Columbus Blue Jackets player Johnny Gaudreau died Thursday night following a biking crash in New Jersey.A left winger for the Blue Jackets, he is perhaps best remembered locally as bringing fresh excitement to Ohio's hockey scene when he joined the team in 2022. Here is a look back at the star player's life.John "Johnny" Michael Gaudreau was born in Salem, New Jersey, on Aug. 13, 1993. His brother, who also perished in the crash, Matthew Gaudreau, was born a little over a year later on Dec. 5, 1994.The two Gaudreau brothers were born into a family that was very familiar and fond of the sport of hockey, with both playing the sport in their youth."It's almost the stuff of legend now," reads Johnny Gaudreau's bio on the NHL's website. "Gaudreau growing up learning to skate by tracking a trail of Skittles candy on the ice inside Hollydell Ice Arena in Sewell, New Jersey, the rink where his father, Guy, was serving as hockey director."Johnny Gaudreau made his minor league debut with the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the 2010-11 season as a teenager, where he would also later go on to play in the 2011 United States Hockey League All-Star Game. He would also help his team to win the Clark Cup, the equivalent of the Stanley Cup in the minor league.Johnny Gaudreau, who was still a high school student when he joined the team, would go on to graduate from nearby Dubuque Senior High School. He then attended Boston College, where he played as a forward for three years between 2011 and 2014. Matthew Gaudreau would also play for the same college team between 2013 and 2017. The brothers' time on the team would overlap in the 2013-14 season. At 5 feet, 9 inches each, the two Gaudreau brothers were shorter than most ice hockey players, but still made their impact on the rink felt with Boston College achieving overwhelming winning records each of the seasons that the two played.In 2014, his final year as a student, Johnny Gaudreau won the Hobey Baker Award, which is given to the National Collegiate Athletic Association's top ice hockey player. On the very same day on April 11, he signed a deal to join the Calgary Flames.Just two days later, Johnny Gaudreau would make his major league debut on April 13, scoring the Flames' lone goal of the game in their loss to the Vancouver Canucks in the team's very last game of the season.In the years afterward, Johnny Gaudreau would quickly go on to become one of the Flames' star players, frequently leading the team with the most goals scored and assists throughout several of his nine seasons with the team.According to the NHL, during his final season with the Flames, "Gaudreau scored 100 points in a season for the first time in his NHL career when the Flames defeated the Seattle Kraken 5-3 on April 13, 2022. He became the 11th different United States-born player in NHL history to score at least 100 points and second since Patrick Kane for the Chicago Blackhawks. He finished with 115 points, the second-most by a United States-born player in one season behind Pat LaFontaine in 1992-93."Meanwhile, during the same time period, Johnny Gaudreau's younger brother Matthew had established himself in hockey's minor league teams, playing for four different teams throughout the late 2010s and early 2020s. Unlike his older brother, Matthew Gaudreau never played in the NHL, opting instead to retire as a player in 2022 and coach hockey for the Philadelphia Rebels, a minor league team, and his high school alma mater, Gloucester Catholic High School.For the 2022-23 season, the elder Gaudreau chose not to resign his contract with the Flames, opting instead to move to the Columbus Blue Jackets, in the process taking a pay cut from what the Flames had offered him in order to be closer to his family.The gain of Gaudreau was a huge deal for the Blue Jackets. The team has for a long time struggled to establish themselves as a force to reckoned with in the highly competitive world of the NHL since their founding in 2000. They have never advanced beyond the quarterfinals in a Stanley Cup tournament, and the majority of the time have not had a successful enough regular season to even qualify for the tournament.While Johnny Gaudreau struggled to reverse this trend of bad luck in his time with the team — the Blue Jackets did not qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs in either of his two seasons — he appeared very content with his decision in press interviews.“I don’t have any second thoughts,” Johnny Gaudreau said in an interview with the New York Times in 2023. “I love it here. Obviously, it’s a tough start to the season for our team, but I just did an interview (with ESPN) where I said I wouldn’t change my decision for the world. I love it here.”During Johnny Gaudreau's 10 full seasons with the NHL — his first season he only played one game — Gaudreau was named to the All-Star Game seven different times.However, at age 31, Johnny Gaudreau's life and career were suddenly cut short earlier this week.Johnny Gaudreau died on Aug. 29, just a little over a month away from the start of his third season with the Blue Jackets. Johnny Gaudreau was biking his brother Matthew in his home state of New Jersey the day when the two were hit by an SUV. Their sister was set to get married the very next day.Sean Higgins, 43, is being charged with two counts of vehicular homicide in relation to their deaths.Johnny Gaudreau leaves behind a wife and two young children. His widow posted several photos of the family together on Instagram Saturday. “The absolute best dad in the world," the caption of one such image said. "So caring and loving. The best partner to go through parenthood with. John never missed a single appointment. Was the best at putting the baby to sleep and the Apple of Noa’s eye. I love how much she looks like him. We are going to make you proud. We love you so so so much daddy."Meanwhile, Matthew Gaudreau and his wife were set to welcome their first child into the world in December. A GoFundMe page for Matthew Gaudreau's widow and their unborn child, Tripp, has already accumulated over $482,000 as of Sunday.The feeling of loss has been felt throughout the entirety of the sports community. While the NHL is in the off-season right now, several Major League Baseball teams across the country this week have been quick to honor Gaudreau's passing with moments of silence and remembrance held at the ballparks of the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels. Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew also did the same.
