Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his 29-year-old brother Matthew died Thursday night when they were bicycling on County Route 551 in Oldmans Township, New Jersey and struck by a car, per CBS News Philadelphia.
The pair were near their hometown in Salem County, New Jersey ahead of their sister Katie’s wedding in Philadelphia on Friday, where they were set to be groomsmen, when they were hit by suspected drunk driver Sean Higgins.
Johnny Gaudreau, nicknamed “Johnny Hockey,” played 763 games for the Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames in an NHL career that spanned 10 full seasons. He was 31.
“The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy,” the Blue Jackets said in a statement. “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.”
Police reported that the driver, Sean Higgins, hit the Gaudreau brothers from behind after trying to pass two vehicles driving in the same direction, per the Associated Press. A criminal complaint states that he admitted to having five or six beers, as well as drinking while driving. Higgins has been charged with two counts of death by auto, reckless driving, possession of an open container, and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle; he made his first appearance in court Friday.
The pair’s uncle, Jim Gaudreau, released a statement Friday afternoon on behalf of the family.
“Last night we lost two husbands, two fathers, two sons, two brothers, two sons and brothers in law, two nephews, two cousins, two family members two teammates, two friends but truly two amazing humans,” he wrote.
“We want to let everyone know we are receiving your messages of love and support and we appreciate your continued thoughts and prayers. We ask for your continued respect and privacy during this very difficult period of grief.”
“He will be remembered fondly in Calgary, where he played his first nine seasons with the Flames from 2013-14 to 2021-22, emerging as one of our League’s brightest young stars while compiling the franchise’s fifth-highest career points total,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman wrote in a statement.
“His loss also will be felt profoundly in Columbus, the city in which he chose to settle his family and where he was one of the respected, veteran leaders of a club building toward the playoffs. And both Johnny and Matthew will be mourned at Boston College, where they were teammates the year Johnny won the Hobey Baker Award in 2013-14, and at Gloucester Catholic High School in New Jersey, where both played and where Matthew was the head hockey coach following his own five-year pro playing career.”
Drafted by the Flames in 2011, Johnny Gaudreau made a name for himself from his very first season, when he appeared in the 2015 All-Star Game as a rookie and became a Calder Cup Trophy finalist after a 64 point (24g, 40a) campaign. Gaudreau continued to rack up accolades in the ensuing years: he ranked fourth in Hart Trophy voting in both 2019 and 2022 — scoring a stunning 115 points in the latter season — and won the Lady Byng Trophy in 2017 for his sportsmanship. He played in a total of seven All-Star games, missing just one through his entire career.
Over more than eight years in Calgary, Gaudreau scored at better than a point-per-game pace. He ended his tenure with the Flames with 609 points (210g, 399a) in 602 games and ranks fifth on the franchise’s all-time scoring list.
He opted to sign in Columbus as an unrestricted free agent in 2022, citing a desire to be near family. While the Blue Jackets did not make the playoffs during his tenure, he led the team in scoring both seasons he played in Columbus.
“I love the city, love being here,” he said during his final media appearance with the Blue Jackets. “It’s a special place but the hockey part, it’s been tough so hopefully we can turn this thing around.”
Gaudreau also frequently represented the United States on the international stage, winning gold for Team USA at the 2013 World Junior Championship and playing in five World Championships, earning bronze in 2018. He became the United States’ all-time leader in points (43) at the World Championships this past summer, passing Patrick Kane.
Matthew Gaudreau had a hockey career in his own right, notably playing alongside his brother at Boston College. He later played seasons in the AHL and ECHL for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Worcester Railers, Stockton Heat, and Reading Royals.
Gaudreau’s death marks another unexpected tragedy for the Blue Jackets, coming just over three years after goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died in a fireworks accident. He is survived by his wife, Meredith; and two his children, Noa and Johnny.
This article has been updated to reflect additional information about the crash, the family’s statement, and the career of Matthew Gaudreau.
