Gaudreau brothers remembered as "special kids" by BC coaches

BOSTON -- The hockey world is mourning the loss of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, who were tragically killed by an alleged drunk driver in New Jersey on Thursday night. The loss of the two brothers hits home at Boston College , where the two were stars on and off the ice for the Eagles.

"They were such a joy to coach," recalled longtime Eagles head coach Jerry York, who coached both brothers at Boston College. "Each coach wants to have the best practice today, and they would make it the best practice when they stepped on the ice because they were so creative, so full of energy. We are going to miss them unbelievably."

"They were special kids and we were fortunate to have them in our lives," said current BC head coach Greg Brown, who was an assistant under York when the Gaudreau brothers were in Boston.

While it was a somber day at Boston College, both coaches opened up about the Gaudreau brothers and shared some fun stories about the two with WBZ-TV's Dan Roche.

Johnny Gaudreau made an immediate impact at Boston College

Johnny Gaudreau joined the Eagles for the 2011-12 season and helped push Boston College over the top. He had 44 points his freshman season, and then helped lead the Eagles to an NCAA title. He scored an incredible goal with three minutes left in the title game to give Boston College some more breathing room against Ferris State.

"Johnny shows up and puts us over the edge to win that championship in 2012," said Brown.

There was a lot of hype surrounding Gaudreau before his arrival at Chestnut Hill, and there was some doubt when he first walked into the Eagles locker room. But that quickly dissipated when his new teammates saw him in action.

"When Johnny came in, we had Kevin Hayes, Chris Kreider, and Tommy Cross. We had some really unbelievable top-end players, and they had heard of Johnny Gaudreau. He walks in like 5-foot-6, 140 pounds and quietly sits on the side. Hayes asked me, 'Coach, is this the guy?' Then the first time he goes on the ice, he says, 'Thanks for recruiting him, we're better already.'

York said that Gaudreau brought "world class" creativity to the Eagles, and compared his passing abilities to that of Celtics legend Larry Bird.

"He knew where everyone was and could make all the passes," said York.

The Gaudreau brothers were more than just hockey players

Both coaches remember the Gaudreau brothers as incredible teammates who treated everyone like a brother.

"Ability aside, you wanted them on your team because of the people they were," said Brown.

They recalled the strong bond the two brothers had with each other, which landed them both at Boston College. The two were committed to Northeastern, but then backed out after head coach Greg Cronin left. That opened the door for BC to recruit the brothers, a process that Brown was a part of.

"You heard whispers that this kid was special, and his brother is very good as well. Then when you get eyes on them, you see they are truly special," said Brown.

What really stuck out to Boston College was just how close the Gaudreau family was.

"It was clear there was a tightness, a bond between them. They were going to school together, so there was no thought about splitting them up," added Brown. "We were fortunate to have room and fortunate to persuade them to come."

Both coaches were still processing the loss on Friday, and sent their sympathies to the entire Gaudreau family. The tragedy is another reminder of how fragile life can be.

"We get reminded painfully like now. But as much as we push and try to win, that really isn't the most important thing in the big picture," he said. "It's the relationship you have, the camaraderie you have when you're part of a team. When you get that bond between people, it's a special bond we all cherish. When something like this happens, we're reminded of how fragile it can be."

"For all the joy we get for it, we also share sorrow," said York.

Johnny Gaudreau's legendary diet

While a virtuoso on the ice, Johnny Gaudreau was never known as a healthy eater. He wasn't a big fan of fruits and vegetables, and had no problem loading up on sweets.

"His diet was just incredible," remembers York.

The longtime BC head coach recalls a story from Gaudreau's father, Guy, who had to use Skittles to get a young Johnny to take the ice.

"He grew up on Skittles. Their dad made a rink in South Jersey and he couldn't get him to skate or get him off his feet," recalls York. "So he'd throw a Skittle out and he'd go out and get it, then throw another Skittle out. That's how he became a skater."

Brown said Gaudreau's sweet tooth never left him.

"You would never say that his diet was a model to follow," joked Brown. "I guess that's what it took for him to bring out his brilliance. It was funny. The stories are endless with food, whether he was pulling crust off his bread or not eating a really special meal, because he liked what he liked. It was pretty plain stuff, but it worked for him."