Columbus Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew died on Thursday, the NHL team said in a statement on Friday.
The Blue Jackets did not release details of the deaths, calling them an “unimaginable tragedy.”
Johnny was 31. Matthew, who was also a professional hockey player, was 29.
“Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend,” the Blue Jackets said.
Johnny Gaudreau, nicknamed “Johnny Hockey,” was an 11-year NHL veteran and seven-time All-Star who spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Calgary Flames. The Flames selected the five-foot-nine winger in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Draft and he went on to become one of the faces of the franchise, scoring more than 30 goals and crossing the 80-point mark three times each. In 2021-22, Gaudreau had a career-best 40 goals and 115 points, marks that helped him finish fourth in Hart Trophy voting. The following summer, he signed a seven-year, $68.25-million contract with the Blue Jackets so that he and his wife Meredith could raise their children closer to family in southern New Jersey.
Matthew Gaudreau split time between the AHL and ECHL with the Bridgeport Soundtigers, Worcester Railers, Reading Royals and Stockton Heat after graduating from Boston College. He and Johnny were teammates for one season at BC during the 2013-14 season.
“The National Hockey League family is shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement issued by the league.
“While Johnny’s infectious spirit for the game and show-stopping skills on the ice earned him the nickname ‘Johnny Hockey,’ he was more than just a dazzling hockey player; he was a doting father and beloved husband, son, brother and teammate who endeared himself to every person fortunate enough to have crossed his path.”
Added the Blue Jackets: “Johnny embraced our community when he arrived two years ago, and Columbus welcomed him with open arms. We will miss him terribly and do everything we can to support his family and each other through this tragedy.”
