NHL's Johnny Gaudreau Dies at Age 31; Brother Matthew Gaudreau Dies at 29

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and his brother Matthew, 29, died Thursday.

The Blue Jackets confirmed the deaths of both men in a statement released Friday morning.

Gaudreau's family also released a statement (h/t Dan Roche of WBZ-TV):

"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 doting father and beloved husband, son, brother and teammate who endeared himself to every person fortunate enough to have crossed his path."

Per ABC 6 in Philadelphia, New Jersey state troopers confirmed Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were killed when a vehicle hit them while they were riding their bikes around 8:30 p.m. local time on Thursday night.

The driver of the vehicle "is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash," police said, according to ABC.

According to ESPN, "Both brothers, who were New Jersey natives, had been in the area to be groomsmen in their sister Katie's wedding that was scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia."

Johnny Gaudreau played college hockey at Boston College from 2011 to '14. He helped the Eagles win the national championship during the 2011-12 season and was awarded the Hobey Baker Award as the top men's player in the country for the 2013-14 season.

The Calgary Flames originally selected Gaudreau in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL draft. He signed his entry-level contract with the club on the same day as the ceremony at which he won the Hobey Baker Award.

Gaudreau made his NHL debut with the Flames on the final day of the 2013-14 regular season. He became a full-time player in 2014-15, earning a spot on the All-Rookie team in his first full season.

After spending the first nine seasons of his career with the Flames, Gaudreau signed a seven-year contract with the Blue Jackets as a free agent. He appeared in 161 games over the past two seasons with Columbus.

Gaudreau appeared in a total of 763 games over 11 seasons in the NHL. He scored 743 points, with a career-high 115 coming during the 2021-22 campaign.

Matthew Gaudreau was a professional hockey player in the ECHL. He most recently played for the Worcester Railers during the 2021-22 season. He also played one season for the Reading Royals.