The sensation earlier than observe was completely different as soon as Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau had been on the rink. It modified as the 2 brothers tied their skates.
For the three years Jerry York coached Johnny at Boston School and the 4 he had Matthew, he’d want his gamers nicely with, “Hey, let’s have a great observe at present.”
The Gaudreau boys by no means wanted the encouragement.
“Johnny and Matt each introduced a lot pleasure to observe,” York stated on a Friday morning cellphone name shortly after listening to the information {that a} automotive struck and killed the brothers in Oldmans Township, N.J., on Thursday night time. “The minute these two guys stepped on the ice it simply elevated every part.”
That was entrance of thoughts for York as he remembered Johnny and Matthew.
Johnny Gaudreau
Aug. 13, 1993 – Aug. 29, 2024 pic.twitter.com/QGPsV4v7mv— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) August 30, 2024
However so too had been different recollections of the “inseparable pair,” who grew to become “greater than mates to everybody” they met, in accordance with York.
He thought first on Friday of their mother and father, Man and Jane, texting them as quickly as he heard.
He remembered how after shifting onto the NHL — first with the Calgary Flames after which the Columbus Blue Jackets — Johnny stayed in contact with everybody, “whether or not it was a fourth-line teammate or the tools supervisor,” all the time reaching out and accommodating anybody who requested for tickets.
He remembered his significantly shut relationship with teammate Kevin Hayes and the nights spent on the Hayes household residence in Dorchester, Mass.
And he remembered the years of return visits at any time when Johnny and the Flames had been in Boston.
“We noticed him an terrible lot,” York stated. “And Johnny was so unimposing. You’d by no means decide him out when he walked right into a room. You’d by no means say, ‘That is an Olympic participant.’ … There have been so many nice qualities about him that meant extra to me than how nicely he may transfer a puck round.”
Response to the deaths of Johnny and Matthew got here from across the NHL and sports activities world because the information unfold on Friday morning, together with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “Johnny Gaudreau might have come up from the States, however hockey followers in Calgary, and throughout Canada, will keep in mind him as one in every of our personal,” Trudeau tweeted.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James expressed his shock, writing on X: “Could Johnny and Matthew fly excessive, information/guard and bless their household/s from the heavens above.”
“I’m sick to my abdomen,” Minnesota Wild coach John Hynes stated of the lack of Johnny, who he coached on the World Championship in Could. “I had the chance to educate Johnny a number of occasions with USA Hockey. Johnny was an incredible child. Personable. Had an enormous coronary heart. Teammates liked him. He liked the sport and liked to signify USA Hockey on the worldwide stage. He might be missed as an individual and participant. Ideas and prayers for his spouse and his household.”
Edmonton Oilers ahead and former Flames teammate Derek Ryan instructed The Athletic: “I’ll all the time keep in mind and cherish the years that I acquired to play with Johnny in Calgary and with Group USA. His means on the ice was superb to behold, and I do know that he’s impressed innumerable small, undersized hockey gamers to attempt for greatness. I really feel horrible for Meredith, his two younger kids and the complete Gaudreau household. Life simply isn’t truthful generally. In my thoughts, Johnny Hockey is wanting down on his household now sporting a pair of heavenly hockey skates. The legend of Johnny Hockey won’t ever be forgotten.”
Blake Coleman posted a photograph with Johnny on Instagram and captioned it, “It’s exhausting to search out the phrases so I’ll preserve it brief. Among the finest guys to be round, all the time had that massive smile in your face and by no means handed up a great time.”
Jarmo Kekäläinen, the previous Columbus common supervisor who signed Johnny, tweeted: “I’m deeply saddened by the information I acquired late final night time. R.I.P. Johnny and Matthew, wonderful younger males with lovely household that appeared so shut … gone method too quickly. My condolences to the Gaudreau household and power of their sorrow. That is devastating.”
Jay Feaster, the previous Flames common supervisor who drafted Johnny, stated in a press release: “I’m heartbroken by this tragic information. I’ll all the time keep in mind Johnny from the offseasons when Craig Conroy and I might make our annual journey to New Jersey to satisfy with Johnny and his mother, Jane, and Dad, Man. We all the time tried to persuade him to depart faculty early and switch professional, and the complete time Johnny would look out the window of the assembly room on the rink his dad ran and stare longingly on the ice. Lastly, I might ask if he would like to be on the market, and he give me that massive grin. I might inform him to go forward, and we’d go to together with his mother and pa and household adviser. His smile was infectious, and he simply liked taking part in the sport. My coronary heart is damaged for his complete household, his spouse, his younger kids and all of us who knew him and liked him. The one factor I take some consolation in is figuring out he and his brother have already discovered a shinny sport in Heaven. RIP Johnny Hockey. You may be drastically missed.”
Longtime hockey exec Brian Burke additionally shared his recollections on X: “I used to be fortunate sufficient to have Johnny with the Calgary Flames and with USA Hockey, and it can’t be overstated simply what a pleasure it was for everybody concerned to have Johnny Gaudreau on their crew. … What I’ll keep in mind most was his happiness, enthusiasm, and kindness that radiated out by the locker room every single day.”
Johnny Gaudreau might have come up from the States, however hockey followers in Calgary, and throughout Canada, will keep in mind him as one in every of our personal.
Considering of his teammates, mates, and the Gaudreau household at present. https://t.co/JATaeKTDq8
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) August 30, 2024
Grieving followers memorialized the brothers, from their childhood rink to the Saddledome in Calgary and Nationwide Area in Columbus:
Flowers and a Gaudreau stick outdoors of Hollydell Ice Area this morning pic.twitter.com/Zhv1U2wQuc
— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) August 30, 2024
Some followers have left flowers, Skittles and purple Gatorade on the Scotiabank Saddledome. I’m constructive there might be extra tributes to come back because the day goes on. pic.twitter.com/QolV17Pl9p
— Julian McKenzie (@jkamckenzie) August 30, 2024
Flowers have began to come back in at @NationwideArena, the place #CBJ followers are paying their respects to Johnny Gaudreau. Onerous to think about what number of a whole bunch extra will line the world because the day goes on. pic.twitter.com/ivg425YK4q
— CBJ Stats (@BlueJacketStats) August 30, 2024
(Picture of Matthew and Johnny Gaudreau celebrating Boston School’s Beanpot Championship in 2014: Richard T. Gagnon / Getty Photographs)
