'Devastating loss': Hockey world mourns deaths of Johnny, Matthew Gaudreau - Hockey (2024)

The Canadian Press - Aug 31, 2024 / 1:34 pm | Story: 504262

The widow of Johnny Gaudreau called her husband “the absolute best dad in the world” and thanked him for “the best years of my life” in two Instagram posts paying tribute to the NHL player who was killed when his bicycle was struck by a car on the eve of his sister’s wedding.

“Despite losing you, I am still the luckiest girl in the world to have been yours,” Meredith Gaudreau said in a post Saturday that was accompanied by several photos of the couple. “I love you so, so much. You were perfect. Some days it felt too good to be true. I love every single thing about you. You are my forever and I can’t wait to be with you again. I love you so much forever and ever.”

A separate post included photos of Johnny Gaudreau with their children.

“The absolute best dad in the world,” she said. “So caring and loving. The best partner to go through parenthood with. John never missed a single appointment. Was the best at putting the baby to sleep and the Apple of Noa’s eye. I love how much she looks like him. We are going to make you proud. We love you so so, so much, daddy.”

Gaudreau and his younger brother, Matt, were killed Thursday night when they were struck by a suspected drunken driver while they were riding bikes in Oldmans Township, close to their southern New Jersey hometown of Carneys Point. Johnny, 31, and Matt, 29, were supposed to serve as groomsmen at their sister Katie’s wedding, which was scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia. The wedding was called off.

“The boys grew up here,” said Wayne Pelura, a Carneys Point Township committee member. “They were involved in youth sports here. Everybody knows them. Everybody knows the sisters. It’s just a sad, sad situation.”

Police said the driver was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and charged with two counts of death by auto, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle.

Johnny Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey,” played 10 full seasons in the NHL and was set to enter his third with the Columbus Blue Jackets after signing a seven-year, $68 million deal in 2022. He played his first eight seasons with the Calgary Flames.

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Associated Press reporter Julie Walker contributed to this report.

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The Canadian Press - Aug 31, 2024 / 1:29 pm | Story: 504263

The widow of Johnny Gaudreau called her husband “the absolute best dad in the world” and thanked him for “the best years of my life” in two Instagram posts paying tribute to the NHL player who was killed when his bicycle was struck by a car on the eve of his sister’s wedding.

“Despite losing you, I am still the luckiest girl in the world to have been yours,” Meredith Gaudreau said in a post Saturday that was accompanied by several photos of the couple. “I love you so, so much. You were perfect. Some days it felt too good to be true. I love every single thing about you. You are my forever and I can’t wait to be with you again. I love you so much forever and ever.”

A separate post included photos of Johnny Gaudreau with their children.

“The absolute best dad in the world,” she said. “So caring and loving. The best partner to go through parenthood with. John never missed a single appointment. Was the best at putting the baby to sleep and the Apple of Noa’s eye. I love how much she looks like him. We are going to make you proud. We love you so so, so much, daddy.”

Gaudreau and his younger brother, Matt, were killed Thursday night when they were struck by a suspected drunken driver while they were riding bikes in Oldmans Township, close to their southern New Jersey hometown of Carneys Point. Johnny, 31, and Matt, 29, were supposed to serve as groomsmen at their sister Katie’s wedding, which was scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia. The wedding was called off.

“The boys grew up here,” said Wayne Pelura, a Carneys Point Township committee member. “They were involved in youth sports here. Everybody knows them. Everybody knows the sisters. It’s just a sad, sad situation.”

Police said the driver was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and charged with two counts of death by auto, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle.

Johnny Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey,” played 10 full seasons in the NHL and was set to enter his third with the Columbus Blue Jackets after signing a seven-year, $68 million deal in 2022. He played his first eight seasons with the Calgary Flames.

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Associated Press reporter Julie Walker contributed to this report.

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The Canadian Press - Aug 31, 2024 / 8:06 am | Story: 504235

The Carolina Hurricanes have signed forward Seth Jarvis to an eight-year, $63.2 million contract in a move that keeps a top young forward with the team for the long term.

The team announced the deal Saturday, saying that it includes more than $29.2 million in signing bonuses for the No. 13 overall pick in the 2020 draft.

“Seth is a cornerstone player for our franchise,” general manager Eric Tulsky said in a statement. “He took another huge step last season, playing in all situations and displaying the skill and competitive drive that will make him a star in this league in the years to come.”

Jarvis, 22, was a restricted free agent who had grown into a proven contributor on the rise amid Carolina's active streak of six straight postseason appearances. The team had looked into a shorter-term bridge deal as well as longer-term security.

“I was focused on playing hockey and having fun. That’s something we’re going to have to figure out,” Jarvis said during end-of-season interviews in May. “Obviously it’s going to be up to what they want to do with me here and what they see fit. I’ve never been in this situation before, so it’s new, feel it out a little bit.”

The 5-foot-10, 184-pound Jarvis ranked second among team skaters with 33 goals and 67 points, setting career highs in both categories along with power-play goals (13), shorthanded goals (nine) and game-winners (nine). He also had a team-best five goals to go with four power-play points and four assists during 11 playoff games.

