Death of local NHL star leaves Blue Jackets, hockey world ‘shocked … devastated’

Local NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed in a biking accident Thursday night in New Jersey. The stunning news was confirmed by the forward’s team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, on Friday morning.

“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,” the team said in its statement.

Gaudreau and his brother were struck by a car when biking on a rural road in Oldman’s Township around 8:30 p.m. and sustained fatal injuries. The Columbus Dispatch reported that the driver was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol.

Adding to the tragedy, the siblings were going to be groomsmen in their sister’s wedding on Friday.

“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,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.

Gaudreau is survived by his wife, Meredith, and two children, Noa and Johnny. He was 31 year old and his brother 29.

The Blue Jackets forward was immensely proud of being the rare NHL star raised in south Jersey. He attended Gloucester Catholic High School before starring at Boston College, where he won the Hobey Baker Award as the nation’s top collegiate player in 2014, and being selected by the Calgary Flames in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Draft.

One of Gaudreau’s best friends at BC was Kevin Hayes, who began his career as an NHL forward with the New York Rangers and is now with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Johnny Hockey was a finalist for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 2014-15, when he scored 24 goals and finished with 64 points in 80 games with the Flames. He scored 30 goals the next season and 36 in 2018-19, which was one season after he won the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play in the NHL.

Gaudreau had his best NHL season in 2021-22 when he scored 40 goals and tied for second in the League with 115 points. That summer, he signed with the Blue Jackets as a free agent. With the Blue Jackets, he had 134 points in 161 games over two seasons, though he was frustrated by his 12-goal, 60-point output last season and was seeking to bounce back in 2024-25.

Also read: Former Rangers forward Jesper Fast out for season after neck surgery

Johnny Gaudreau death latest tragedy for Blue Jackets

This is the second tragedy to strike the Blue Jackets in three years. Blue Jackets goalie Matiss Kivlenieks was killed in a fireworks accident at the home of the team’s goaltending coach Manny Legace on July 4, 2021.

Though not a star like Gaudreau, Kivlenieks was a young player (24) on the rise as a pro. His death was equally stunning and tragic.

The Blue Jackets have not made the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past four seasons, and finished last in the Metropolitan Division each of the past two. They recently traded another star forward, Patrik Laine, to the Montreal Canadiens and hired Dean Evason as coach.

Gaudreau had 743 points (243 goals, 500 assists) in 763 NHL games and 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 42 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He also represented the United States four times (three at the World Championship, once at World Junior Championship) and played for the under-23 Team North America in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

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