NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother were killed Thursday evening when they were struck by an SUV as they were bicycling in New Jersey.
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Gaudreau, 31, who played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and brother Matthew Gaudreau, 29, were scheduled to serve as groomsmen today at their sister’s wedding in Philadelphia, according to her online registry page at TheKnot.com.
The tragic incident occurred just before 8:30 p.m. ET as the brothers were riding bicycles on a country road in Oldmans Township, NJ, near their hometown in Salem County, when a Jeep Grand Cherokee attempted to pass two slower-moving vehicles including another SUV and struck the Gaudreaus, according to New Jersey State Police.
The driver was charged with two counts of death by auto. New Jersey State Police Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron said in a press release that the driver, Sean Higgins, 43, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol.
In a statement posted on social media , the Columbus Blue Jackets said the team was “shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy.”
“Johnny embraced our community when he arrived two years ago,” the statement says, “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.”
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Nicknamed “Johnny Hockey,” Gaudreau was a seven-time NHL All-Star. A fourth-round pick of the Calgary Flames out of Boston College in 2011, he played for that club from 2013-22 and was a three-time 30-goal scorer. His best season was in 2021-22, when tied for second in the league with 115 points — 40 goals and 75 assists — in 82 games.
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He signed with the Blue Jackets as a free agent ahead of the 2022-23. During his 11-season pro career, Gaudreau scored 243 career goals and 743 points and won the 2016-17 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, awarded to the league’s most gentlemanly player.
Today, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement , “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.”
Matthew Gaudreau also was a former hockey player. He played four years at Boston College, including one season with his brother, then played six pro seasons in the minor leagues before retiring in 2022. Soon after he was named coach at Gloucester (NJ) Catholic High School, where he and his brother led the school to its first state championship in 2010.
According to the Columbus Dispatch , Johnny Gaudreau is survived by wife Meredith, a daughter and a son.
Survivor information on Matthew Gaudreau was not immediately available.
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