He did that despite suffering a torn labrum and rotator cuff roughly 15 games into the season when he fell awkwardly in Philadelphia and later wore a protective jacket to secure the joint. He also broke a finger during the first-round playoff series win against the New York Islanders.

“I think it made me play a little more fearless, just knowing I could play through that kind of pain and still have success,” Jarvis said of the shoulder injury, saying the plan was to recover through rest and rehab.

The Hurricanes' six-year playoff run is the longest since the former Hartford Whalers relocated to North Carolina in 1997. Yet it's been an offseason of change, from Tulsky taking over when Don Waddell left for Columbus to losing prominent players like Jake Guentzel, Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei.

The good news for Carolina, at least, is Tulsky secured deals with another gifted young forward in restricted free agent Martin Necas and top defenseman Jaccob Slavin. And before Waddell's departure, the team also reached a new deal with coach Rod Brind'Amour, the captain of Carolina's 2006 Stanley Cup winner and a former Jack Adams Award winner as the league's top coach.

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The Canadian Press - Aug 31, 2024 / 6:11 am | Story: 504226

Columbus Blue Jackets officials could hardly believe their luck when they persuaded superstar Johnny Gaudreau to pass up larger markets and sign here two years ago.

Ecstatic fans looked to “Johnny Hockey” to score goals and jump-start the fortunes of a struggling team that had reached the playoffs just six times in the previous 21 seasons and advanced beyond the opening round only twice.

A few other big stars had spent time with the Blue Jackets, but for one reason or another they didn't work out or didn't care to hang around. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and forward Artemi Panarin were beloved by fans and led Columbus to a playoff sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019. But they couldn't get out of town fast enough when their contracts expired.

Gaudreau, one of the sport's top players who spent his first eight years in the NHL with Calgary, certainly seemed different. He was excited to play for Columbus and be closer to his family in New Jersey, which for Blue Jackets fans makes his sudden death along with that of his brother Thursday night a shattering tragedy even harder to take. He was just 31.

“Johnny Gaudreau coming here, actually choosing Columbus was literally our validation. Like we are a hockey town, this is a hockey market. People want to play here. Johnny Gaudreau was literally the embodiment of that," said Nick Shannon, who came to Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Friday to pay his respects.

Gaudreau and his younger brother died after they were struck by a suspected drunken driver while they were riding bicycles in Oldmans Township, close to their southern New Jersey hometown. Their sister's wedding, scheduled for Friday, was called off.

“When he first signed, his famous words were, ‘It’s a great place to raise a family.’ And we were his family,” said Ninell Baker, a Blue Jackets season-ticket holder who also showed up at the downtown arena. “The players loved him. We all loved him. It breaks my heart. I don’t even know how to act.”

Fans who made their way to the front of the arena left behind flowers, caps, shirts and lots of hockey sticks. A bagpiper in a kilt and a Blue Jackets' No. 13 Gaudreau sweater played as he walked up and down a sidewalk.

Gaudreau's shocking death was the second off-ice tragedy in three years for a franchise struggling to get back on its feet. The organization was rocked when goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks was killed in a fireworks accident in July 2021 while attending the wedding of then-Blue Jackets goaltending coach Manny Legace’s daughter in Michigan. Kivlenieks was just 24.

Injuries, bad luck and mismanagement have knocked the Blue Jackets off track in the past few seasons, despite Gaudreau's 74- and 60-point efforts in 2022-23 and 2023-24, respectively.

Coach John Tortorella led Columbus to the playoffs for four straight seasons but was fired after missing the postseason in 2021. A protege, Brad Larsen, lasted two seasons before he was let go.

The Blue Jackets made Mike Babco*ck the highest-paid coach in team history when he was hired in the summer of 2023. Babco*ck didn't even make it to the season, fired just before training camp amid complaints that his requests to see photos on players' phones were too invasive.

Pascal Vincent, who had been hired as an associate head coach, was elevated to the top job on the eve of training camp. Columbus finished last season as one of the worst teams in the NHL and out of the playoffs for the fourth straight season.

General manager Jarmo Kekalainen was fired in the middle of last season. Longtime NHL executive Don Waddell was hired as GM in May, and he fired Vincent in June. Waddell hired former Minnesota Wild coach Dean Evason to replace Vincent.

Now Evason will be without Gaudreau, who would have been his best player. He will also be without Patrik Laine, the talented forward acquired in a 2021 trade who the team hoped would complement Gaudreau on the top line.

The 26-year-old Laine played 18 games last season before entering the NHL Player Assistance Program last January. Telling Blue Jackets management he needed “a change of scenery,” Laine was traded to Montreal last month.

“We really don’t have a choice but to keep going," Shannon said. "To be a Blue Jackets fan, or any sports fan in Ohio, you need to be resilient.”

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Associated Press freelancer writers Nicole Kraft and Cameron Moone contributed to this report.

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Gaudreau brothers mourned

The Canadian Press - Aug 30, 2024 / 5:08 pm | Story: 504170

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The Canadian Press - Aug 30, 2024 / 3:32 pm | Story: 504138

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Johnny Gaudreau was finally home in New Jersey, the NHL star with showstopping skills back again this week for a big assist for his family as a groomsman in the wedding of baby sister Katie.

