Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau passes away

Reports have come in this morning that Johnny Gaudreau and his brother were hit by a drunk driver while riding their bikes last night. According to the police report, the Gaudreau brothers were cycling on a road when a man driving in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and hit them from behind. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau were in the New Jersey area for their sister Katie's wedding scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia. They were going to be the groomsmen at the wedding, which makes this story extra tragic that he passed away the very night before.

Johnny Gaudreau was a 4th-round draft pick in 2011 by the Calgary Flames and has played in 763 games in the NHL. Throughout his career, he's scored 243 goals and added 500 assists for 743 points.

Johnny Gaudreau, at five-foot-nine and 180 pounds, was part of a generation of hockey players who excelled during a time when speed and skill made being undersized less of a disadvantage. He scored 20-plus goals six times in his career and was a 115-point player in 2021-22 when he made the NHL All-Star game for the first time, having had a career-best 40 goals and 75 assists.

Calgary Flames fans will remember profoundly the day he chose to leave the city and sign a long-term contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. They are no doubt even more heartbroken now than the day he chose to leave the team.

We are profoundly saddened by the tragic loss of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the Gaudreau family during this extraordinarily challenging time.🕊️😞🙏

Source:
Columbus Blue Jackets on X

Source: NHL.com
Johnny Gaudreau Stats