NHL player Johnny Gaudreau of the Columbus Blue Jackets was killed Thursday night when he was hit by a car while riding a bicycle in his home state of New Jersey. He was 31. New Jersey State Police said Gaudreau was one of two cyclists struck and killed by a car in Salem County, New Jersey. Gaudreau’s younger brother, Matthew, 29, was the other victim in the crash, police confirmed. The Carneys Point, New Jersey, natives were in the area for their sister Katie’s wedding scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia.
Quick Read
- NHL player Johnny Gaudreau of the Columbus Blue Jackets and his younger brother, Matthew, died after being hit by a car while riding bicycles in Salem County, New Jersey.
- The Gaudreau brothers were in New Jersey for their sister Katie’s wedding, which was scheduled for the following day in Philadelphia.
- Police reported that the driver, Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol when he attempted to pass two vehicles and struck the Gaudreau brothers from behind, resulting in their deaths at the scene.
- Higgins has been charged with two counts of death by auto and is being held at the Salem County Correctional Facility.
- Johnny Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey,” was an 11-season NHL veteran, having played nine seasons with the Calgary Flames and two with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
- Gaudreau was celebrated for his speed, skill, and consistent scoring ability, with 642 points in 644 regular-season and playoff games. He was a 115-point player in the 2021-22 season and a fan favorite across North America.
- Gaudreau was a key player for Boston College, winning the NCAA championship in 2012 and the Hobey Baker Award as the top college player in 2014.
- His death marks another tragic event for the Blue Jackets organization, following the death of goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks in 2021.
The Associated Press has the story:
NHL player Johnny Gaudreau & his brother have died after their bicycles were hit by a car
Newslooks- (AP)
NHL player Johnny Gaudreau of the Columbus Blue Jackets was killed Thursday night when he was hit by a car while riding a bicycle in his home state of New Jersey. He was 31. New Jersey State Police said Gaudreau was one of two cyclists struck and killed by a car in Salem County, New Jersey. Gaudreau’s younger brother, Matthew, 29, was the other victim in the crash, police confirmed. The Carneys Point, New Jersey, natives were in the area for their sister Katie’s wedding scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia.
According to police, the Gaudreau brothers were cycling on a road when a man driving in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind. They were pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the driver, Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and charged with two counts of death by auto and jailed at the Salem County Correctional Facility.
Johnny Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey,” has played 11 professional seasons in the league and was going into his third with the Blue Jackets. He played his first nine with the Calgary Flames, a tenure that included becoming one of the sport’s top players and a fan favorite across North America.
Gaudreau, at 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, was part of a generation of hockey players who thrived in an era of speed and skill that made being undersized less of a disadvantage. He scored 20-plus goals six times and was a 115-point player in 2021-22 as a first-time NHL All-Star when he had a career-best 40 goals and 75 assists.
A fourth-round pick of Calgary’s in 2011, Gaudreau helped Boston College win the NCAA championship in 2012 and in 2014 took home the Hobey Baker Award as the top college player in the country. As a professional, Gaudreau finished was part of the NHL all-rookie team during his first season in the league and was third in voting for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 2014-15.
Gaudreau was a point-a-game player with 642 points in 644 regular-season and playoff games since breaking into the league. He most recently signed a seven-year contract in 2022 worth nearly $69 million that put him and his young family in central Ohio, closer to his family in New Jersey. He holds the men’s world championship records by a U.S. player with 30 assists and 43 points, earlier this year breaking marks previously held by Patrick Kane.
Gaudreau’s death is the latest off-ice tragedy to strike the organization in the past few years. Goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died in July 2021 when he was struck in the chest by a firework while attending the wedding of then-Blue Jackets goaltending coach Manny Legace’s daughter in Michigan.
