NHL ice hockey club the Columbus Blue Jackets have confirmed the sad deaths of winger Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew.
Johnny was 31 and Matthew was 29.
The pair died on Thursday.
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In a statement, the Blue Jackets said: “The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy.
“Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend.
“We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his wife, Meredith, his children, Noa and Johnny, his parents, their family and friends on the sudden loss of Johnny and Matthew.”
The man nicknamed Johnny Hockey was drafted to the Calgary Flames before making the move to Columbus two years ago and has been a player in the NHL since 2014.
“Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice,” the Blue Jackets continued.
“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 organisation and our sport was profound but pales in comparison to the indelible impression he made 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 do everything that we can to support his family and each other through this tragedy.
“At this time, we ask for prayers for the Gaudreau family and that their privacy be respected as they grieve.”
National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman released a statement on behalf of the competition.
“The National Hockey League family is shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew,” he said.
“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.
“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 NHL seasons.
“A skilled playmaker, Gaudreau participated in the NHL all-star game seven times where he was always a fan favourite, particularly while showcasing his talents in the various skills competitions for which he was so well suited.
“He will be remembered fondly in Calgary, where he played his first nine seasons with the Flames from 2013-14 to 2021-22, emerging as one of our league’s brightest young stars while compiling the franchise’s fifth-highest career points total.
“His loss also will be felt profoundly in Columbus, the city in which he chose to settle his family and where he was one of the respected, veteran leaders of a club building toward the playoffs.
“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 both played and where Matthew was the head hockey coach following his own five-year pro playing career.
“We send our most heart-felt condolences to his wife Meredith; their children, Noa and Johnny; his parents, Guy and Jane; and sisters Kristen and Katie. And we grieve alongside his teammates, members of the Blue Jackets and Flames organisations, his many friends in hockey and countless fans around the world for whom he created indelible memories on and off the ice.”
