How Team USA honored Johnny Gaudreau — johnny gaudreau remembered on the ice
Team USA honored johnny gaudreau and his brother Matthew after the men’s hockey team won Olympic gold, bringing family members and the players’ jerseys onto the ice in Milan. The gesture followed a plan hatched hours before Sunday’s gold medal game and culminated with the brothers’ young children at center ice during the team photo.
Johnny Gaudreau remembered in Milan
The United States beat Canada 2-1 in overtime on Sunday to capture its first men’s hockey gold medal in 46 years, and members of the roster sought to honor the late Gaudreau brothers in a string of deliberate gestures. The Gaudreau family was in the Milano Santagiulia arena for the final; Johnny’s number 13 was displayed on a Team USA jersey in the locker room and Matthew’s number 21 was placed on a wall for players to remember their teammates.
The winning plan and photo
In the hours leading up to Sunday’s gold medal game, Columbus Blue Jackets captain Zach Werenski and Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin came up with the idea: if the United States won gold, they wanted a team picture with the late Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau’s family on the ice. Werenski said, “We wanted to get the whole family on, but it was kind of hard with the gate, so we figured we’d grab the kids. ”
Children on ice and jerseys
After the final buzzer, Werenski, Team USA captain Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk paraded Gaudreau’s Team USA jersey around the ice. Werenski and Larkin then found Johnny and Meredith Gaudreau’s 3-year-old daughter Noa and son Johnny Jr., who turned 2 on Sunday. Two of Johnny’s young children were taken onto the ice to hold up their dad’s jersey for the Team USA group photo, and during the team picture the children sat on Larkin’s and Werenski’s laps.
The crash and its aftermath
The beloved “Johnny Hockey” and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, died in August 2024. One account in the context states the brothers were struck by an alleged drunk driver while riding their bicycles home after their sister’s rehearsal dinner; another statement says they were killed after being hit by a car while riding bicycles on the eve of their sister’s wedding and that NHL all-star Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, were pronounced dead at the scene. Johnny had played 11 seasons in the NHL and was about to start his third season with the Columbus Blue Jackets after nine seasons with the Calgary Flames. Matthew Gaudreau played in the minor hockey leagues, including for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
Family reactions and quotes
Werenski said he felt johnny gaudreau’s presence through the tournament: “I honestly felt (Johnny’s presence) the whole tournament. Felt he was here. I felt that feeling a lot in Columbus, and I felt it at the world stage, World Championships last year, now here at the Olympics. I feel like that he’s following us, and he’s got our back. This is something John would have been at. And to see his family here supporting us and seeing his kids, bringing them on the ice, we talked about playing for him, making him proud and I think we did that. ”
Larkin said, “Johnny and Matty should be here, and that is still the biggest loss that all of us, USA Hockey, their family, our family, has gone through, and to have Johnny Jr. and Noa out there, it just felt right. Johnny’s family first. ” He added with a smile, “I think part of the puck not going in our net was somehow (Johnny) standing there doing something, laughing with Matty, just somehow they put a spell around our net where that puck didn’t go in. And, ironic, because it’s on the defensive side, he would never have been back there. But we miss him, and we love him. We love his family and we can’t wait to celebrate with them. ”
Brock Faber said his eyes welled up seeing the scene: “Just shows the lasting impact he’ll forever have on this team. His jersey will always be hung up in this locker room, and just really puts things into perspective when you see those kids on the ice and his family in the stands. His legacy will live on, and even though he is not here, he’s a part of this team, a huge part of this team. ”
Matthews said, “I think he’s had a big impact on a lot of guys in our room. A lot of guys grew up with him. Played with him. Spent a lot of time with him. Whether that’s the NHL or World Championships, different setting like that. We’ve had his jersey in our room last year in the 4 Nations. Had his jersey in the room here at the Olympics. Ju
Meredith Gaudreau, Johnny’s widow, watched the ceremony in Milan. Meredith had announced she was pregnant with their third child, a boy named Carter Michael, at the brothers’ memorial service in September 2024. The brothers’ parents, Guy and Jane Gaudreau, were also in attendance. Speaking Friday, Guy Gaudreau said USA Hockey had let the family know that Johnny was projected to be on the roster for this year’s games and added, “He wanted to be on this team. And it would've been nice if he'd been here. ” Jane said their daughters urged them to attend: “Our two daughters, for 24 hours, they just kept at us: ‘You have to go. The boys would want you to do this. This would mean so much to John. ’” Jane added, “It just means so much to our family, and we're so excited to remember what our boys meant to hockey. ”
Game moments and goaltending
The match itself was tight and dramatic. The United States and Canada finished regulation tied 1-1 and the game was decided in sudden death overtime. The Americans were outshot dramatically, but Connor Hellebuyck was valiant in net. Canada had missed chance after missed chance, including a moment when Nathan MacKinnon blew a wide-open cage in the waning minutes.
Peter Kneffel was credited in the context for an image from Milan that captured the moment. The Gaudreau children, the jerseys and the family presence provided a deeply emotional capstone to Team USA’s gold-medal celebration.
Closing: The tribute on the ice — a planned team photo, jerseys paraded and two young children lifted into the frame — completed a sequence of gestures designed to honor Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau after their deaths in August 2024 and after Team USA’s 2-1 overtime victory over Canada.
