NHL player Johnny Gaudreau, brother hit and killed while riding bikes in New Jersey
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew died Thursday after they were struck by a vehicle while riding their bicycles, New Jersey State Police said Friday.
Johnny Gaudreau was 31, and Matthew was 29. The brothers were biking in Salem County, New Jersey, on the eve of their sister’s wedding, ESPN reports.
New Jersey State Police say the Gaudreaus were hit from behind while trying to pass an SUV on the right that had moved over to make way for them. Both brothers suffered fatal injuries.
Investigators believe the driver was under the influence of alcohol at time the of the crash, according to ESPN.
In a statement released Friday morning, the Columbus Blue Jackets called the fatal accident an “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.”
Johnny Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey” to fans, was born in Salem, New Jersey. He spent his collegiate career at Boston College and won the 2014 Hobey Baker Award as the best player in the NCAA.
The Calgary Flames selected Gaudreau in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Draft. He joined the Flames for the 2013-14 season and was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the league’s best rookie.
Gaudreau finally took a bit of hardware at the end of the 2016-17 season, when he won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the league’s most gentlemanly player. His best NHL season was 2018-19, when he put up a career-high 99 points (36 goals, 63 assists) during the regular season.
He signed a contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets on the first day of free agency in July 2022 and had a team-leading 74 points in 2022-23. He put up 60 points last season and was set to join the Blue Jackets at training camp in September.
“Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice. 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 said in a release.
He is survived by his his wife, Meredith, and their two children, Noa and Johnny.
Like his older brother, Matthew Gaudreau loved playing hockey. The brothers were teammates at Boston College for one season. Gaudreau eventually turned pro, spending time with the Reading Royals and Worcester Railers of the ECHL and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League.
Thursday’s crash is the second fatal accident in three years to involve a Blue Jackets player. Matiss Kivlenieks, a 24-year-old goaltender, died after an errant firework struck him in the chest at a team party on July 4, 2021. Columbus goaltender Elvis Merzlikins later said Kivlenieks died a hero while protecting others, including Merzlikins, his wife, and their unborn son.
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