Columbus Blue Jackets left winger Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were killed Thursday in a traffic crash in Oldmans Township, N.J., outside Philadelphia, New Jersey State Police said.
According to police, the Gaudreau brothers were riding bicycles on County Route 551 when they were struck by the driver of a Jeep Grand Cherokee who was attempting to pass an SUV on a two-lane road. The SUV had pulled into the center of the road to pass the brothers on their bicycles, who were riding on the right side of the SUV. The driver of the Jeep then attempted to pass the SUV on the right side and struck the Gaudreau brothers from behind, fatally injuring them, police said.
The crash occurred around 8:30 p.m. ET, about an hour after sunset.
The driver of the Jeep, Sean M. Higgins, is being investigated for driving under the influence and has been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, police said. Higgins, 43, was being held at the Salem County (N.J.) Correctional Facility, police and online inmate records confirmed.
New Jersey State Police say the investigation is ongoing.
Friday morning, about 30 miles from the crash site, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker held a previously scheduled news conference to provide updates on efforts to improve cyclist safety in the city. She began her speech with a moment of silence for the Gaudreau brothers.
“It’s horrific and it just reiterates the urgency of this traffic safety issue here in Philadelphia,” Parker said. “Our moment of silence is not just for that immediate tragedy, but for all victims of traffic violence.”
Johnny, 31, had an 11-year NHL career, spending the first nine seasons with the Calgary Flames before signing a seven-year deal with the Blue Jackets in the summer of 2022. He had a large fan base and earned the nickname “Johnny Hockey” for his blinding speed and skill. He emerged as one of the league’s best playmaking wingers, making six All-Star teams in eight seasons with the Flames.
He reached those heights, eventually earning a contract with the Blue Jackets worth more than $68 million, despite his unusually small stature for the sport.
Ultimately listed at 5-foot-9, Gaudreau’s lack of height made him an underdog at several points in his career. Calgary drafted him in the fourth round out of the United States Hockey League, and from there he went to Boston College, where he won the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA’s most outstanding player. He signed his entry-level deal with the Flames the same day and scored 64 points in his first full NHL season.
Matthew, 29, also played professional hockey, most recently with the Worcester Railers of the ECHL in 2021-22.
GALLING DEEPER
Remembering Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Gaudreau: ‘Those Two Guys… Took Everything to the Next Level’
“The National Hockey League family is shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “While Johnny’s infectious spirit for the game and show-stopping skills on the ice earned him the nickname ‘Johnny Hockey,’ he was more than just a dazzling hockey player.
“He was a devoted father and beloved husband, son, brother and teammate who endeared himself to all who were fortunate enough to cross his path.”
Johnny is survived by his wife, Meredith, and two children under the age of 2: a daughter, Noa, and a son, Johnny. Matthew is survived by his wife, Madeline. The brothers are also survived by their parents, Guy and Jane, and two sisters, Katie and Kristen Gaudreau.
According to a popular wedding planning website, Katie Gaudreau’s wedding was scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia. Both brothers were set to be groomsmen at Katie’s wedding, while Madeline, Meredith and Kristen were set to be co-maids of honor.
Johnny Knight’s close relationship with his family shaped much of his hockey career. Guy Gaudreau taught his son to skate at Hollydell Ice Arena in Sewell, N.J., where he worked as a hockey director, and eventually coached him at Gloucester Catholic. Matthew, who joined his older brother on the Boston College team where the two played together in the 2013-14 season, followed in his father’s footsteps and coached at Gloucester Catholic the past two seasons.
Late Friday morning, a growing pile of flowers lay next to some hockey sticks outside the Hollydell Arena.
Jim Mackey, the rink’s owner and a seventh-round draft pick of the Boston Bruins in 1990, knows the Gaudreau family well.
“Johnny and Matt are legends of South Jersey,” Mackey said Friday. “Everybody who came to the community was very aware of the Gaudreau family and the Gaudreau boys.”
While Johnny was a regular visitor to the rink, sometimes to use the training facilities during the off-season, Matthew was particularly active. When Matthew retired, he returned to Hollydell to help launch their Tier II junior team, now known as the NAHL’s Philadelphia Rebels. Matthew served as an assistant coach for four years.
At Hollydell, there is a large wall space in the bar/restaurant area dedicated to the Gaudreau brothers, including a number 13 Flames jersey worn by Johnny and a number 40 Bridgeport Sound Tigers jersey worn by Matt.
According to Mackey, they serve as an inspiration to other young hockey players.
“Johnny’s not a 6-foot-5 guy, right? Johnny looked like a regular guy,” Mackey said. “And as a result, I think he was a source of hope for countless players who came through Hollydell Ice Arena. I want to be like Johnny Gaudreau, and I can see myself being like him because he looks like one of us. I would think countless kids would be motivated and be able to focus their dreams on what Johnny and Matt accomplished.”
“We are devastated,” Mackey added. “It’s going to take a long time to process all of our grief.”
A tribute to the Gaudreau brothers outside their youth track in NJ (Photo: Kevin Kurz/The Athletic)
When Gaudreau reached free agency in 2022 after eight seasons in Calgary, he ultimately opted to sign with Columbus. The proximity to his family in South Jersey was a major factor. The location was also ideal for him and Meredith to raise children; she is originally from South Jersey and has worked as a NICU nurse.
After his father’s heart attack in 2018, Gaudreau bought a vacation home near his family so they could spend more time together. Meredith lived next door. Within a few years, the couple were married, expecting their first child, and facing the biggest decision of his career.
“I said to him, ‘Listen, John, everything happens for a reason,’” said Jane Gaudreau. told the podcast “Raising A Champion” in 2022. “He loves Columbus. He’s happy. He loves the city. It’s a great place for him and his wife to raise a family. We’re just very, very proud of him.
“He really thought about, ‘Let me not just think about myself and how easy it would be to stay in Calgary and play there. Let me think about the family that I’m going to have, and my wife and her family.’ Our family, we were used to that. We were used to our son living 2,600 miles away.”
Gaudreau’s decision to leave Calgary was as difficult as it was important. He debated it for a long time, changed his mind during the process, and only decided to sign with the Blue Jackets when free agency opened in the summer of 2022.
“I’m so proud to have been on this team and to have represented this city. And the last few weeks… it’s been hard for me every time I think about that,” Gaudreau wrote for The players’ stand in 2022“All the relationships we’ve built here, all the wonderful friendships we have – I could feel them in my chest every time I thought about leaving.”
Ultimately, he said, the choice came down to family.
“Over the course of our relationship, I’ve learned a lot from (Meredith) about how to balance those two things: a passion for your work with a passion for the people in your life. I’ve learned a lot about the person I want to be. And that’s a good son, a good husband, and (soon!) a good father.
“And ultimately it came down to us having to find this balance.”
In Columbus, Gaudreau was the standout player for a franchise in flux — the team finished near the bottom of the Eastern Conference in 2023-24. Gaudreau should once again play a key role this fall alongside an influx of talented prospects and a new coach and general manager.
“The Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy,” the team said in a statement. “Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more importantly, a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend. … Johnny played the game with a passion that was evident to all who saw him on the ice. He brought a genuine love of hockey everywhere he played. … The impact he had on our organization and our sport was profound, but pales in comparison to the indelible impression he made on all who knew him.”
This is the second time in three years that an unexpected death has struck the Blue Jackets franchise. On July 4, 2021, goalie Matiss Kivlenieks passed away as a result of a fireworks accident in Novi, Michigan.
(Top photo: Ben Jackson/NHLI via Getty Images; Map: John Bradford/ The Athletics)
