Columbus Blue Jackets hockey player Johnny Gaudreau has died, the National Hockey League club announced Friday morning. He was 31.
New Jersey State Police said Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, 29, died in a car crash Thursday night when they were struck by a vehicle while riding their bicycles.
Johnny and Matthew, who were born in Carneys Point, New Jersey, were in the area to attend their sister Katie’s wedding, scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia.
According to police, the Gaudreau brothers were riding their bikes on a road when a man traveling in the same direction tried to pass two other vehicles and hit them from behind. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said the driver, Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and was charged with two counts of vehicular death and jailed.
In a statement released via social media Friday morning, Blue Jackets officials said they were devastated by this “unimaginable tragedy.”
“Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more importantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife, Meredith, his children, Noa and Johnny, his parents, their families and friends on the sudden departures of Johnny and Matthew.”
“Johnny played hockey with a great joy that was felt by all who saw him on the ice. He brought a genuine love of hockey everywhere he played, from Boston College to the Calgary Flames, Team USA and the Blue Jackets.
“He dazzled hockey fans in a way that only Johnny could. The impact he had on our organization and our game was profound, but it doesn’t compare to the indelible impression he left on everyone who knew him.”
Commissioner Gary Bettman also responded in a statement following the tragic news early Friday morning.
“The National Hockey League family is deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic passing of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew,” Bettman wrote.
“While Johnny’s infectious spirit for the sport and his breathtaking skills on the ice earned him the nickname “Johnny Hockey,” he was much more than a dazzling hockey player; he was a doting father and beloved husband, a son, a brother and a teammate who cared for everyone who was lucky enough to cross his path.
“Gaudreau often spoke of how his father taught him to skate as a child in his home state of New Jersey, and he carried that same youthful passion throughout his 11 seasons in the NHL.
“A talented playmaker, Gaudreau was a seven-time NHL All-Star, where he was always a fan favourite, particularly when showcasing his talents in the various skills competitions for which he was so well prepared.
“He will be fondly remembered in Calgary, where he played his first nine seasons with the Flames from 2013-14 to 2021-22, establishing himself as one of our league’s brightest young stars while recording the franchise’s fifth-most career points. His loss will also be deeply felt in Columbus, the city where he chose to make his family home and where he was a respected and experienced leader of a club headed to the playoffs.”
Flames fourth-round pick, 104e In total, during the 2011 National Hockey League Entry Draft, Gaudreau played nine seasons with the Alberta team and the last two with the Blue Jackets.
In 763 NHL games, he had 243 goals and 743 points. He added 11 goals and 33 points in 42 playoff games.
He had his best season in 2021-22, his last with the Flames, when he had 40 goals and 115 points in 82 games.
Last season with the Blue Jackets, he had 12 goals and 48 assists in 81 games.
After three seasons with Boston College, Gaudreau made his NHL debut on April 13, 2014, against the Canucks in Vancouver. In a 5-1 loss, he scored the Flames’ lone goal against goaltender Jacob Markstrom.
In his first full season in 2014-15, Gaudreau had 24 goals and 64 points in 80 games. That performance earned him a third-place finish in voting for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s top rookie, and a spot on the All-Rookie Team.
In 2016-17, he was awarded the Lady Byng Trophy, awarded to the most gentlemanly player in the NHL. He only received four penalty minutes.