NHL Star and His Brother Killed While Cycling by Suspected Drunk Driver: NJ Police

National Hockey League star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were killed Thursday night when they were hit by a suspected drunk driver while cycling, New Jersey police said.

“The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy,” Gaudreau’s Ohio-based team said in a statement. “Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his wife, Meredith, his children, Noa and Johnny, his parents, their family and friends on the sudden loss of Johnny and Matthew.”

The two brothers were scheduled to participate in their sister’s wedding Friday, Matthew as a groomsman and Johnny as the ring bearer, according to ceremony details posted on wedding planning site The Knot.

According to New Jersey State Police, Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and Matthew Gaudreau, 29, had gone cycling in Salem County when they were hit from behind by 43-year-old Sean Higgins, who was trying to pass two vehicles in front of him. Higgins, they said, tried to pass one of the vehicles on the right, when his car would have veered out to where the Gaudreau brothers were “close to the fog line of the roadway.”

Higgins, who cops said was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, was charged with two counts of death by auto.

Nicknamed “Johnny Hockey,” Gaudreau was a standout offensive player known for his playmaking, speed, and creativity, all of which helped him thrive despite being just 5-foot-9.

A New Jersey native, he won the Hobey Baker Award, college hockey’s most prestigious individual trophy, in 2014 for his play with Boston College.

He went on to play nine seasons with the Calgary Flames and spent the last two with the Blue Jackets, making the NHL All-Star team seven times. “Our hearts are broken by this devastating loss,” said the Flames in a statement. “Johnny was and always will be a member of the Flames family and loved by all of Calgary.”

His brother Matthew, who also had a five-year pro hockey career, became the head coach of the Gloucester Catholic High School hockey team in Gloucester City, New Jersey, in 2022.

“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.

Read more at The Daily Beast.