NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, have tragically died. The pair were involved in a bike accident while out for an evening ride.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Gaudreau was a Columbus Blue Jackets forward. The team confirmed his passing in a statement. The athlete was 31 years old. He and his brother Matthew were riding bikes in Oldmans Township on Thursday. That's when a car struck both of them on their bikes.
"The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy. Johnny was not only a great hockey player. But more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend," their statement read. "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."
Gaudreau had a long history in the NHL. He spent nine years with the Calgary Flames and moved to the Blue Jackets in 2022. To put an even more tragic spin on their deaths, both brothers were going to be groomsmen in their sister's wedding on Friday.
"Johnny played the game with great joy. Which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice. 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," the Blue Jackets' statement continued.
NFL Mourns Johnny Gaudreau And His Brother
They continued to express their grief over his passing.
They wrote, "Johnny embraced our community when he arrived two years ago, and Columbus welcomed him with open arms. We will miss him terribly and do everything that we can to support his family and each other through this tragedy. At this time, we ask for prayers for the Gaudreau family and that their privacy be respected as they grieve."
Meanwhile, the NHL also released a statement about his death as well.
"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."
"He will be remembered fondly in Calgary. Where he played his first nine seasons with the Flames from 2013-14 to 2021-22. Emerging as one of our League's brightest young stars while compiling the franchise's fifth-highest career points total. His loss also will be felt profoundly in Columbus, the city in which he chose to settle his family and where he was one of the respected, veteran leaders of a club building toward the playoffs. And both Johnny and Matthew will be mourned at Boston College, where they were teammates the year Johnny won the Hobey Baker Award in 2013-14, and at Gloucester Catholic High School in New Jersey, where both played and where Matthew was the head hockey coach following his own five-year pro playing career."