Little brother Matthew was part of the wedding party, too. So was the eldest of the four Gaudreau siblings, sister Kristen, the maid of honor. All were looking ahead to one more glorious day in a life seemingly filled with them as the first family of hockey in South Jersey.

The wedding was set for Friday at a Catholic church in New Jersey. Tragedy came the night before when Johnny, 31, and Matt, 29, died after they were hit by a suspected drunken driver while riding bicycles in the Delaware River country south of Philadelphia, police said.

The wedding was put off in a hurricane of grief and shock. Far beyond the rink, the siblings had been as intertwined as any family could be, united as they were while smiling in the upper deck of a 2014 Philadelphia Phillies game. Or at a Boston College hockey game from earlier that same year, when the two brothers played for the Eagles.

Katie Gaudreau’s Instagram page is dotted with photos of the siblings goofing off at games, posing next to a Christmas tree, enjoying a day at the New Jersey shore — snapshots of a tight-knit family whose bond stretched far beyond memories cheering on Johnny and his rise to NHL stardom with Calgary and Columbus.

Fans called him “Johnny Hockey,” a moniker earned for his infectious spirit for the game and eye-popping skills. On NHL rosters, he was simply Johnny Gaudreau.

And on that wedding party list, he was just John Gaudreau. Little Johnny Gaudreau, all of 7 months old, was set to be a ring bearer alongside sister Noa, who turns 2 in October. She was to be a flower girl for her aunt.

Now there would be no reception or after-party in Philadelphia, the city whose teams Johnny rooted for even into adulthood; he once told reporters at an NHL All-Star game once he still rocked a “ lime green ” beanie in the winter of his support for the Eagles.

Philly hockey fans yearned for years for Gaudreau to come back and play for the Flyers, always hoping he would sign a free-agent deal or for management to acquire him in a trade. His home-state Devils even thought they had Gaudreau, only for him to sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets two years ago.

“I felt that we were going to be a destination for him," Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said.

The idea of playing for the Flyers always held some appeal for Gaudreau, whose parents, Guy and Jane, moved the family from Vermont to New Jersey before the boys were born.

“I have a ton of family here, all my friends,” Gaudreau told a Philadelphia sports radio station in 2017. “All my good friends and kids who I have played with all my life are from South Jersey, so it would be sweet to play here someday.”

The tug came harder after his father had a heart attack in 2018. After eight full seasons in Calgary, he decided to return to the U.S., not in New Jersey or Philadelphia but with Columbus.

“(A)s much as I love hockey ... family is everything to me," he wrote in The Players' Tribune. “It’s the most important connection I have. And a few years ago, I think I started to realize how much you sacrifice when you give 100% to your career. I felt like I needed to do more to center my family in my life after we experienced some hard times.”

Columbus was more of a fit for his growing family — where perhaps he could walk downtown in anonymity — rather than the ticket and autograph demands, the friends who wanted just a few minutes before the game, the good times often overwhelmed by the distracting pull of playing for one of the hometown teams.

“I always said I wanted to play closer to home, but (Columbus) isn’t too close to where I would get bombarded with friends and family nonstop,” Gaudreau said on the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast in 2022. “(It’s) basically an open-door policy (where you) come in whenever you want. That’s kind of how we are down the Shore, but if we did it all year, I think it would have gotten a little out of hand at times.”

Gaudreau, though, remained true to his South Jersey roots. He supported area youth hockey programs, including the 43 Oak Foundation, which focuses on furthering education through the sport of ice hockey for underprivileged and diverse youth.

“Johnny, you are a core reason we have been able to get to where we are today as a foundation,” the foundation wrote on Instagram. “Spending time with the kids. Vocalizing your opinions on changing the game. You will be surely missed.”

In tribute to both brothers — Matthew played in the American Hockey League — the statement said it would “keep the sticks out at the door step.”

Gaudreau had hosted a golf tournament in New Jersey to raise money toward scholarships at Gloucester Catholic High School, which he attended and was a centerpiece for the family. Matt coached the Gloucester Catholic hockey team, a program his father helped found, and the brothers and Katie were all graduates.

Gaudreau's last trip home should have been one to savor for all the right reasons. Dances and toasts. Pictures in front of Philly landmarks. Maybe even a late-night cheesesteak run — both Gaudreau and the expected bride and groom were “team Geno’s!”

What's left instead for those who knew him, who chanted for “Johnny Hockey,” is sadness for a family forever shattered.

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The Canadian Press - Aug 30, 2024 / 1:49 pm | Story: 504112

Getting a nickname in hockey is not only a sign of affection but a sense that a player has really made it. Wayne Gretzky became the “Great One,” Mario Lemieux was “Super Mario” and the late Gordie Howe remains “Mr. Hockey” to the sport's players and fans everywhere.

“Johnny Hockey” was the one bestowed on Johnny Gaudreau, and it stuck to the talented, beloved player wherever he went. It was a reminder of his skills and unselfishness on and off the ice that made it all the more painful when word spread that the 31-year-old standout for the Columbus Blue Jackets died Thursday night along with younger brother Matthew when they were struck by a suspected drunken driver near their childhood home on the eve of their sister's wedding in Philadelphia.

