NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed Thursday while riding bikes when a driver ran them down in New Jersey.
The brothers were riding their bikes in Oldmans Township, NJ when a man police suspect of driving drunk ran them down, the New York Post reports.
Johnny, who played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, was 31, and his brother, Matthew, was 29.
Officials say that the driver, Sean Higgins, was trying to pass an SUV on County Route 551 sometime around 8 p.m. when he struck the two bike riders. He was arrested and charged with two counts of death by auto.
The tragic deaths came only a day before the brothers were set to take part as groomsmen in their sister’s wedding, which was planned for Friday.
The Blue Jackets said in a statement that they were “devastated by this unimaginable tragedy.”
“The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy,” the team said. “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,” the team added. “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, a native New Jerseyan, played in the NHL for eleven seasons with the Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames. Last season, he skated in 81 games and earned 48 points. He was first drafted by the Calgary Flames in 2011 and was a finalist for the league’s top rookie Calder Trophy. Since then, he appeared in seven All-Star games. He also played for Boston College and, in 2014, won the prestigious Hobey Baker Award.
As a young player, Johnny once told the sports media that he did not start focusing on going into pro hockey and felt very unworthy when he was first included in a Flames development camp. But by the next season, his mindset shifted from “I think I know what I’m doing here” to telling himself, “I know what I’m doing here.”
Johnny leaves behind his wife, Meredith, and two children Noa, 1, and Johnny, who is only 6 months old.
Matthew was also a hockey player. He played for Boston College and later signed with the New York Islanders minor league team in 2017. He also played in Sweden’s pro hockey league and the ECHL in the U.S.A.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston, or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston
