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Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were killed Thursday when they were struck by a vehicle while riding as “pedalcyclists,” New Jersey State Police said in a release Friday.
Johnny Gaudreau was 31, and Matthew was 29.
According to police, a driver of a Jeep Grand Cherokee hit the Gaudreaus from behind while trying to pass an SUV on the right that had moved over to make way for the two pedalcyclists. Police, who responded to the scene in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, at 8:19 p.m., said both Gaudreaus suffered fatal injuries.
The driver is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and has been charged with two counts of death by auto, police said. They said the investigation is ongoing.
Both brothers, who were New Jersey natives, had been in the area to be groomsmen in their sister Katie’s wedding that was scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia.
The Blue Jackets called the Gaudreaus’ deaths an “unimaginable tragedy” in a statement on social media.
“Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice,” the Blue Jackets wrote. “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.”
Columbus Blue Jackets statement on the passing of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew. pic.twitter.com/V2aFykgKIs
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) August 30, 2024
Johnny Gaudreau played in 11 NHL seasons for the Flames and Blue Jackets. He joined Columbus on a seven-year contract starting with the 2022-23 season. He was an All-Star in 2023 and had posted 12 goals and 48 assists in 81 games last season.
“The National Hockey League family is shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “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.”
Matthew Gaudreau also played hockey at Boston College and for various teams in the minor leagues.
Drafted by the Flames in the fourth round in 2011, Johnny Gaudreau attended Boston College, where he earned his “Johnny Hockey” nickname as he helped the Eagles win a national title in 2012. He won two straight Hockey East Player of the Year awards and was the 2014 winner of the Hobey Baker Award, which goes to the top men’s college player in the nation.
He signed with the Flames and scored a goal in his first and only game of the 2013-14 season. A year later, Gaudreau became one of the league’s brightest rookies as he scored 24 goals and 64 points to help the Flames reach the playoffs. He went on to be a six-time All-Star with the Flames and scored a career-high 40 goals and 115 points in 2021-22.
Gaudreau emerged as an NHL prospect during his lone season with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints in 2010-11. Led by future Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery, the Fighting Saints won the USHL title, the Clark Cup, as the undersized but deftly skilled Gaudreau scored 36 goals and 72 points in 60 games before scoring five goals and 11 points in 11 playoff games.
He represented the U.S. at the 2013 under-20 world junior championships, where he helped the nation win gold after scoring seven goals and nine points in seven games. He would go on to play for Team USA at five world championships, including for the 2024 team that finished fifth, with Gaudreau scoring three goals and 11 points in eight games.
ESPN’s Ryan S. Clark contributed to this report.