After winning gold and engraving their names into the history of American sports, the USA men’s hockey team paid a heartfelt tribute to their late teammate Johnny Gaudreau.
Ex-NHL player Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, died in August 2024 when they were struck by an SUV while riding bicycles near their hometown in New Jersey on the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding.
The USA team had Gaudreau’s No. 13 jersey hanging in their locker room throughout the tournament in Italy and after their 2-1 overtime win against Canada on Sunday, Dylan Larkin and Matthew Tkachuk carried it around the ice.
It was an emotional moment but the team went further, inviting the oldest two of Johnny and Meredith Gaudreau’s three children to join the team in the celebrations.
Larkin and Werenski brought three-year-old Noa and two-year-old Johnny Jr. on the ice for the team photo, which also had Gaudreau’s jersey in it.
‘It meant everything,’ said Werenski, who assisted on Jack Hughes’ golden goal in overtime. ‘This is something John would have been at.
The USA hockey team remember the late Johnny Gaudreau after winning Olympic gold
Dylan Larkin and Zach Werenski carry Gaudreai’s young children onto the ice after their win
Johnny and Matthew were knocked off their bikes the night before their sister’s wedding
‘And to see his family here supporting us and seeing his kids, bringing them on the ice, we talked about playing for him, making him proud and I think we did that.
‘Super special to see them and to have his kids on the ice, he was a huge part of USA hockey.’
Victorious USA captain Auston Matthews added: ‘He is with us here in spirit for the whole tournament.
‘To have his jersey out there in the team photo and have his kids come out and be with us, we´re obviously thinking of him.’
An elite player a decade into his NHL career and the all-time U.S. leading scorer in international play, Johnny Gaudreau was on track to be in Milan before the tragedy.
‘He obviously would have been on this team – and been a huge part of it,’ forward J.T. Miller said. ‘A guy I grew up with and against and knew pretty well. It´s more than hockey, at that point.
‘He deserved better, and he had a big part in how things went down today.’