Gaudreau never got the chance to put together a full NHL career like Gretzky, Lemieux or Howe, yet everyone in the sport knew who he was: A kid from Carneys Point, New Jersey, who thrived despite being well under 6 feet tall, a pioneer of sorts for players who make up for a lack of size with skill, speed and energy.

The brothers grew up in hockey, playing for the Little Flyers and even getting to spend a year together as teammates at Boston College in 2013-14. It was the season Johnny Gaudreau won the Hobey Baker Award as the top NCAA player in the country, and his brother was there to be a part of it.

“Both Matty and Johnny were terrifically admired by all of us: Wonderful young guys, and they impressed a lot of us off ice," recalled Jerry York, who coached them at BC.

The eldest Gaudreau brother, Johnny was picked by Calgary in the fourth round of the NHL draft in 2011. His boyhood team, the Philadelphia Flyers, were interested but only in later rounds, considering he was at the time about 5-foot-7 or so.

Flames head scout Tod Button had no trouble making a case for Gaudreau to then-general manager Jay Feaster, who knew all about undersized players from running the Tampa Bay Lightning when they won the Stanley Cup with dynamic — and small — Martin St. Louis as one of their best players.

“Tod and his staff had seen him play a lot, and he just felt that he was a special player: his hands and his vision and his hockey sense,” Feaster said Friday. “He was convinced, even though he’s a small guy, that he was going to be able to play. ... I said: ‘I believe in you. If you believe in him that strongly, then let’s do it because I know that small guys can play in the game.'”

Feaster and assistant Craig Conroy the next couple of summers visited with Gaudreau and his family at Hollydell Ice Arena, which father Guy managed, to encourage Johnny to turn pro. His mother, Jane, wondered about her son's size at the NHL level and had many questions about the next step.

Family, as always, came first.

“When it came around that his brother was going to be going to BC to play as well and they’d play together, Craig and I knew we weren’t going to get him out early,” Feaster said.

Following his college stardom and a year on campus together with his brother, Gaudreau broke into the league at 5-foot-9 and less than 180 pounds. He was voted to the all-rookie team in his first season. He made seven All-Star Weekend appearances over a decade with the Flames and Blue Jackets.

Along the way, he became Johnny Hockey to a far wider fan base than the faithful following Boston College.

“There are few players in hockey history who matched his passion and love for the game of hockey,” said longtime executive Brian Burke, who knew Gaudreau from his time running the Flames and the U.S. men's national team. “His talent on the ice was enhanced, not diminished, by the fact that he was having fun out there.”

Gaudreau was a nearly point-a-game player with 776 points in 805 regular-season and playoff games. His 743 regular-season points rank in the top 30 of all U.S.-born players. Gaudreau also owns the men’s world championship records by a U.S. player with 30 assists and 43 points.

Two years ago, Gaudreau left Calgary to sign a seven-year contract worth nearly $69 million with the Blue Jackets that put him and his young family in Ohio, closer to home in New Jersey.

Burke remembered something else about his former player too: A willingness to go beyond the game.

“First and foremost, Johnny was always the first to raise his hand to give back to his community. When we had any charity requests, we always knew he would say yes, without hesitation," he said. "His love of his family, friends and alma mater was always apparent and was clearly the driving force in his life.”

Family members always called him John, with the “Johnny Hockey” nickname coming from his days at BC. They trademarked it only so they would have some say over how it was used.

“We’ll never, ever make a penny with it,” Guy Gaudreau told the Courier-Post in South Jersey in 2015. “We’re not looking to make a penny with it. We just don’t want it to be abused. If it comes to the point where ‘Johnny Hockey’ becomes really popular, like if cancer people want to do fundraisers, we’ll let them do all the fundraising they want with it and they can have all the money.”

In the same interview before Gloucester Catholic High School retired Gaudreau's number, Guy said his son "just wants to play hockey. If Calgary told him, ‘We’re not paying you this year,’ he’d say, ‘Well, can I still play hockey?’”

He and his brother took different paths in the sport they loved, with Johnny finding NHL stardom and Matthew playing in the minors with a stint in Sweden before retiring two years ago and going to serve as boys hockey coach at Gloucester Catholic. They were back together this week for sister Katie's wedding. Matthew, 29, and his wife were reportedly expecting their first child.

Hours after the tragedy, Feaster's thoughts were not about Gaudreau's magnificent career but the loss of two sons, husbands and fathers far too soon.

“For me it isn’t about the hockey,” Feaster said. “It’s about the family. It’s about his mom and dad and his sisters and his children, his wife. That’s the tough part. It isn’t the hockey. It’s the human beings.”

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The Canadian Press - Aug 30, 2024 / 12:25 pm | Story: 504092

NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were killed Thursday while cycling in their home state of New Jersey. Police have said a suspected drunk driver struck the pair while attempting to pass other vehicles. Johnny Gaudreau was with the Calgary Flames for parts of nine seasons before he joined the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022.

