NHL star Johnny Gaudreau dies at 31

The hockey world lost two of its loved ones on Thursday evening. Columbus Blue Jackets star forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, who had played several years in the minors, were reportedly struck by a car while out for a bike ride in their hometown in Salem County, New Jersey.

A suspected drunk driver connected to the incident has been arrested, according to The Columbus Dispatch . The driver reportedly attempted to pass a vehicle on the right, striking the bikers from behind.

The Blue Jackets released the following in a statement on Friday morning:

“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.”

The Blue Jackets went on to ask for prayers and privacy for the Gaudreau family.

Who was Johnny Gaudreau?

Johnny Gaudreau, 31, leaves behind a wife, Meredith, and two young children, Noa and Johnny.

In a statement , the NHL described him as “a doting father and beloved husband, son, brother and teammate who endeared himself to every person fortunate enough to have crossed his path.”

Gaudreau was about to begin his 11th NHL season and his third with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He had signed with the Blue Jackets as a free agent in 2022, shocking the hockey world, which largely believed he’d go to Philadelphia or New Jersey to be close to his family. He was entering the third season of a seven-year deal, which was set to pay him $9.75 million annually.

At 5-foot-9, “Johnny Hockey” had to prove himself as a hockey player. He went undrafted in the NHL, but after recording 80 points in 40 games for Boston College in 2013-14, he scored a contract with the Calgary Flames. In 763 NHL games between the Flames and the Blue Jackets, he had 743 points.

The Blue Jackets had just brought in Gaudreau’s former linemate and friend, Sean Monahan, on a five-year deal after Monahan had successfully revived his career with both the Montreal Canadiens and the Winnipeg Jets. The hockey world had been looking forward to what those two would accomplish together.

Who was Matthew Gaudreau?

Matthew Gaudreau, 29, shared his brother’s height and tenacity, but his hockey career ended at the minor league level. He spent four years at Boston College before signing with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders. He’d split the next three seasons between the AHL and the ECHL before signing in Sweden in 2020.

After retiring from pro hockey in 2021, he joined the NCDC’s Philadelphia Hockey Club as an assistant coach. He’d then moved on to the NAHL’s Philadelphia Rebels before taking a job as the head coach at Gloucester Catholic High School in Gloucester, New Jersey.