On the morning of Friday, Aug. 30, the hockey world was devastated to hear the news of the sudden passing of Johnny Gaudreau of the Columbus Blue Jackets and his brother Matthew Gaudreau, in their home state of New Jersey.
That morning, the Blue Jackets released a statement.“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. 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,” it read.
The pair of brothers were in New Jersey for their sister Kristen’s wedding on the 30th. On the night of Aug. 29, the brothers were biking in Oldmans Township, NJ when they were struck from behind by a drunk driver changing lanes from the left to the right, according to a police report.
When the news broke across the NHL, fans and players gathered in mourning for the two brothers, posted tributes on social media and left sticks and flowers outside the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets arenas.
On Monday, Cole Caufield announced on Instagram that he would change his number from 22 to 13 in honor of Johnny Gaudreau.
“The last few years playing as #22 have been some of the best years of my life. It truly has been a dream come true and I will forever hold those memories and that number close to me,” stated Caufield. “I wore #13 at a point in my career because of Johnny and now I will be wearing it again to honor him. He paved the way for smaller players and proved we had a future in this game at the highest level. I will forever be grateful to him for inspiring me and others. Rest in Peace, Johnny hockey.”
Jaromír Jágr, an NHL veteran who scored his last goal in the NHL off an assist from Gaudreau, posted regarding the accident.
“Unfortunately, life can sometimes be incredibly cruel,” said Jágr. “Thank you, Johnny Gaudreau, for being there and giving hope to all the guys with your incredible performances that though they are not the biggest and toughest, they can succeed at the NHL world class just like you did. My condolences to the whole family.
R.I.P. to you and your brother.”
Players, fans and coaches have also donated to a GoFundMe created by a family member of the Gaudreau’s to aid Matthew’s wife in paying for his funeral arrangements and expenses for their unborn baby. With an original goal of $30,000, the donations have reached close to $600,000, with NHLers donating anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000.
Even in an awful tragedy, the NHL community came together to honor the two brothers who were not only hockey players, but incredible human beings.
While The Puck Drop was not made for these types of stories, it is important to grasp the significance of this tragedy. It is a reminder to practice kindness among others around you, live every day to the fullest and appreciate your loved ones.
If you wish to donate to the GoFundMe, you can do so here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-madeline-and-baby-tripp-after-tragedy