Here is some of the reaction to the deaths:

"Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice. The impact he made on our organization and our sport was profound, but it pales in comparison to the indelible impression he made on everyone who knew him." — Columbus Blue Jackets

"Our hearts are broken by this devastating loss. Johnny was and always will be a member of the Flames family and loved by all of Calgary." — Calgary Flames

"I instantly got so down and sad after reading the story. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Gaudreau family! May Johnny and Matthew fly high, guide/guard and bless their family/s from the heavens above." — basketball star LeBron James

"Johnny Gaudreau may have come up from the States, but hockey fans in Calgary and across Canada will remember him as one of our own. Thinking of his teammates, friends, and the Gaudreau family today." — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

"It cannot be overstated what a joy it was for everyone involved to have Johnny Gaudreau on our team. His talent on the ice was enhanced, not diminished, by the fact he was having fun out there. Johnny was always the first to raise his hand to give back to the community." — former Flames executive Brian Burke

"Completely gutted. The world just lost one of the best. RIP Johnny." — former Flames teammate Blake Coleman

"Absolute shock and sadness to hear about the passing of Johnny and his brother Matthew. Our hearts go out to Johnny's wife, two young children and the rest of his entire family during this unimaginable time. So unfortunate and another reminder on how precious life is. May God watch over his children and family." — Edmonton Oiler Evander Kane

"There are no words that can match the tragedy of what has happened. Waking up to the news of Johnny and Matthew’s passing hit my family like a ton of bricks, not only for their senseless deaths, but the gripping heartbreak for their loved ones who face the unimaginable." — former NHLer Lanny McDonald

"Gutted for the Gaudreau family! RIP Johnny and Matthew." — former NHLer Chris Pronger

"Hard to believe. So tragic. RIP Johnny." — former NHLer Henrik Lundqvist

“When this little guy from Boston College came to Calgary, the future just looked so bright.” — Flames fan Jeremiah Nudd, dropping off flowers at the Saddledome in Calgary.

"He is a great hockey player, but just what he gave back to the community — to the kids and to the community at large — that's what really brought me to him." — Flames fan Kevin Smith, visiting makeshift memorial at the Saddledome.

"He's the reason why I watch hockey." — fan Nicolas Kole, visiting makeshift memorial at the Saddledome.

"John was truly a special player, dazzling on the ice with his talent, but what made him truly special was the person he was off the ice. His 1,000-watt smile and infectious personality were matched only by his love for his family, friends and those close to him." — Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving

"Both Matty and Johnny were terrifically admired by all of us. Wonderful young guys, and they impressed a lot of us off ice. Everybody knows how gifted they were on ice, especially Johnny — an All-World type of Olympic player and college all-star. They left tremendous impressions on all of us." — former Boston College coach Jerry York

"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

"The Gaudreau siblings were proud New Jersey natives. The two of them discovered their love for hockey in the rinks of South Jersey. … Our beloved 'Johnny Hockey’ was a star in every sense of the word — both on and off the ice." — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy

"It’s no secret that most Tsuut’ina people are rabid hockey fans, and this news hits hard. Johnny was simply magical on the ice. I cannot remember another player with such skating skill and such mastery of the game, and yet with a gentle demeanour and humility that made him an instant fan favourite." Tsuut'ina Nation Chief Roy Whitney

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 30, 2024.

— with files from The Associated Press.

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The Canadian Press - Aug 30, 2024 / 10:14 am | Story: 504060

CALGARY — Calgary Flames fans joined in an outpouring of love and sorrow for the family of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau with a makeshift tribute at Scotiabank Saddledome.

NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were killed Thursday night when they were hit by a car while riding bicycles in their home state of New Jersey. Johnny was 31, Matthew was 29.

Affectionately known as “Johnny Hockey,” Johnny Gaudreau starred over parts of nine seasons with the Calgary Flames before joining the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022.

Flames fans laid out a team jersey and hat, while others stopped by to leave flowers and handwritten notes on the steps outside Calgary’s home arena — where Gaudreau became an NHL star.

“Thanks Johnny for making the Flames great again,” someone wrote.

Jeremiah Nudd, wearing a signed jersey with Gaudreau's No. 13 won in a raffle, said he was feeling raw as he came by to drop off a bouquet.

“I didn’t know Johnny, but this just feels different. I’ve never had a celebrity death or something like that impact me the way this has,” he said.

Nudd said he’s been a lifelong Flames fan and remembered some “dark years” after longtime captain Jarome Iginla’s departure in 2013.

“But when this little guy from Boston College came to Calgary, the future just looked so bright,” he said.

The hockey-crazed fan base also left bags of Skittles candy and bottles of purple Gatorade.

Gaudreau's father, Guy, famously threw Skittles on the ice to help teach him to skate. The purple Gatorade was a nod to a goal celebration between Gaudreau and his linemates.

Inside the Saddledome, the Flames projected a tribute on the jumbotron. An image of Gaudreau celebrating a goal was next to the words “In Loving Memory, Johnny Gaudreau, 1993-2024."

“Completely gutted. The world just lost one of the best. RIP Johnny,” Flames forward Blake Coleman, who played with Gaudreau during the 2021-22 season, said on social media.

“Trying to find the right words today is not easy,” added defenceman Rasmus Andersson with a picture of him with Gaudreau. “You were a hell of a hockey player but it’s the person Johnny that always is going to be with me, one of my closest friends.

