NHL Star Johnny Gaudreau and Brother Matthew's Family Releases Statement

and ’s has released a statement on behalf of the family after the brothers’ tragic deaths.

“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 human beings,” the statement shared by Boston reporter via X reads. “We want to let everyone know we are receiving your messages of love and support and we appreciate your continued thoughts and prayers.”

Courtesy of Matthew Gaudreau/Instagram

According to the Columbus Dispatch, Johnny and his brother, , were biking in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, on Thursday, August 29, when they were struck by a car and killed. The siblings were in town for their sister’s wedding, where they were set to be groomsmen. (Johnny and Matthew’s parents, and are also parents of daughters and .)

Us Weekly later confirmed that a man named was arrested and charged with two counts of vehicular homicide. The 43-year-old is suspected of driving drunk, which caused him to swerve on the road before hitting the Gaudreau brothers. He reportedly admitted to having five to six beers before the crash occurred.

Related: NHL Tragedies: The Deaths That Have Rocked the Hockey World in 2023 and 2024A series of tragic deaths, both on and off the ice, has left the world or professional hockey in mourning. On March 18, 2024, former NHL players Konstantin Koltsov and Chris Simon were announced dead in separate instances, the latest in a string of recent passings to rock the sport. Koltsov, who played for the […]

Higgins failed sobriety tests before being booked and taken to the Salem County Correctional Facility. He remained in custody due to the authorities’ active investigation.

Both Johnny and his brother were collegiate athletes, playing hockey at Boston College. Johnny played for the Calgary Flames for the first nine seasons of his NHL career before signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets as an unrestricted free agent in 2022.

Courtesy of Meredith Gaudreau/Instagram

“The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy,” read a statement shared via the team’s X account after the athlete’s death. “Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving father, son, brother and friend. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his wife, , his children Noa and Johnny, his parents, their family and friends on the sudden death of Johnny and Matthew.”

The message noted that Johnny played “with great joy,” adding that his positive attitude was felt by his teammates and supporters alike. “He thrilled fans in a way only Johnny Hockey could,” the statement concluded. “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. Johnny embraced our community when he arrived two years ago and Columbus welcomed him with open arms. We will miss him terribly and do everything that we can to support his family and each other through this tragedy. At this time, we ask for prayers for the Gaudreau family and that their privacy be respected as they grieve.”

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Follow UsjQuery( document ).ready( function( $ ) { let randomNumber = Math.floor( Math.random() * 100 ), is_spanish = false, is_featured_post = false; if ( randomNumber < 96 && $( '#news-block .shop-with-us__container' ).length ) { $( '#news-block .shop-with-us__container' ).show(); $( '#news-block .news-widget, #news-block .newsletter-form' ).remove(); } else { if( $( '#news-block .shop-with-us__container' ).length ) { $( '#news-block .shop-with-us__container' ).remove(); } if ( is_spanish ) { // 99% should be newsletter signup if ( randomNumber < 99 ) { $( '#news-block .news-widget' ).remove(); } else { $( '#news-block .newsletter-form' ).remove(); $( '#news-block .news-widget' ).show(); } } else if ( is_featured_post ) { // no newsletter block $( '#news-block .newsletter-form' ).remove(); $( '#news-block .news-widget' ).show(); } else { // 50/50 if( 0 === parseInt( $.now() ) % 2 ) { $( '#news-block .news-widget' ).remove(); } else { $( '#news-block .newsletter-form' ).remove(); $( '#news-block .news-widget' ).show(); } } if ( navigator.userAgent.match( /(iPod|iPhone|iPad)/ ) ) { $( '#news-block .news-widget .google-news' ).remove(); } else { $( '#news-block .news-widget .apple-news' ).remove(); } } } ); Meredith Gaudreau and Johnny Gaudreau. Courtesy of Meredith Gaudreau/Instagram

Johnny and Meredith welcomed two children — a daughter and son — after tying the knot in 2021. Four months before his death, Meredith shared a sweet photo with her husband and their kids on the ice.

“Last game of the season tonight 🥲. Love our guy so much 💙❤️ !” she wrote via Instagram in April.

Matthew, meanwhile, married wife in 2021.

NHL Star Johnny Gaudreau and Brother Matthew's Family Releases Statement

NHL Star Johnny Gaudreau and Brother Matthew's Family Releases Statement

NHL Star Johnny Gaudreau and Brother Matthew's Family Releases Statement

NHL Star Johnny Gaudreau and Brother Matthew's Family Releases Statement

NHL Star Johnny Gaudreau and Brother Matthew's Family Releases Statement