Johnny Gaudreau Remembered as Team USA Brings His Children on Ice After Olympic Gold
In Milan after the United States captured Olympic gold, teammates honored johnny gaudreau by parading his No. 13 jersey on the ice and bringing his children onto the medal-ceremony ice — a gesture teammates said meant everything to the family and the program.
How Team USA honored Johnny Gaudreau
Matthew Tkachuk, Zach Werenski and Auston Matthews carried Johnny Gaudreau’s No. 13 jersey onto the ice after the Americans defeated Team Canada 2-1 in overtime at Santagiulia Arena during the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The team had hung his jersey in the locker room previously — at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February and at the 2025 IIHF World Championship in Denmark and Sweden, where the U. S. won gold — and in Milan the jersey was displayed above a banner showing Johnny’s No. 13 and Matthew’s No. 21 from Boston College.
Johnny Gaudreau’s family on the ice and the planned team photo
In the hours leading up to the gold-medal game, Zach Werenski and Dylan Larkin decided that if the United States won they wanted a team picture with the Gaudreau family on the ice. After the victory, Werenski and Larkin located Johnny and Meredith Gaudreau’s 3-year-old daughter Noa and son Johnny Jr., who turned 2 on Sunday, and brought them onto the ice for the team photo. Dylan Larkin held Johnny Jr., Werenski held Noa, and Larkin and Matthew Tkachuk held Gaudreau’s jersey in the picture. Werenski and Larkin said they had hoped to get the whole family on the ice but the gate made that difficult; they called seeing the parents Guy and Jane on the bench a special moment.
The tragedy that preceded the tribute and legal status
Johnny and his brother Matthew died on Aug. 29, 2024 — the night before they were to attend the wedding of their sister, Katie — when they were riding bicycles near their home in Salem County, New Jersey, and were struck by a car. Another account in the provided context states they were struck while riding their bicycles home after their sister’s rehearsal dinner in August 2024. An alleged drunk driver has been charged with two counts of death by auto. Johnny was 31 and Matthew was 29.
On-ice moments and game context
The United States beat Canada 2-1 in overtime despite being outshot dramatically. Connor Hellebuyck was described as valiant in net. Canada squandered multiple chances, including a critical moment when Nathan MacKinnon missed a wide-open cage in the waning minutes. Team members noted a sense of Johnny’s presence throughout the tournament and at other international events.
Teammates’ reactions and reflections on legacy
Teammates spoke about how much Johnny and his brother Matthew were missed. Auston Matthews, the U. S. captain, said the team felt Johnny was with them in spirit throughout the tournament. Brady Tkachuk described missing Johnny and Matty dearly and said Johnny would have been on this team; he emphasized the group wanted to show the Gaudreau family support. Werenski said bringing the kids on the ice and playing for Johnny made the win feel meaningful. Brock Faber’s eyes welled up seeing the scene of the two children on teammates’ laps; he said the moment underlined Johnny’s lasting impact on the group, that his jersey will remain hung in the locker room, and that Johnny’s legacy will live on as a part of the team.
Johnny Gaudreau’s hockey résumé preserved in memory
Known as "Johnny Hockey, " he represented the United States multiple times, led a tournament with seven goals when the U. S. won gold at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship in Russia, and helped the U. S. win bronze at the 2018 IIHF World Championship in Denmark. In the NHL he totaled 743 points (243 goals, 500 assists) in 763 games for the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets from 2014-24. From 2014-15 through 2023-24 he ranked second in points among U. S. -born players to Patrick Kane, who had 791 points (293 goals, 498 assists) in 715 games for the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings.
Team members said the decision to honor johnny gaudreau on the ice, bring his young children close after the win and keep his jersey visible in the locker room was an expression of how central he remained to the group — both in memory and in motivation — as the United States celebrated its first men’s Olympic hockey gold in 46 years.
