The sports world is mourning the passing of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew. It’s hard to remember the last time a hockey player of this status left us in the prime of his life. This is the third active player the NHL has lost in the past 10 years: in 2020, Edmonton forward Colby Cave died following a brain hemorrhage, in 2021, Columbus goaltender Matis Kivlenjeks died due to a ridiculous fireworks incident when he fell into a hot tub.
Related materials
An NHL star was hit and killed by a drunk driver. The monstrous rumors in the United States turned out to be true.
Fans brought candles, flowers and No. 13 jerseys not only to Columbus Stadium, where Johnny spent the past two seasons, but also to Calgary Stadium, where Gaudreau made his league debut and became an NHL star. Many baseball clubs (MLB is the only American league currently playing games) paid tribute to Johnny, as did other Ohio clubs. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, “Johnny Gaudreau may have come from the United States, but hockey fans in Calgary and across Canada will remember him as one of our own. Our thoughts are with his teammates, friends and family today.”
Minute of silence for the Gaudreau brothers at a baseball game
Photo: Drew Hallowell/Getty Images
One of Johnny’s best and oldest friends is Buddy Robinson. The Traktor forward is radically different from Gaudreau both in his playing style and appearance due to his powerful dimensions, but the boys who grew up in New Jersey have been friends since childhood. They played for the same school team and then met in Calgary: Buddy scored his first NHL goal on a pass from Johnny. Robinson later thanked his friend for this with a steak that he cooked himself. “His wife will have to keep Buddy away from me,” Gaudreau joked.
Despite the terrible news, Robinson took part in the pre-season match against Amur. Traktor head coach Benoit Groux said: “I suggested that he miss today’s match because we all knew how closely he was connected to the Gaudreau family and Johnny himself. With today’s match he wanted to honour the memory of his friend. It was his decision. In such a difficult time for him and for the entire hockey world, Buddy showed his character and respect for his friend.”
“Gaudreau became Johnny Hockey not because he reinvented hockey or was the best among his contemporaries, but because he played the game with incredible joy. It was a youthful ease that attracted numerous young fans. Johnny had a sparkle in his eye that spread throughout his body. Johnny was beloved by his teammates on every team – in the NHL, on the national team and in college hockey. Despite his size, he conquered the hockey world with his technique and his smile, and that is Johnny’s gift to all of us,” says longtime Sports Illustrated columnist Michael Farber.
“There was something Hollywood about his career: A player who seemed too short and too light not only made it to the NHL but became one of the league’s top stars. Gaudreau inspired thousands with his work. He had an aura that left young players in awe and fans in the arena gaping when Johnny walked by them. At the same time, his favorite thing to wear on the weekends were flip-flops, and his jersey was more likely to be mistaken for a dusty rag,” adds Aaron Porcline, a writer for The Athletic in Columbus.
“A man of quiet, calm voice and gentle soul, Gaudreau deftly navigated the world of the Giants, never turning away those who wanted an autograph, never refusing to talk to reporters, never ignoring public events. It could be decades before Calgary rediscovers a player of Gaudreau’s calibre, who had fans in awe even when he crossed the other team’s blue line,” writes Eric Francis, a Calgary-based reporter for Sportsnet.
In addition to journalists, not only Johnny’s numerous teammates share their memories, but also the boys who played against him. “My condolences to the Gaudreau family! An amazing teammate with the biggest heart and passion for the game! We will miss you bro! May he rest in peace!” wrote goalkeeper Elvis Merzlikin, who was seriously affected by the death of his compatriot Kivlenieks three years ago, which was reflected in the level of play.
“It’s hard to find the right words at a time like this. Not only were you a great hockey player, but a great person as well. Johnny was always one of my closest friends and sometimes we wouldn’t talk for a week, but we always knew we had each other. There isn’t a single eye in our house today that hasn’t been touched by a tear,” Calgary defenceman Rasmus Andersson wrote. “He had a thousand-watt smile that brought joy to everyone around him,” says former Flames GM Brad Treliving.
Johnny Gaudreau
Photo: Photo Olimpik/Getty Images
Kevin Hayes didn’t meet Gaudreau in the NHL, but they played together for the Boston College team that won the NCAA in 2012. Matthew Gaudreau joined them a little later. Three years ago, Hayes lost his older brother Jimmy, who played 334 games in the NHL and leaves behind a son, Beau. “Love you Juan! Say hi to Daddy Beau,” reads Hayes’ laconic, sad social media post.
There is also a reaction in Russia. Igor Larionov recalled yesterday the tragic accident in Detroit: “When you receive news about a person dying prematurely, especially in our hockey world, it always reminds you of the moment when our guys from Detroit – Vyacheslav Fetisov, Vladimir Konstantinov, Sergey Mnatsakanov – had an accident. This is a tragedy that is difficult to describe in words, it is a pain for their families, for the whole hockey world. An excellent hockey player, a good guy, Johnny Hockey… One wonders why, why, but the Almighty orders it this way.”
Columbus signed Sean Monahan this summer. The great forward’s career was cut short by injuries, after which he lost his place on Calgary’s first line. In Columbus, the Canadian center was to be reunited with Gaudreau, with whom he was united not only by playing on the same line, but also by their warm human relationships. Now Monahan must become one of the people who will support the family of Johnny and Matthew, who have lost “two husbands, two fathers, two sons, two brothers, two sons-in-law, two nephews, two cousins, two relatives.”
