NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother were killed Thursday night when a suspected drunk driver hit them while they were riding bicycles in their home state of New Jersey, police said Friday.
Gaudreau, 31, and his brother Matthew, 29, were from Carneys Point, New Jersey, and were supposed to be groomsmen at their sister Katie’s wedding, which was set for Friday in Philadelphia.
New Jersey State police said the Gaudreau brothers were cycling on a road when a man driving an SUV tried to pass two other vehicles and hit them from behind. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police reported that the driver, 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being drunk and was charged with two counts of death by auto, reckless driving, having an open container, and drinking alcohol in a vehicle. He was taken to the Salem County Correctional Facility.
According to the criminal complaint obtained by The Associated Press, Higgins told a responding officer that he had five or six beers before the accident and admitted to drinking while driving. He failed a field sobriety test. His blood alcohol level was not immediately available.
Johnny Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey,” played 11 seasons in the NHL and was about to start his third season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He spent his first nine seasons with the Calgary Flames, where he became one of the sport’s top players and a fan favorite across North America.
“Just devastating news for all of us connected with the Gaudreau family,” Jerry York, who coached the Gaudreau brothers at Boston College, said in a phone interview with the AP. “Both Matty and Johnny were greatly admired by all of us. They were wonderful young men, and they impressed many of us off the ice.”
York praised the parents, Guy and Jane, and their commitment to their children and hockey. Gaudreau had been married to his wife, Meredith, since 2021, and they had two young children: Noa, born in September 2022, and Johnny, born in February.
The Blue Jackets said Gaudreau “was not only a great hockey player, but more importantly a loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
“Johnny played the game with great joy, which was felt by everyone who saw him on the ice. He brought a genuine love for hockey wherever he played,” the team said in a statement.
At 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, Gaudreau was part of a group of hockey players who excelled in an era where speed and skill made being smaller less of a disadvantage. He scored 20 or more goals six times and had a career-best 40 goals and 75 assists in the 2021-22 season, making him a first-time NHL All-Star with 115 points.
“While Johnny’s infectious spirit for the game and dazzling skills on the ice earned him the nickname ‘Johnny Hockey,’ he was more than just a remarkable player; he was a devoted father, cherished husband, son, brother, and teammate who touched everyone who had the chance to meet him,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said.
NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh said: “Johnny was a cherished teammate and friend in both Calgary and Columbus, and it was a pleasure to watch him during his 10 years and 763 games in the NHL. … The players and staff of the NHLPA are deeply saddened by these tragic losses.”
A fourth-round pick by Calgary in 2011, Gaudreau helped Boston College win the NCAA championship in 2012 and won the Hobey Baker Award in 2014 as the top college player in the country.
In his first NHL season, Gaudreau was named to the NHL all-rookie team and finished third in voting for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 2014-15.
Gaudreau was a point-per-game player with 642 points in 644 regular-season and playoff games since starting his NHL career. In 2022, he left the Flames to sign a seven-year contract worth nearly $69 million with the Blue Jackets, moving with his young family to central Ohio to be closer to his family in New Jersey.
Social media was filled with messages about Gaudreau from USA Hockey, the Flames, and beyond the sport itself.
Longtime executive Brian Burke, who worked with Gaudreau in Calgary and with the U.S. national team, said it’s hard to overstate what a joy it was to have him around.
“There are few players in hockey history who matched his passion and love for the game of hockey,” Burke said. “His talent on the ice was only enhanced by the fact that he was having fun out there.”
Former Flames teammate Blake Coleman shared that he was “completely gutted. The world just lost one of the best.” Retired goaltender Eddie Lack called Gaudreau one of his favorite teammates.
“Always happy, always spreading positivity around him,” Lack said. “Rest in peace my friend and prayers for your wonderful family.”
NBA star LeBron James, who is from Akron, Ohio, said he felt instantly sad after hearing the news.
“My thoughts and prayers go out to the Gaudreau family,” James said. “May Johnny and Matthew fly high, guide and bless their family from above.”
In international play, Gaudreau holds the men’s world championship records for a U.S. player with 30 assists and 43 points.
Gaudreau’s death adds to a series of off-ice tragedies for the organization in recent years. Goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died in July 2021 when a firework struck him in the chest at a wedding in Michigan.
The team now faces another sudden loss just three weeks before training camps are set to begin.
“We will miss him terribly and do everything we can to support his family and each other through this tragedy,” the Blue Jackets said. “At this time, we ask for prayers for the Gaudreau family and for their privacy as they grieve.”
