Team USA Honors Fallen Hockey Star Johnny Gaudreau at Winter Olympics

The U.S. Olympic hockey team is paying tribute to late NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, who died in a bicycle accident last August. Gaudreau's jersey hangs in the team's locker room as they compete for gold, with his family attending the games in Milan.

MILAN — The late Johnny Gaudreau had been striving to earn a spot on Team USA’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Both he and his brother Matthew had grown up watching Olympic hockey, dreaming of one day competing on that stage themselves.

“It was their dream,” their mother Jane Gaudreau shared about her sons.

The Gaudreau brothers tragically lost their lives on August 29, 2024, after being hit by an SUV while cycling near their New Jersey home. The accident occurred just one day before their sister Katie’s wedding. The hockey world was devastated by their deaths, and tributes have poured in ever since, including retired jersey numbers and a memorial 5K race.

Johnny, an accomplished NHL veteran with a decade of professional experience and Team USA’s all-time top scorer in international competition, was expected to secure a place on the Milan Olympic roster. The tournament concludes Sunday with the Americans facing Canada for the gold medal. His father Guy Gaudreau revealed that USA Hockey officials had graciously informed the family that their eldest son was projected to make the team.

“He wanted to be on this team,” Guy Gaudreau expressed during Friday night’s U.S. semifinal victory. “And it would’ve been nice if he’d been here.”

Team USA is paying homage to both brothers with a special memorial display in their Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena locker room. A blue jersey bearing Johnny’s number 13 serves as a constant reminder of the player affectionately called “Johnny Hockey,” who was cherished by teammates and fans alike.

“It means everything — we all know he should be here with us,” expressed Dylan Larkin, who competed alongside Gaudreau in several world championships. “He should be with us. We love him, and I like that we continue to think about him and I wouldn’t imagine it any other way.”

Jane and Guy Gaudreau, accompanied by Johnny’s wife Meredith and their two eldest children, arrived in Milan on Friday. The parents had originally planned a Las Vegas vacation and were initially uncertain about accepting USA Hockey’s invitation to attend the Olympics.

“Our two daughters, for 24 hours, they just kept at us: ‘You have to go. The boys would want you to do this. This would mean so much to John,'” Jane explained. “It just means so much to our family, and we’re so excited to remember what our boys meant to hockey.”

The family’s ties to current roster members span from Boston College to the NHL. Beyond his world championship appearances, Johnny had been teammates with Noah Hanifin during their time with the Calgary Flames and with Zach Werenski on the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“Johnny was close to a lot of guys in that room,” Hanifin noted. “We know he’d be here with us, so we’ve been thinking about him and carrying him with us.”

Following the team’s advancement to the championship game, Werenski mentioned that Meredith had contacted his wife several days prior to inform them of the family’s travel plans.

“It’s great having them here, and it’s super special,” Werenski commented. “We’re happy that we made it to the gold-medal game so they can watch that and be a part of it. It’s on us to make them proud.”

Coach Mike Sullivan confirmed what team management had already told the Gaudreau family: Johnny would have definitely earned a roster spot if he were still alive, given his impressive track record and outstanding performances in Team USA colors.

“He was one of America’s very best,” Sullivan stated. “He’s just a good person on the ice and off the ice, and I think he’s an inspiration to our players to this very day.”

Players continue to share memories of Gaudreau, with “all the stories are funny,” according to Charlie McAvoy, who played with him at world championships.

“Just an amazing person, just an infectious personality,” McAvoy reflected. “The detail, really, with our staff and our equipment staff especially to make sure that he’s always with us, little reminders of him in the room, and they just go a long way. You always see them. They’re gentle. They’re right there. But we know that he’s always with us.”

Displayed alongside Johnny’s number 13 jersey is Matthew’s number 21 on the locker room wall. This tribute mirrors what USA Hockey implemented at last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, where Guy Gaudreau participated in practice as an honorary coach.

This Olympics would have marked Johnny Gaudreau’s first Olympic opportunity, as NHL players were absent from the 2018 and 2022 Games. However, his jersey’s presence in the U.S. locker room may become a lasting tradition for future competitions.

“I hope so,” Larkin said. “I sure hope so.”