Johnny Gaudreau Remembered in Olympic Gold Celebration
Johnny Gaudreau playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets vs Seattle Kraken in Seattle on January 28, 2024. Photo credits: Jenn G.
Written By Gina Anton
On a day that will live forever in American hockey history, the U.S. men’s ice hockey team captured Olympic gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina with a dramatic 2–1 overtime win over Canada. At the center of the celebration was one name: Johnny Gaudreau.
“We’re obviously thinking of him, and we just felt like the impact that he’s had on so many guys in our room was special,” said Matthews, the United States' captain. “And he was with us here in spirit the whole tournament.”
Gaudreau, who tragically passed away in 2024 alongside his brother Matthew in a cycling accident, remained a constant presence throughout the tournament. His No. 13 jersey hung in the locker room as a reminder of the player he was and the Olympic dream he carried, to represent his country on hockey’s biggest stage.
When the final buzzer sounded, the celebration turned emotional. Players skated the jersey around the ice, honoring the teammate who so easily could have been part of the roster. The most poignant moment came when Gaudreau’s children, Noa and Johnny Jr., who turned two on the day of the gold-medal game, joined the team for the on-ice photo, held by teammates alongside their father’s jersey. His widow Meredith and parents, Jane and Guy, watched from the stands as the crowd chanted “Johnny Hockey.”
“We miss him and Matty so dearly,” forward Brady Tkachuk said. “He would have been on this team. He’s touched everybody on that ice. ... We just wanted to show the Gaudreau family our support. He was so near and dear to a lot of us, and we miss him greatly, and we did it for them.”
Gaudreau was known for his electrifying skating, elite puck-handling, and ability to change a game in an instant. He starred in the NHL with the Calgary Flames and later the Columbus Blue Jackets, earning multiple All-Star honors. Over 10 seasons, he recorded more than 700 career points, including a 115-point campaign in 2021-22 that ranked among the league’s best. Consistently near a point-per-game pace, he established himself as one of the NHL’s premier offensive talents.
Internationally, he proudly wore the U.S. sweater at multiple IIHF World Championships, becoming one of Team USA’s most productive scorers. The 2026 Olympics were expected to be the fulfillment of that journey.
Yet Gaudreau’s legacy extends beyond statistics. It lives in the teammates he inspired, the young players who saw possibility in his skill and size, and the joy he brought to the ice. In rinks across the country, his story will endure, a reminder not only of what was lost, but of the passion and heart Johnny Gaudreau gave to the game every time he played.