“There hasn’t been a dry eye in the Andersson house today. We all love you Johnny."

Flames great Lanny McDonald posted a lengthy tribute to the Gaudreaus on Instagram Friday evening. McDonald said the news of their deaths hit his family "like a ton of bricks."

"Let the hockey world rally around the Gaudreaus, their families and friends, and although we can’t even start to understand the depth of their shock and pain, I hope they are overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support," wrote McDonald.

"Go easy on those legends up there in heaven’s hockey rink, boys. You’re getting there earlier than expected, but they’ll take good care of you."

The two brothers were in Carneys Point, N.J., for their sister Katie's wedding scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia, at which they were to be groomsmen.

New Jersey State police said Friday the Gaudreau brothers were cycling on a road when a man driving in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind, causing fatal injuries.

Police said the driver, Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and charged with two counts of death by auto and jailed at the Salem County Correctional Facility.

Johnny Gaudreau was a seven-time NHL all-star and a Hobey Baker Award winner as the top men’s player in college hockey, despite being undersized at five-foot-nine and 180 pounds.

Longtime NHL executive Brian Burke, who was the Flames’ president of hockey operations from 2013 to 2018, highlighted Gaudreau’s passion for the game, and dedication to his family and the Calgary community.

“Johnny was always the first to raise his hand to give back to the community. When we had any charity requests, we always knew he would say yes, without hesitation,” Burke wrote in a statement on social media. “His love of his family, friends, and alma matter was always apparent and was clearly the driving force in his life. What I will remember most was his happiness, enthusiasm, and kindness that radiated out through the locker room every day."

Flames fan Kevin Smith, after giving a silent prayer at the Saddledome memorial, said Gaudreau’s presence in the community converted him from a diehard Detroit Red Wings supporter.

“Of course he’s a great hockey player,” Smith said. “But just what he gave back to the community… That’s what brought me to him.”

Gaudreau is survived by his wife, Meredith, and his children, Noa and Johnny.

The Tsuut’ina Nation, located southwest of Calgary, mourned the death of “an instant fan favourite.”

“Tsuut’ina is in a state of shock at the news of the tragic deaths of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew. It’s no secret that most Tsuut’ina people are rabid hockey fans, and this news hits hard,” Tsuut’ina Chief Roy Whitney said in a statement.

“Johnny was simply magical on the ice. I cannot remember another player with such skating skill and such mastery of the game, and yet with a gentle demeanour and humility."

Former Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent, now the coach of the American Hockey League’s Laval Rocket, said it was a privilege to get to know “the real Johnny Gaudreau — the person behind the hockey player.”

“He was a humble and unassuming young man with extraordinary talent, who never sought to be in the spotlight,” Vincent said in a statement through the Montreal Canadiens. “His passion for the game and exceptional hockey sense allowed him to achieve greatness, yet he remained grounded and true to himself."

Matthew Gaudreau played four seasons as a forward at Boston College, joining Johnny on the Eagles during the 2013-14 campaign. He went on to play professionally in the AHL and ECHL.

The tributes extended beyond the hockey world, with NBA star LeBron James, MLB star Mike Trout and politicians across Canada sending their condolences to the Gaudreau family.

“Johnny Gaudreau may have come up from the States, but hockey fans in Calgary, and across Canada, will remember him as one of our own,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote.

One of Gaudreau's most memorable moments as a Flame came on May 15, 2022, when he scored the Game 7 overtime winner to help Calgary eliminate the Dallas Stars in the first round of the NHL playoffs.

“His thousand-watt smile and infectious personality were matched only by his love for his family, friends, and those close to him,” said Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving, GM of the Flames from 2014 to 2023.

“He brought joy to everyone around him and to the many who never knew him but marvelled at his excellence on the ice.”

— With files from reporter Lauren Krugel in Calgary.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 30, 2024.

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NHLer Gaudreau dead

The Canadian Press - Aug 30, 2024 / 6:20 am | Story: 504025

NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother were killed on the eve of their sister’s wedding when they were hit by a suspected drunken driver while riding bicycles in their home state of New Jersey, police said Friday.

New Jersey State Police said the Gaudreau brothers were cycling on a road in Oldmans Township on Thursday night when a man driving an SUV in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind about 8 p.m., less than a half-hour after sunset. They were pronounced dead at the scene some 35 miles south of Philadelphia.

Gaudreau, 31, and brother, Matt, 29, are Carneys Point, New Jersey, natives and were set to serve as groomsmen at their sister Katie’s wedding that was scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia.

Police said the driver, 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and charged with two counts of death by auto, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle.

Higgins told a responding officer he had five or six beers prior to the crash and admitted to consuming alcohol while driving, according to the criminal complaint obtained by The Associated Press. He failed a field sobriety test, the complaint said, though his blood-alcohol level was not immediately available.

Higgins was jailed at a Salem County facility and will remain there until his pretrial detention hearing, which is scheduled for Sept. 5. A court spokesperson said Higgins at his first appearance Friday was represented by a public defender but indicated he planned to hire his own attorney. Public defenders in New Jersey do not comment on cases.

