NHL announces death of Johnny Gaudreau, younger brother Matthew

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Johnny Gaudreau, who emerged as an electrifying offensive talent and fan favourite with the Calgary Flames and was still in the prime of his career with the Columbus Blue Jackets, was killed Thursday along with his brother by a suspected impaired driver.

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The NHL and Blue Jackets confirmed the devastating news on Friday morning that Johnny, 31, and his younger brother Matthew, 29, had both been killed. There were reports from their hometown in New Jersey that two adult bicyclists were struck by a suspected drunk driver.

“It’s with great sadness we mourn the tragic deaths of our friend Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau,” the Flames said in a statement. “Our hearts are broken by this devastating loss. Johnny was and always will be a member of the Flames family and loved by all of Calgary. The pain we feel for Johnny’s wife Meridith, children Noa and Johnny, parents Jane and Guy, sisters Kristen and 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. You are in our thoughts and prayers.”

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Johnny Gaudreau skated in 763 games during his NHL career, collecting 243 goals and 500 assists. He piled up 609 points on behalf of the Flames, rising to fifth on the all-time franchise scoring list before signing in Columbus as a free agent in 2022.

Matthew Gaudreau played parts of four seasons in pro ranks, including a stint with the Flames’ farm team in Stockton, Calif.

“The National Hockey League family is shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman in a statement. “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.

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“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. 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 both played and where Matthew was the head hockey coach following his own five-year pro playing career.

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“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 organizations, his many friends in hockey and countless fans around the world for whom he created indelible memories on and off the ice.”

This past spring, at the world hockey championship, Johnny Gaudreau set Team USA’s all-time scoring record at that annual event.

Our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, whose lives ended way too soon,” USA Hockey said in a statement. “Words cannot appropriately express the sorrow the hockey community is feeling today.”

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