The Blue Jackets announced the deaths of Johnny Gaudreau, a standout forward, and his brother, Matthew, on Thursday night. Near their hometown in Salem County, New Jersey’s Oldmans Township, they were killed, according to police, while bicycling on Thursday night.
After joining the Blue Jackets in July 2022 as an unrestricted free agent from the Calgary Flames, Gaudreau, 31, was the team’s best forward. Gaudreau and his brother were supposed to be groomsmen at their sister’s wedding on Friday in Philadelphia, according to a post on a well-known wedding website. With his wife Meredith, Gaudreau has two small children, a son named Johnny and a girl named Noa, who were both born in Columbus.
As per the details furnished by the New Jersey State Police, the Gaudreau brothers met their demise on a remote road when they were struck by an alleged intoxicated driver. At 29, Matthew Gaudreau was.
The driver, Sean Higgins, was charged with two counts of death by auto when it was suspected that he was under the influence of alcohol. He was then transported to the Salem County Correctional Facility. When Higgins will appear in court for the first time has not been disclosed by the authorities.
This unfathomable tragedy has stunned and traumatized the Columbus Blue Jackets. In addition to being a fantastic hockey player, Johnny was also a devoted son, brother, spouse, and father. We send our deepest condolences to his wife, Meredith, his kids, Johnny and Noa, his parents, and their friends and relatives on the unexpected passing of Johnny and Matthew. Everyone who saw Johnny on the ice could see how happy he was playing the game. Everywhere he played, from Boston College to the Calgary Flames to Team USA to the Blue Jackets, he carried a sincere passion of hockey with him.
