NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew tragically lost their lives in a car crash in New Jersey on Thursday night.
Gaudreau, 31, who played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and his younger brother Matthew, 29, were cycling on a rural road in Oldmans Township when they were struck by a car, according to New Jersey police. The driver, 43-year-old Sean Higgins, has been arrested and charged with two counts of death by auto.
The Columbus Blue Jackets called the incident an “unimaginable tragedy.” “Johnny was not only an exceptional hockey player, but, more importantly, a loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend,” the team stated.
Matthew Gaudreau, like his brother, was a professional hockey player, previously playing for the Reading Royals in Pennsylvania.
In a statement from the Gaudreau family, Johnny and Matthew’s uncle Jim expressed gratitude for the support received. “Last night we lost two husbands, two fathers, two sons, and two brothers-in-law, two nephews, two cousins, two family members, two teammates, two friends, but truly two amazing humans,” he said.
Johnny’s wife, Meredith, shared heartfelt tributes on social media, one of which read, “Thank you for the best years of my life. Despite losing you, I am still the luckiest girl in the world to have been yours,” alongside a photo of the couple and their two children. In another post, she described him as “the absolute best dad in the world.”
The Gaudreau brothers were in New Jersey to attend their sister’s wedding in Philadelphia, where they were set to be groomsmen. Police reported that Higgins struck the brothers from behind as he attempted to pass two vehicles. He is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and is currently held at the Salem County Correctional Facility.
Higgins made his first court appearance on Friday and is being held without bond, with a detention hearing scheduled for September 5.
Known as “Johnny Hockey,” Gaudreau scored 243 goals during his 11-year NHL career. He joined the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022 after playing for the Calgary Flames for nearly a decade.
The Blue Jackets honored Gaudreau’s joyful play, noting, “He thrilled fans in a way only Johnny Hockey could.” NHL executive Brian Burke shared that Gaudreau’s kindness “radiated out through the locker room every day,” and that few players had matched his passion for the game.
In tribute to the brothers, U.S. sports teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees, held moments of silence. In Canada, where Johnny had played for almost 10 years, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged that while Gaudreau was from the U.S., “hockey fans in Calgary, and across Canada, will remember him as one of our own.”