Devils honor Gaudreau brothers, name MVP award after NJ hockey greats

A pair of tributes to New Jersey hockey greats Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were announced Thursday during the Devils' home opener at Prudential Center.

Jerseys from the brothers' time at Gloucester Catholic High School will be memorialized on the arena wall that displays high school hockey jerseys from across the state.

No. 3 for Johnny, along with No. 4 for Matthew, are now on either side of the Gloucester Catholic jersey on the wall. The brothers wore those numbers when playing for the Rams in the 2010 Non-Public state final at Prudential Center against Delbarton.

The Devils also announced that, in partnership with the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, the Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau MVP Award has been established and will be presented after each state championship game. The first awards will be presented after the state's four championship games scheduled for March 3, 2025.

The Gaudreau brothers died on Aug. 29 in a biking accident in Oldmans Township near their hometown in Salem County. Both brothers were star players at Gloucester Catholic before moving on to professional hockey careers.

Social media 'completely heartbroken' over deaths Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau in NJ

Johnny excelled in the NHL and signed a seven-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets in July 2022. Matthew returned home to Gloucester Catholic and was the program's head coach since the start of the 2022-23 season.

The tributes concluded with public address announcer Adam Hamway calling for the 16,764 fans at Prudential to "stand if you're able and cheer for a moment of celebration to honor and remember Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau."

Watch the full tribute by the Devils below.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Devils honor Gaudreau brothers, name MVP award after NJ hockey greats