An unspeakable tragedy has landed at the doorstep of the NHL.
Columbus Blue Jackets star forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, died Thursday night, the team said. Authorities stated they were struck and killed while biking Thursday night in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, just outside of their hometown in Salem County, New Jersey.
Gaudreau, 31 years old, was the Blue Jackets’ top forward after signing a 7-year, $68M deal in July 2022 as an unrestricted free agent from the Calgary Flames.
According to a post on a popular wedding site, Gaudreau and his brother were supposed to be groomsmen in their sister’s wedding Friday in Philadelphia. Gaudreau had two young children, a daughter, Noa, and son, Johnny, with his wife Meredith and both were born in Columbus.
According to details and evidence collected by the New Jersey State Police, the Gaudreau brothers were killed after a suspected drunk driver crashed into them on a rural road. Matthew Gaudreau was 29.
Sean Higgins, the driver, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, and police charged him with two counts of death by auto and took him into custody to the Salem County Correctional Facility. Authorities have not said when Higgins will make his initial court appearance.
According to New Jersey State Police, Higgins, 43, from Woodstown, New Jersey, was traveling northbound on a back road in a Jeep Grand Cherokee behind a sedan and SUV around 8:20 p.m. ET on Thursday evening.
Embed from Getty ImagesHiggins attempted to pass the slower-moving sedan and SUV, entered the southbound lanes, passed the slower-moving sedan, and tried to re-enter the northbound lanes, state troopers said. The SUV in front of Higgins moved to the middle of the roadway, splitting the north and south lanes to safely pass the Gaudreau brothers traveling north on the right side of the roadway.
Higgins then tried to pass the SUV on the right and struck the two bicyclists in the rear, the highway patrol said. As a result of the impact of the collision, the brothers suffered fatal injuries.
The Blue Jackets’ statement: “The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy. Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his wife, Meredith, his children, Noa and Johnny, his parents, their family and friends on the sudden loss of Johnny and Matthew. Johnny played the game with great joy, which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice. He brought a genuine love for hockey with him everywhere he played, from Boston College to the Calgary Flames to Team USA to the Blue Jackets.
“He thrilled fans in a way only Johnny Hockey could. The impact he had on our organization and our sport was profound, but pales in comparison to the indelible impression he made on everyone who knew him. Johnny embraced our community when he arrived two years ago and Columbus welcomed him with open arms. We will miss him terribly and do everything that we can to support his family and each other through this tragedy. At this time, we ask for prayers for the Gaudreau family and that their privacy be respected as they grieve.”
A Blue Jackets spokesman said the organization will not be making any further comments until a later date.
After a pair of less than stellar seasons on the ice, Gaudreau went into this summer with the intention of recommitting himself and having a bounce back year powered by his offseason training. That included playing for the United States in May at the men’s world championships in Czechia. Gaudreau was dominate with three goals, eight assists and 11 points in eight games to finish third on the team in scoring and he tied for fourth in the tournament.
He also led the Blue Jackets with 12-48-60 in 81 games last season, the second consecutive year Gaudreau led the team in points, however, it was a 14-point drop off from his first season in Columbus (2022-23). It was also 55 points lower than Gaudreau’s final season in Calgary, which preceded his head-scratching decision in July 2022 to sign a seven-year deal with the Blue Jackets.
The move was met with lots of opposition and criticized across the NHL, especially in Calgary, but Gaudreau never faltered in his primary reason behind choosing the Blue Jackets. He and Meredith wanted to raise their kids in Columbus, which is closer to their families and support system in New Jersey. Gaudreau was also impressed by Blue Jackets fans, who showed up in droves the past two years despite a steady stream of losses.
His ultimate goal was to give them more to cheer about, and that challenge was aided July 1 with the Blue Jackets acquisition of center Sean Monahan, a close friend and former Flames teammate. Heading toward training camp, new coach Dean Evason appeared to have two of his three forward spots sewed up on the top line with Gaudreau at left wing and Monahan in the middle. Now, a week after trading Patrik Laine to the Montreal Canadiens, there is a gaping hole of experienced elite wingers and a much bigger emptiness in the hearts and minds of Gaudreau’s family, teammates and all those who knew him.
