On Thursday night, a horrible tragedy stunned the hockey world. Columbus Blue Jackets’ star forward Johnny Gaudreau and brother Matthew Gaudreau were killed by a drunk driver in Oldmans Township, New Jersey.

Johnny was 31 and Matthew 29. Each left behind families, including their parents. Johnny is survived by his wife Meredith, daughter Noa, and son Johnny, Jr. Matthew is survived by his wife. She was pregnant with their first child.

I’ve been struggling to find the right words. It’s unfathomable that both Gaudreau brothers died due to the gross negligence of a drunk driver. It’s truly sickening. They were mowed down on their bikes by a selfish person who acted irresponsibly. They deserve to rot in jail.

Our thoughts are with the Gaudreau family. What they’re going through is unimaginable. It was supposed to be a big weekend. They were going to celebrate sister Katie’s wedding in Gloucester, NJ. Instead, her wedding was postponed.

It’s a very sad time for the hockey world. Many tributes have poured in from former teammates of Johnny. He and Matthew were inseparable. Having seen some of the videos, it’s incredibly upsetting. It’s hard to believe.

We all know who Johnny Gaudreau was. He was a phenomenal hockey player who led Boston College to the Frozen Four in 2013-14. Younger brother Matthew was on that team along with Kevin Hayes. They were led by Gaudreau, who totaled 36 goals and 44 assists for 80 points to win the Hobey Baker Award as college’s top hockey player.

Selected in the fourth round by the Calgary Flames in 2011, Gaudreau made headlines by leading Team USA to the gold medal at the 2013 World Junior Championships. He led the tournament with seven goals and added two assists for nine points.

Nicknamed Johnny Hockey, the five-foot nine, 165-pound Gaudreau could do things with the puck that electrified fans. His game-breaking speed, along with his incredible skill, made him a star. After scoring on his first shot in his NHL debut, Gaudreau posted 24 goals with 40 assists for 64 points in 2014-15. He finished third for the Calder Trophy. At 21, he led the Flames to the second round of the playoffs, finishing with four goals and five assists.

Gaudreau spent the first nine years of his career with the Flames. An All-Star and Lady Byng winner, he averaged over a point-per-game. In 602 games as a Calgary Flame, he had 210 goals and 399 assists for a total of 609 points. That included two fourth place finishes for the Hart Trophy. In his final season with the Flames, he established career highs in goals (40), assists (75), and points (115) while playing with Elias Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk on a lethal top line.

Following a disappointing finish to the season, Gaudreau became an unrestricted free agent in 2022. After much consideration, he chose to sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He decided to settle down with his wife in Columbus.

Although the Blue Jackets didn’t have much team success in his first year, Gaudreau still led them in scoring with 21 goals and 53 assists for 74 points in 80 games. He followed that up by again, pacing the Jackets with 60 points (12-48-60) in 2023-24.

A young team with a bright future that includes former first round picks, Kent Johnson and Adam Fantilli, the Blue Jackets look set up to improve. They took center Cayden Lindstrom with the fourth pick in June. Losing a great player like Gaudreau really hurts. He was a locker room leader and, from all accounts, a quality person.

It isn’t the first time tragedy has struck Columbus. It was three years ago that goalie Matiss Kivlenieks died after being accidentally hit by a fireworks mortar in the chest in Michigan. It is very hard to believe they are dealing with another tragedy.

As someone who followed Gaudreau’s career since his memorable performance for Team USA in 2013, he was a magician with the puck. A terrific passer, Johnny Hockey, frequently set up teammates for goals. However, he also had a good shot. When he wasn’t beating goalies from distance, he’d fool them by using his slick hands to score on a wrap-around. He was a unique hockey player with tremendous talent. I really enjoyed watching him play.

His brother Matthew played in the American Hockey League (AHL) with Bridgeport in the New York Islanders organization. After spending four years at Boston College, he spent seven seasons in the minors. He last played for Worcester on the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) in 2021-22.

Some of the best tributes to Johnny have been at The Saddledome in Calgary. Many fans left flowers. The hockey community is one big family. On the ice, we might be rivals. But off it, we aren’t. Our hearts are broken.

JOHNNY GAUDREAU (Aug. 13, 1993 – Aug. 29, 2024)

MATTHEW GAUDREAU (Dec. 5,1994 – Aug. 29, 2024)