Johnny Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey,” played 10 full seasons in the league and was set to enter his third with the Columbus Blue Jackets after signing a seven-year, $68 million deal in 2022. He played his first eight seasons with the Calgary Flames, a tenure that included becoming 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 terrifically admired by all of us. Wonderful young guys, and they impressed a lot of us off the ice."

York raved about parents Guy and Jane and the family's dedication to their children and hockey. Gaudreau had been married to his wife, Meredith, since 2021, and they have two children under 2, Noa, who was born in September 2022, and Johnny, who was born in February.

“We want to let everyone know we are receiving your messages of love and support, and we appreciated your continued thoughts and prayers,” an uncle, Jim Gaudreau, said in a statement on behalf of the families involved. “We ask for your continued respect and privacy during this very difficult period of grief.”

Fans laid flowers and hockey sticks for Gaudreau outside Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus and outside the Flames' home rink in Calgary. Tributes reverberated near and far, with moments of silence in Cincinnati before a Major League Baseball game between the Reds and Milwaukee Brewers and prior to an Olympic qualifying hockey game between Slovakia and Hungary in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava.

The Blue Jackets said Gaudreau “was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend.”

“Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice," the team said in a statement. “He brought a genuine love for hockey with him everywhere he played.”

Gaudreau’s death is the latest off-ice tragedy for the Blue Jackets. Goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died 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.

Gaudreau, at 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, was part of a generation of hockey players who thrived in an era of speed and skill that made being undersized less of a disadvantage. Winner of the Lady Byng Trophy in 2017 for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of play, he scored 20-plus goals six times and was a 115-point player in 2021-22 as a first-time NHL All-Star when he had 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 said.

NHL Players' Association executive director Marty Walsh said players and staff were devastated by these losses, calling Johnny “a beloved teammate and friend in both Calgary and Columbus (and) a joy to watch during his 10 years and 763 games in the NHL.”

A fourth-round pick by Calgary in 2011, Gaudreau had helped Boston College win the NCAA championship in 2012 and took home the Hobey Baker Award as the top college player in the country in 2014 — a season he and his brother played together for the Eagles.

Gaudreau was a nearly point-a-game player with 776 points in 805 regular-season and playoff games since breaking into the league. In 2022, he left the Flames to sign a big contract with the Blue Jackets that put him and his young family in central Ohio, closer to his family in New Jersey.

Social media was full of messages about Gaudreau, from USA Hockey to the Flames and beyond the sport itself. Former Flames teammate Blake Coleman posted 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 superstar LeBron James, who is from Akron, Ohio, said he instantly got sad after seeing the news.

“My thoughts and prayers goes out to the Gaudreau family,” James said. “May Johnny and Matthew fly high, guide/guard and bless their family/s from the heavens above.”

The tragedy comes as the Blue Jackets and other NHL teams prepare to open training camp for the season in about three weeks.

“We will miss him terribly and do everything that we can to support his family and each other through this tragedy,” the team said.

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AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston, Associated Press writer Bruce Shipkowski and AP Hockey Writer John Wawrow contributed.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

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The Canadian Press - Aug 30, 2024 / 5:40 am | Story: 504022

NHL player Johnny Gaudreau of the Columbus Blue Jackets was killed Thursday night when he was hit by a car while riding a bicycle in his home state of New Jersey. He was 31.

New Jersey State Police said Gaudreau was one of two cyclists struck and killed by a car in Salem County, New Jersey. Gaudreau's younger brother, Matthew, 29, was the other victim in the crash, police confirmed.

The Carneys Point, New Jersey, natives were in the area for their sister Katie's wedding scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia.

According to police, the Gaudreau brothers were cycling on a road when a man driving in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said the driver, Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and charged with two counts of death by auto and jailed.

Johnny Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey,” has played 11 professional seasons in the league and was going into his third with the Blue Jackets.

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AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston in Philadelphia contributed.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

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Are the Canucks cursed?

Daniel Wagner / Vancouver is Awesome - Aug 29, 2024 / 6:15 pm | Story: 503996

Are the Vancouver Canucks the most cursed franchise in NHL history?

Fans in Vancouver might think so, considering a pretty significant string of bad luck dating back to the spin of a wheel that cost them a Hall of Famer. Then again, there are a number of teams that simply do not exist anymore, whether because they are defunct or got relocated, so one could argue that they’re a little bit more cursed than the Canucks.

But among active teams, the Canucks have a pretty good argument to be the most cursed, with no Stanley Cups in their entire franchise history despite twice getting to Game 7 in the Cup Final.

So, how do the Canucks break the curse? Perhaps with another, entirely different curse.

Enter the NHL 25 cover.

Quinn Hughes is a cover-of-a-video-game level star

There’s no better sign that an athlete has “made it” than getting on the cover of a video game. With that in mind, Quinn Hughes has definitely made it.

The Vancouver Canucks’ captain will be on the cover of EA Sports’ NHL 25 alongside his younger brothers, Jack and Luke Hughes of the New Jersey Devils. It’s the first time more than one NHL star has appeared on the same cover since they moved from in-game action shots to cover athletes starting with John Vanbiesbrouck on NHL 97.

