Johnny Gaudreau remembered on the ice as Team USA brings his young children into Olympic gold celebration

The moment landed first on the people closest to him: Johnny Gaudreau’s children, parents and teammates. Johnny Gaudreau’s 3-year-old daughter Noa and son Johnny Jr., who turned 2 on Sunday, were brought onto the ice during the United States’ gold-medal celebration in Milan — a deliberate tribute planned by teammates that made the win about family as much as sport.

The impact of Johnny Gaudreau’s memory on teammates and family

Hours before Sunday’s gold medal game, Columbus Blue Jackets captain Zach Werenski and Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin decided that, if the United States won, they would find a way to get the Gaudreau family onto the ice for a team picture. The choice prioritized the players and relatives who would feel the loss most immediately: Johnny’s children Noa and Johnny Jr., their parents Johnny and Meredith Gaudreau, and the brothers’ parents, Guy and Jane.

Here’s the part that matters: teammates framed the victory around the Gaudreau brothers’ absence and their family’s presence. Werenski said he felt Johnny’s presence throughout the tournament and at last year’s World Championships, and several players treated the parade and photo as a way to play for a memory that still shapes the locker room.

How the tribute unfolded on the ice

The tribute was part ritual, part improvisation. After the United States beat Canada 2-1 in overtime, Auston Matthews — the Team USA captain — and Matthew Tkachuk paraded a Team USA jersey belonging to Johnny Gaudreau around the ice. Werenski and Larkin then located Noa and Johnny Jr. and placed them on their laps for the team picture, while Guy and Jane Gaudreau watched from the stands. Brock Faber, a United States defenseman, was visibly moved when he saw the children on Larkin’s and Werenski’s laps; he described the scene as a reminder of Johnny’s lasting impact and said the jersey will remain hung in the locker room.

Werenski and Larkin’s plan was conceived in Milan in the hours leading up to the gold-medal game. The United States won despite being outshot dramatically; Connor Hellebuyck was described as valiant in net. Canada had several misses, including a wide-open chance that Nathan MacKinnon failed to convert in the waning minutes.

The tragedy the team referenced and its timeline

The tribute took on sharper meaning because both brothers had died earlier: Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau were struck by an alleged drunk driver while riding their bicycles home after their sister’s rehearsal dinner in August 2024. Players repeatedly referenced that absence in Milan, saying Johnny and Matty should have been at the Olympics and that their loss remained the team’s largest emotional burden.

It’s easy to overlook, but teammates had kept Johnny’s presence visible in other competitions too: his jersey was in the room during the 4 Nations last year, and the team displayed it at the Olympics as well.

Voices on the ice and what this meant for the locker room

Players framed the celebration as first and foremost about Johnny’s family. Larkin emphasized that "Johnny’s family first, " while Werenski said bringing the children on the ice felt right and that the team had talked about playing for Johnny and making him proud. Brock Faber said the scene with the children put things into perspective and reinforced that Johnny’s legacy is now part of the team’s identity.

The real question now is how that identity will carry forward in future events and locker-room culture. Teammates pointed to earlier gestures — the jersey at the World Championships last year and in the 4 Nations — as signs that this will be an ongoing element of how the team remembers the brothers.

Key immediate facts in brief:

• Location: Milan; the plan originated in the hours before Sunday’s gold-medal game.
• Tribute participants: Zach Werenski, Dylan Larkin, Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk, Brock Faber, and the Gaudreau family (Johnny Jr., Noa, Johnny and Meredith Gaudreau, Guy and Jane Gaudreau).
• Game result: United States beat Canada 2-1 in overtime; Connor Hellebuyck played strongly; Nathan MacKinnon missed a wide-open chance late.
• Tragedy timing: Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were killed in August 2024 after being struck by an alleged drunk driver while riding bicycles home from their sister’s rehearsal dinner.

What’s easy to miss is how consistently teammates have honored Johnny across tournaments; the Milan gesture built on practices that predate this Olympics and folded the Gaudreau family directly into the moment of national triumph.

Recent updates indicate this account reflects the actions and remarks made around the gold-medal celebration; some comments and sequences are paraphrased from those present, and specific phrasing may be unclear in the provided context.