Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were killed by a car while biking in Oldmans Township, New Jersey on Thursday night, according to New Jersey State Police. Johnny was 31, and Matthew was 29.
The brothers, originally from New Jersey, were in the area for their sister Katie's wedding, which was scheduled for Friday. Around 8:00 p.m., police say, the driver of a Jeep Grand Cherokee hit them from behind while trying to pass an SUV that had made room for the bikers. The driver has been charged with two counts of death by auto, and police suspect that the driver had been drinking.
Both Gaudreaus played hockey at Boston College, where Johnny won the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA's best player in 2014. Though he was sometimes underestimated because of his size, Johnny adjusted seamlessly to the NHL as a member of the Flames. His skating and his creativity with the puck made him synonymous with the "Johnny Hockey" nickname and helped him notch 609 points across eight years in Calgary. Even for a neutral fan, he moved around the offensive zone with an assured ease that made his style naturally likeable.
In the summer of 2022, while he and his wife Meredith were expecting their first child, he made the unexpected move to settle down in Columbus. The Blue Jackets finished in last in each of his final two seasons, but Johnny's unabashed love for that oft-overlooked NHL city will be a huge part of his legacy.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, 1,084 bicyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles in 2022. That's the highest number ever recorded and a 75 percent increase from 2010.