Columbus Blue Jackets player Johnny Gaudreau died Thursday night following a biking crash in New Jersey.
A left winger for the Blue Jackets, he is perhaps best remembered locally as bringing fresh excitement to Ohio's hockey scene when he joined the team in 2022.
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Here is a look back at the star player's life.
John "Johnny" Michael Gaudreau was born in Salem, New Jersey, on Aug. 13, 1993. His brother, who also perished in the crash, Matthew Gaudreau, was born a little over a year later on Dec. 5, 1994.
The two Gaudreau brothers were born into a family that was very familiar and fond of the sport of hockey, with both playing the sport in their youth.
"It's almost the stuff of legend now," reads Johnny Gaudreau's bio on the NHL's website. "Gaudreau growing up learning to skate by tracking a trail of Skittles candy on the ice inside Hollydell Ice Arena in Sewell, New Jersey, the rink where his father, Guy, was serving as hockey director."
Johnny Gaudreau made his minor league debut with the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the 2010-11 season as a teenager, where he would also later go on to play in the 2011 United States Hockey League All-Star Game. He would also help his team to win the Clark Cup, the equivalent of the Stanley Cup in the minor league.
Johnny Gaudreau, who was still a high school student when he joined the team, would go on to graduate from nearby Dubuque Senior High School. He then attended Boston College, where he played as a forward for three years between 2011 and 2014.
Matthew Gaudreau would also play for the same college team between 2013 and 2017. The brothers' time on the team would overlap in the 2013-14 season. At 5 feet, 9 inches each, the two Gaudreau brothers were shorter than most ice hockey players, but still made their impact on the rink felt with Boston College achieving overwhelming winning records each of the seasons that the two played.
In 2014, his final year as a student, Johnny Gaudreau won the Hobey Baker Award, which is given to the National Collegiate Athletic Association's top ice hockey player. On the very same day on April 11, he signed a deal to join the Calgary Flames.
Just two days later, Johnny Gaudreau would make his major league debut on April 13, scoring the Flames' lone goal of the game in their loss to the Vancouver Canucks in the team's very last game of the season.
In the years afterward, Johnny Gaudreau would quickly go on to become one of the Flames' star players, frequently leading the team with the most goals scored and assists throughout several of his nine seasons with the team.
According to the NHL, during his final season with the Flames, "Gaudreau scored 100 points in a season for the first time in his NHL career when the Flames defeated the Seattle Kraken 5-3 on April 13, 2022. He became the 11th different United States-born player in NHL history to score at least 100 points and second since Patrick Kane for the Chicago Blackhawks. He finished with 115 points, the second-most by a United States-born player in one season behind Pat LaFontaine in 1992-93."
Meanwhile, during the same time period, Johnny Gaudreau's younger brother Matthew had established himself in hockey's minor league teams, playing for four different teams throughout the late 2010s and early 2020s. Unlike his older brother, Matthew Gaudreau never played in the NHL, opting instead to retire as a player in 2022 and coach hockey for the Philadelphia Rebels, a minor league team, and his high school alma mater, Gloucester Catholic High School.
For the 2022-23 season, the elder Gaudreau chose not to resign his contract with the Flames, opting instead to move to the Columbus Blue Jackets, in the process taking a pay cut from what the Flames had offered him in order to be closer to his family.
The gain of Gaudreau was a huge deal for the Blue Jackets. The team has for a long time struggled to establish themselves as a force to reckoned with in the highly competitive world of the NHL since their founding in 2000. They have never advanced beyond the quarterfinals in a Stanley Cup tournament, and the majority of the time have not had a successful enough regular season to even qualify for the tournament.
While Johnny Gaudreau struggled to reverse this trend of bad luck in his time with the team — the Blue Jackets did not qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs in either of his two seasons — he appeared very content with his decision in press interviews.
“I don’t have any second thoughts,” Johnny Gaudreau said in an interview with the New York Times in 2023. “I love it here. Obviously, it’s a tough start to the season for our team, but I just did an interview (with ESPN) where I said I wouldn’t change my decision for the world. I love it here.”
During Johnny Gaudreau's 10 full seasons with the NHL — his first season he only played one game — Gaudreau was named to the All-Star Game seven different times.
However, at age 31, Johnny Gaudreau's life and career were suddenly cut short earlier this week.
Johnny Gaudreau died on Aug. 29, just a little over a month away from the start of his third season with the Blue Jackets. Johnny Gaudreau was biking his brother Matthew in his home state of New Jersey the day when the two were hit by an SUV. Their sister was set to get married the very next day.
Sean Higgins, 43, is being charged with two counts of vehicular homicide in relation to their deaths.
Johnny Gaudreau leaves behind a wife and two young children. His widow posted several photos of the family together on Instagram Saturday.
“The absolute best dad in the world," the caption of one such image said. "So caring and loving. The best partner to go through parenthood with. John never missed a single appointment. Was the best at putting the baby to sleep and the Apple of Noa’s eye. I love how much she looks like him. We are going to make you proud. We love you so so so much daddy."
Meanwhile, Matthew Gaudreau and his wife were set to welcome their first child into the world in December. A GoFundMe page for Matthew Gaudreau's widow and their unborn child, Tripp, has already accumulated over $482,000 as of Sunday.
The feeling of loss has been felt throughout the entirety of the sports community. While the NHL is in the off-season right now, several Major League Baseball teams across the country this week have been quick to honor Gaudreau's passing with moments of silence and remembrance held at the ballparks of the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels. Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew also did the same.
