Johnny Gaudreau Lives On as Gaudreau Family Watches Team USA Chase Olympic Hockey Gold

Meredith Gaudreau, the wife of the late John Gaudreau, traveled to Italy with their daughter Noa and Johnny's parents to witness the gold medal game he trained his whole life to play in. Team USA carries "Johnny Hockey" with them as they battle Canada on the final day of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

Gaudreau Hockey Legacy Takes Center Stage at 2026 Olympics

Inside Team USA's locker room at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, a blue No. 13 jersey hangs in a dedicated stall. It belongs to Johnny Gaudreau, the former Columbus Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames star whose life was cut short on August 29, 2024, when he and his younger brother Matthew Gaudreau were struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver while cycling near their hometown in Salem County, New Jersey. The Gaudreau brothers were riding the night before their sister Katie's wedding.

Now, on the final day of the Milano Cortina Games, Team USA is playing Canada for gold — and doing it with the spirit of Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Gaudreau carried in every shift. The gold medal game, which began at 8:10 a.m. ET on Sunday, February 22, 2026, has members of the Gaudreau family watching from the stands.

Meredith Gaudreau and Johnny Gaudreau's Family Arrive in Italy

Johnny Gaudreau's wife, Meredith Gaudreau, called the invitation from USA Hockey a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She traveled to Milan with three-year-old daughter Noa and was joined by Johnny's parents, Jane and Guy Gaudreau. The family was in attendance for Team USA's dominant 6-2 semifinal victory over Slovakia on Friday night.

Meredith Gaudreau reflected on the emotional weight of the trip. She said the family wished they were part of the experience, and when the call came to fly to Italy, it felt like maybe John Gaudreau did make the team. She has focused on keeping Johnny's memory alive for their children, including Noa, son Johnny Jr. (born February 2024), and youngest son Carter Michael Gaudreau, born on April 1, 2025.

Jane and Guy Gaudreau had initially hesitated, as they had separate travel plans. But their daughters convinced them that Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau would have wanted them there. Jane Gaudreau said it means everything to the family to remember what their boys meant to Gaudreau hockey and the sport at large.

John Gaudreau's International Career by the Numbers

Coach Mike Sullivan confirmed that USA Hockey management told the Gaudreau family directly: Johnny Gaudreau would have been on the Olympic roster had he been alive. Sullivan called him one of America's very best, both on the ice and off it. The 2026 Winter Games mark the first time NHL players have competed at the Olympics since 2014, making John Gaudreau's absence all the more painful.

Team USA Players Honor Johnny Gaudreau Throughout the Tournament

The tribute to Gaudreau hockey has been a constant throughout Team USA's Olympic run. The No. 13 jersey has hung in the locker room at every game. Matthew Gaudreau's No. 21 is displayed alongside it on the wall. The tradition began at the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off and continued through the 2025 IIHF World Championship in Stockholm, where Team USA won gold for the first time in 92 years — celebrating on the ice with Johnny Gaudreau's jersey held high alongside the trophy.

Defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who played alongside Johnny Gaudreau at multiple World Championships, said after the semifinal that John Gaudreau is looking down on the team. Forward Dylan Larkin, another former international teammate, said the tribute means everything and that Johnny should be there with them. Auston Matthews noted that Gaudreau hockey had an impact on many players in the locker room and called it special to see his family in the stands.

The Gaudreau Brothers' Story and Ongoing Legal Case

Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Gaudreau were cycling together on a two-lane rural highway in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, on the evening of August 29, 2024. Sean M. Higgins, 44, allegedly struck the brothers from behind while attempting to pass other vehicles. Both Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and Matthew Gaudreau, 29, were pronounced dead at the scene. Higgins was arrested for drunk driving and later indicted on two counts of death by auto in December 2024. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in January 2025.

In the wake of the tragedy, the wider Gaudreau family rallied to preserve their legacy. Meredith Gaudreau and Matthew's wife, Madeline Gaudreau, established The John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation. The organization's mission centers on expanding youth hockey opportunities, supporting hockey families in crisis, and helping families affected by drunk driving.

Johnny Gaudreau Wife Meredith Carries His Olympic Dream Forward

Representing Team USA at the Olympics was one of John Gaudreau's greatest dreams. The Gaudreau family shared on social media ahead of the tournament that in his final summer, Johnny was training harder than ever alongside his father, pushing himself to earn a spot on the Olympic roster. While the family's hearts break knowing he cannot live out that dream, they said he will be very present with Team USA throughout the Games.

As Team USA battles Canada in a gold medal game that is tied 1-1 heading into the third period on Sunday morning, Meredith Gaudreau and the rest of the Gaudreau family are watching from the stands in Milan — proof that Johnny Gaudreau's impact on American hockey endures far beyond the ice. Forward Zach Werenski, who played with John Gaudreau on the Columbus Blue Jackets, put it simply after the semifinal: the team is doing its best to make the Gaudreau family proud.