National Hockey League player Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother were tragically killed on Thursday evening after being struck by a suspected drunk driver while riding their bicycles in their home state of New Jersey, police reported.
The 31-year-old Gaudreau and his younger brother, Matthew, 29, were both natives of Carneys Point, New Jersey, and were in the area for their sister Katie’s wedding, scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia.
According to the New Jersey State Police, the Gaudreau brothers were cycling on a road when a driver traveling in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind. The brothers were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police stated that the driver, Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and was charged with two counts of death by auto. He was subsequently taken into custody at the Salem County Correctional Facility.
Johnny Gaudreau, fondly known as “Johnny Hockey,” had a distinguished professional career spanning 11 seasons in the NHL. He was entering his third season with the Blue Jackets, having played his first nine seasons with the Calgary Flames. During his time in Calgary, he rose to become one of the league’s top players, earning widespread admiration from fans throughout North America.
The Blue Jackets expressed their profound sorrow, calling the incident an unimaginable tragedy.
“Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend,” the team stated in a heartfelt message. “Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice. He brought a genuine love for hockey with him everywhere he played.”
Gaudreau, standing at 5-foot-9 and weighing 180 pounds, was part of a new generation of hockey players who thrived in an era characterized by speed and skill. Being undersized was less of a disadvantage in this era. He consistently scored 20 or more goals in six seasons and achieved a remarkable 115 points during the 2021-22 season, marking his first NHL All-Star appearance. This season was highlighted by a career-best 40 goals and 75 assists.
“While Johnny’s infectious spirit for the game and show-stopping skills on the ice earned him the nickname ‘Johnny Hockey,’ he was more than just a dazzling hockey player; he was a doting father and beloved husband, son, brother and teammate who endeared himself to every person fortunate enough to have crossed his path,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman stated. “We send our most heart-felt condolences to his wife Meredith; their children, Noa and Johnny; his parents, Guy and Jane; and sisters Kristen and Katie. And we grieve alongside his teammates, members of the Blue Jackets and Flames organizations, his many friends in hockey and countless fans around the world for whom he created indelible memories on and off the ice.”
Selected in the fourth round by Calgary in the 2011 draft, Gaudreau played a key role in Boston College’s NCAA championship victory in 2012. He was also the recipient of the prestigious Hobey Baker Award in 2014, recognizing him as the top college hockey player in the country.
At the professional level, Gaudreau was named to the NHL’s all-rookie team in his inaugural season and finished third in the voting for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the league’s top rookie, in the 2014-15 season.
Gaudreau was a consistent point-per-game player, accumulating 642 points in 644 regular-season and playoff games since entering the NHL. Most recently, he signed a seven-year contract worth nearly $69 million in 2022, which brought him and his family to central Ohio, closer to his relatives in New Jersey.
He holds the men’s world championship records for assists by a U.S. player, with 30 assists, and for overall points by a U.S. player, with 43 points, breaking records previously held by Patrick Kane earlier this year.
Gaudreau’s death marks the latest tragedy to strike the organization off the ice in recent years. Goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks tragically lost his life in July 2021 when he was struck in the chest by a firework while attending the wedding of then-Blue Jackets goaltending coach Manny Legace’s daughter in Michigan.