The uniqueness of the cover, which has been in the works since the 2024 All-Star Game, was not lost on Hughes and his brothers, who grew up playing the game against each other.

“We feel incredibly honoured to be on the cover of NHL 25,” said the elder Hughes. “Being featured alongside my brothers is the sort of thing you dream about as a kid but could never imagine happening in real life.”

But the honour comes with some superstitions, as some have argued that the athletes who appear on the cover of EA Sports’ NHL games are cursed.

Is there an EA Sports NHL cover curse?

EA Sports’ Madden NFL games have what’s known as the Madden Curse, as the athletes often suffer a serious injury after being featured on the cover or see their careers sharply decline. For instance, Michael Vick suffered a fractured fibula less than a week after the game’s release when he was featured on the cover of Madden 2004, which is definitely the thing he’s most known for now.

Does EA Sports’ NHL series have a similar curse? Maybe.

The NHL’s cover athletes haven’t been known to suffer catastrophic injuries but hockey culture has always been more about the crest on the front of the jersey rather than the name on the back. With that in mind, the NHL cover curse seems to affect the team rather than the individual player.

While the series was initially sold with action shots from games on the cover, it switched to individual cover athletes with John Vanbiesbrouck for NHL 97.

Since then, of the 29 NHL stars featured on the cover, just three have made it out of the first round of the playoffs in the season the game was released — four if you count Joe Sakic, who replaced Dany Heatley on the cover of NHL 2004, who himself had replaced Joe Thornton.

Just one athlete has won the Stanley Cup the season after appearing on the cover of an EA NHL game and it was Patrick Kane with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010, which is its own unique brand of cursed for Canucks fans.

13 of 29 stars saw their team miss the playoffs entirely after they were featured on the cover. In other words, 44.8% of the time, the cover athlete for EA’s NHL games doesn’t even make the playoffs.

Is that a curse? After all, in today’s NHL, 50% of the league misses the playoffs. But one would hope that a team featuring a superstar worthy of a video game cover would be more likely to make the playoffs rather than less likely. Consider that 25% of NHL teams get to the second round of the playoffs each season compared to just 10.3% of cover athletes and things start to look a little more cursed.

A little Canucks’ history with the EA cover curse

Canucks fans get a little extra cursed along the way, aside from Kane and the 2010 Blackhawks being the lone exception to the supposed curse.

Before there were individual cover athletes, the cover of NHL 95 for Sega Genesis and the Super Nintendo featured the New York Rangers’ Alexei Kovalev scoring a goal on the Canucks’ Kirk McLean during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. That’s a little bit extra salt in the wound for Canucks fans, who might have hoped for better treatment from the franchise considering EA’s NHL games are made in Vancouver, their own backyard.

The one time a Canuck was the cover athlete for an NHL game was Markus Näslund for NHL 2005. That game was released on September 14, 2004, two days before the start of the lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-05 NHL Season.

When the NHL returned for the 2005-06 season, the Canucks missed the playoffs by three points. It was the end of the West Coast Express era, as Todd Bertuzzi was traded to the Florida Panthers as part of the trade for Roberto Luongo after the season.

Now, Quinn Hughes will be the second-ever Canuck on the cover of an NHL game, albeit accompanied by two Devils.

Will the curse, if it exists, get Hughes and the Canucks? Or will multiple Hugheses diffuse the curse, spreading it between two teams on opposite sides of the continent? And how will the cover curse affect the already cursed Canucks?

Can the Canucks transfer the very real, very serious curse to the Devils?

Sports curses are fickle beasts, so it’s hard to say what the interaction will be between the two curses. But one way to get rid of curses, at least in fiction, is to pass the curse on to someone else, like in The Ring, It Follows, or Drag Me to Hell.

So, what if the unusual circ*mstance of the Hughes brothers all appearing on the same cover allows the curse to pass from the Canucks to the devilishly-named Devils?

One might ask how that would work, considering the Devils missed the playoffs last season. They seemingly have nowhere to go but up after finishing 13th in the Eastern Conference, ten points out of a playoff spot.

But the Devils are a popular pick to significantly improve next season, as they made some big additions in the off-season, in particular trading for Jacob Markstrom to be their number-one goaltender. In fact, according to PlayNow, the Devils have the fourth-best odds to win the Stanley Cup next season at 13-to-1, just behind the Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, and Dallas Stars.

In fact, the Devils, despite winning just one playoff round since 2012, have better odds than the Canucks, who are 16-to-1 to win the Cup.

Certainly, the Canucks seem like a likely candidate to regress after so much went right for them to finish first in the Pacific Division. It’s not that they’ll necessarily be a worse team than last season but they might not be able to match their 50 wins. It’ll especially be tough if their number-one goaltender isn’t 100% and their backup has a bad knee.

But do the Devils really have a better chance of winning the Cup next year than the Canucks?

That’s the kind of hubris and pride that typically leads to some kind of curse — perhaps a Canucks curse more than five decades in the making, passed along via a video game made in Vancouver?

Not that Hughes would wish that fate on his brothers but he would just be an innocent bystander in this curse transference. It wouldn’t be his fault. It would be the fault of NHL 25.

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