Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew have died, the team announced on Friday.
According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, Gaudreau and his brother were riding bicycles and were struck by the same vehicle. New Jersey State Police said the accident occurred around 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday night in rural Salem County, N.J., outside of Philadelphia.
Police told NJ.com that the alleged drunk driver tried to pass two other vehicles before hitting the brothers on County Road 551.
The driver of the SUV that hit the brothers, Sean Higgins, was charged with two counts of death by auto and is currently being held at Salem County jail.
The accident remains under investigation.
Johnny Gaudreau was 31 years old. 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 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 Matt.
“Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice. 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. 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.”
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman also released 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 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 favorite, 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.
“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.”
Gaudreau was a fourth-round pick by the Calgary Flames in 2011. He spent nine years with the Flames before leaving via free agency 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 hockey 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, winner of the 2017 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, and a 2022 NHL First-Team All-Star. He represented the United States on the international stage several times, helping the Americans to a silver medal at the 2010 U-18 tournament, gold at the 2013 World Junior Championship, and bronze at the 2018 World Championship.
Prior to his NHL career, Gaudreau starred at Boston College for three seasons, which saw him earn the nickname “Johnny Hockey” as he went on to win the 2013-14 Hobey Baker Award as the nation’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 four years himself at Boston College before moving on to a professional career that lasted four seasons. He then was hired as head hockey coach at Gloucester Catholic High School where the brothers both played before college.
This tragedy comes three years after the Blue Jackets mourned the death of goaltender Matīss Kivlenieks, who was killed in a fireworks incident on July 4, 2021 at the home of the team’s former goalie coach, Manny Legace.
