NHL participant Johnny Gaudreau and his youthful brother have been killed Thursday night time once they have been hit by a suspected drunken driver whereas using bicycles of their residence state of New Jersey, police mentioned.
Gaudreau, 31, and brother, Matthew, 29, are Carneys Level, New Jersey, natives and have been within the space for his or her sister Katie’s wedding ceremony scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia, at which they have been to be groomsmen.
New Jersey State police mentioned Friday the Gaudreau brothers have been biking on a street when a person driving in the identical route tried to go two different autos and struck them from behind, inflicting deadly accidents.
Police mentioned the driving force, Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being inebriated and charged with two counts of loss of life by auto and jailed on the Salem County Correctional Facility.
Johnny Gaudreau, often known as “Johnny Hockey,” performed 11 skilled seasons within the league and was set to enter his third with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He performed his first 9 with the Calgary Flames, a tenure that included changing into one of many sport’s high gamers and a fan favourite throughout North America.
“Simply devastating information for all of us related with the Gaudreau household,” Jerry York, who coached the Gaudreau brothers at Boston School, informed The Related Press by telephone. “Each Matty and Johnny have been terrifically admired by all of us. Great younger guys, they usually impressed a number of us off ice. Everyone is aware of how gifted they have been on ice, particularly Johnny — an all-world kind of Olympic participant and faculty all-star. … They left great impressions on all of us. We’ll miss the hockey exploits they at all times had with us however extra vital how they have been as younger guys.”
The Blue Jackets referred to as it an unimaginable tragedy.
“Johnny was not solely a fantastic hockey participant, however extra considerably a loving husband, father, son, brother and good friend,” the crew mentioned in an announcement. “Johnny performed the sport with nice pleasure which was felt by everybody that noticed him on the ice. He introduced a real love for hockey with him all over the place he performed.”
Gaudreau, at 5-foot-9 and 180 kilos, was a part of a era of hockey gamers who thrived in an period of velocity and ability that made being undersized much less of a drawback. He scored 20-plus objectives six instances and was a 115-point participant in 2021-22 as a first-time NHL All-Star when he had a career-best 40 objectives and 75 assists.
“Whereas Johnny’s infectious spirit for the sport and show-stopping expertise on the ice earned him the nickname ‘Johnny Hockey,’ he was greater than only a dazzling hockey participant; he was a doting father and beloved husband, son, brother and teammate who endeared himself to each individual lucky sufficient to have crossed his path,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman mentioned. “We ship our most heart-felt condolences to his spouse Meredith; their kids, Noa and Johnny; his mother and father, Man and Jane; and sisters Kristen and Katie. And we grieve alongside his teammates, members of the Blue Jackets and Flames organizations, his many mates in hockey and numerous followers all over the world for whom he created indelible recollections on and off the ice.”
A fourth-round decide of Calgary’s in 2011, Gaudreau helped Boston School win the NCAA championship in 2012 and in 2014 took residence the Hobey Baker Award as the highest faculty participant within the nation.
As an expert, Gaudreau was a part of the NHL all-rookie crew throughout his first season within the league and was third in voting for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the yr in 2014-15.
Gaudreau was a point-a-game participant with 642 factors in 644 regular-season and playoff video games since breaking into the league. In 2022, he left the Flames to sign a seven-year contract value practically $69 million with the Blue Jackets that put him and his younger household in central Ohio, nearer to his household in New Jersey.
Social media was filled with an outpouring of messages about Gaudreau.
USA Hockey said, “Phrases can not appropriately specific the sorrow the hockey group is feeling.” The Flames said Gaudreau “got here to Calgary as a younger man and grew up right here, not solely as a famous person on the ice but in addition a beloved member of our group.”
Former Flames teammate Blake Coleman posted that he was “fully gutted. The world simply misplaced top-of-the-line.”
“I do not know why I am even writing proper now I am shaking however Johnny was considered one of my favourite teammates I’ve ever performed with,” retired goaltender Eddie Lack said. “All the time completely happy, at all times spreading positivity round him. Relaxation in Peace my good friend and prayers to your fantastic household. Hug your family members.”
NBA famous person LeBron James, who’s from Akron, Ohio, mentioned he immediately received unhappy after seeing the information.
“My ideas and prayers goes out to the Gaudreau household,” James said. “Could Johnny and Matthew fly excessive, information/guard and bless their household/s from the heavens above.”
In worldwide play, Gaudreau owns the lads’s world championship data by a U.S. participant with 30 assists and 43 factors, earlier this yr breaking marks beforehand held by Patrick Kane.
Gaudreau’s loss of life is the newest off-ice tragedy to strike the group prior to now few years. Goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died in July 2021 when he was struck within the chest by a firework whereas attending the marriage of then-Blue Jackets goaltending coach Manny Legace’s daughter in Michigan.
The crew is now left to take care of one other sudden loss three weeks earlier than coaching camps across the league are set to open.
“We are going to miss him terribly and do every little thing that we will to assist his household and one another by this tragedy,” the Blue Jackets mentioned. “Presently, we ask for prayers for the Gaudreau household and that their privateness be revered as they grieve.”
Reporting by The Related Press.
Get extra from Nationwide Hockey League Observe your favorites to get details about video games, information and extra