Moments after winning the gold medal in an instant classic against Canada, Team USA paid tribute to the late Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew.
The Gaudreau brothers were killed in August 2024 after being hit by a car while riding bicycles on eve of their sister’s wedding. NHL all-star Johnny, the Columbus Blue Jackets winger, and his younger brother, 29, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Known as “Johnny Hockey,” the elder Gaudreau played 11 seasons in the NHL. At the time of his death, he was about to start his third season with the Blue Jackets after playing his first nine seasons with the Calgary Flames. He was expected to be a strong contender for Team USA at these Olympic games.
The Gaudreau family was in attendance for the gold medal match, which saw the U.S. men’s hockey team beat Canada 2-1 in sudden death after finishing regulation play tied 1-1. The brothers were honored in the locker room at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, where Johnny’s number 13 jersey was displayed on a Team USA jersey.
After the gold medal winning game, members of Team USA — including Auston Matthews, Zach Werenski and Matthew Tkachuk — brought Gaudreau’s jersey onto the ice. Two of Johnny’s young children, Noa and Johnny Jr., were then taken onto the ice to hold up their dad’s jersey for the Team USA group photo, in a touching moment honoring his legacy and contributions to the game.
An emotional Meredith Gaudreau — Johnny’s widow who announced she was pregnant with their third child, a boy named Carter Michael, at the brothers’ memorial service in September 2024 — looked on.
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