliding with the brothers on County Road 551.
The driver of the pickup truck that struck the brothers, Sean Higgins, has been charged with two counts of death by motor vehicle accident and is currently being held in the Salem County Jail.
The accident remains under investigation.
Johnny Gaudreau was 31. Matthew Gaudreau was 29.
The brothers were planning to attend their sister’s wedding on Friday in New Jersey.
“The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy. Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more importantly, a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife, Meredith, his children, Noa and Johnny, his parents, family and friends on the sudden loss of Johnny and Matt.”
“Johnny played with a great joy, which was felt by everyone who saw him on the ice. He brought with him a genuine love of hockey to all the places he played, from Boston College to the Calgary Flames to Team USA to the Blue Jackets. He thrilled fans in a way that only Johnny Hockey could. The impact he had on our organization and our sport was profound, but it pales in comparison to the indelible impression he left on everyone who knew him. Johnny embraced our community when he arrived two years ago, and Columbus welcomed him with open arms. We will miss him terribly and will do everything we can to support his family and ourselves during this tragedy.”
“At this time, we ask for prayers for the Gaudreau family and that their privacy be respected as they grieve.”
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman also issued a statement after the news was confirmed.
“The National Hockey League family is shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew. While Johnny’s infectious spirit for the game and spectacular skills on the ice earned him the nickname ‘Johnny Hockey,’ he was more than just a dazzling hockey player; he was a loving father and a beloved husband, son, brother and teammate who endeared himself to everyone fortunate enough to cross his path.
“Gaudreau often told the story of how his father taught him to skate as a child in his home state of New Jersey and he carried that same youthful passion throughout his 11 seasons in the NHL. A skilled player, Gaudreau made the NHL All-Star Game seven times, where he was always a fan favorite, particularly while showcasing his talents in the various skills competitions for which he was so well prepared.
“He will be fondly remembered in Calgary, where he played his first nine seasons with the Flames from 2013-14 through 2021-22, emerging as one of our League’s brightest young stars while compiling the franchise’s fifth-highest point total. His loss will also be deeply felt in Columbus, the city in which he chose to establish his family and where he was one of the respected veteran leaders of a club preparing for the playoffs. And both Johnny and Matthew will be mourned at Boston College, where they were teammates the year Johnny won the Hobey Baker Award in 2013-14, and at Gloucester Catholic High School in New Jersey, where they both played and where Matthew was the head hockey coach following his own five-year professional playing career.
“We send our deepest condolences to his wife, Meredith; his children, Noa and Johnny; his parents, Guy and Jane; and his sisters, Kristen and Katie. And we mourn alongside his teammates, members of the Blue Jackets and Flames organizations, his many friends in hockey, and countless fans around the world for whom he created lasting memories on and off the ice.”
Gaudreau was selected in the fourth round of the draft by the Calgary Flames in 2011. He spent nine years with the Flames before leaving as a free agent to join the Blue Jackets in 2022. Part of his decision to sign in Columbus was to be closer to his family in southern New Jersey with his wife, Meredith, expecting the couple’s first child.
A decorated career for ‘Johnny Hockey’
In 763 career NHL games, Gaudreau scored 243 goals and recorded 743 points. He was a seven-time All-Star, a member of the 2015 NHL All-Rookie Team, a 2017 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winner and a 2022 NHL First Team All-Star. He represented the United States on the international stage multiple times, helping the Americans to a silver medal at the 2010 Under-18 tournament, gold at the 2013 World Junior Championships and bronze at the 2018 World Championships.
Prior to his NHL career, Gaudreau starred at Boston College for three seasons, earning the nickname “Johnny Hockey” and later winning the 2013-14 Hobey Baker Award as the country’s top men’s player.
Johnny Gaudreau’s final season with the Eagles was the same year as Matthew Gaudreau’s first with the school. Matthew would play for four years at Boston College before moving on to a professional career that lasted four seasons. He was then hired as the head hockey coach at Gloucester Catholic High School, where both brothers played before going to college.
This tragedy comes three years after the Blue Jackets mourned the death of goaltender Matīss Kivlenieks, who died in a fireworks incident on July 4, 2021, at the home of the team’s former goaltending coach Manny Legace.
