NHL Superstar Johnny Gaudreau Dead At 31

back in the 1970s where there was only 17 or 18 play 18 teams in the NHL most kids knew all the the players by heart because of hockey G cards to hockey news and different Publications but in 2024 there was a select few of players that all the young kids would know and the young adults and the older fans and the the seniors saying this is a great player I wish Montreal or Toronto or Boston or Chicago had him unfortunately one of them has died tragically uh today Johnny goodro according to CBC sports andal player Johnny G and his brother have died after being struck by a suspected drunk driver the star forward was 31 and has survived by his wife and two children now Stefan Stefan wo of the Associated Press noted that goo and his younger brother were killed late Thursday night when they were hit again by a DUI driver uh while riding bicycles in her home state of New Jersey police said Friday gold R 31 he's brought Matthew are Cary Point New Jersey natives were scheduled to be groomsmen at their sister Katie's wedding that was scheduled for Friday in Philly New Jersey State Police said that goldo brothers were cycling on a road where a man driving SUV in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind they were pronounced dead Nim police said the driver 43-year-old Shan M Higgins was suspected of being being under influence of alcohol and charged with two counts of debt by Auto along with reckless driving possession an open container and consuming alcohol in the M vehicle he was eventually jailed at the Salem County Correctional Facility according to a criminal complaint obtained by AP Higgins told her responding officers he had five or six beer prior priority accident and admitted to consuming alcohol while driving he failed the field soety test his blood alcohol level was not immediately available now Johnny God again he leaves behind two young children his wife mered it now the NHL released a statement from commissioner Gary bman about godo's passing saying that he was more than just a dazzling hockey player he was a daing fighter and beloved husband son brother and teammate who endear himself to every person Fortune enough to have crossy bat now I had a great uh joy to cover God godo's career and we all always called him by his name Johnny hockey he had played 11 Pro season league and was going in his third with a Columbus Blue jackets he played his first nine with the Flames uh tender and calary including becoming the sports top players and a fan favored across North America a very very good two-way player uh kind of in the Steve shot mold where uh if you got the puck it was going to go in the net like if you gave at open space again for for many years it was the face of the Flames scoring 210 goals and adding tr9 99 assists and 6 under two regular season contests God left the flames in free agency after 22 season signing desire to be closer to home and signed a big deal 7-year contract worth 68.2 million which is a little bit close towards 10 million uh with Columbus now uh completely gutted the world just lost one of the best Flames forward Blake Coleman posted on social media site X rip Johnny USA Hockey said words cannot appropiately express the sorrow the hockey Community is feeling in a 2022 article in the player Tribune gold called leaving Calgary the toughest decision I ever had to make now uh I still thought about going back and trying to work on a seven-year deal to stay he wrote was all on the table for the entire process maybe that seems messy but life is messy you know godo wasn't the biggest player in the ice at 59 180 was part of a generation of hockey players who thrived in error speed and skill that made undersiz less of a disadvantage he scored 20 plus goal six times and was 115 Point player in 22 as a first time NHL Allstar when he had a career best 40 goals and 75 assists now when Calgary was a was a Stanley Cup Contender for most of his years gel was the catalst he was a St to stir to drink now the Flames said at the statement this with great sadness we mourn the tragic deaths of our friend Johnny good and his brother matchu our hearts are broken by this devastating loss Johnny was and always will be a member of Flame's family and loved by all in of Calgary now I first started covering uh God in the US program but he came to Major prominence and the Flames took a slight risk on him by taking him to foreground in 2011 he eventually helped Boston College win the NCAA championships in 2012 and in 2014 he took over the Ultimate Prize in the states for an amateurs the Hobie Baker award as a top college player in the country longtime executive Brian Burke who had gold in Calgary and with the US national team said it could not be overstated just with a joy it was to have him around there are few players in hockey history match his passion and love for the game of hockey Burke said his talent on the ice was enhanced not diminished by the fact he was having fun out there as a professional goldo finished finished uh uh as part of the NHL all rookie team to his first season and was thir of voting for the cers Rookie of the Year in 2014 15 now in a statement from the Blue Jackets he said to your shock and devastated by his unmanageable tragedy Johnny was not only a great hockey player but was more significantly loved husband father son brother and friend we extend our heartfelt sympathies to his wife Meredith his children nor Noah and Johnny his parents their family and friends on the sudden loss of Johnny and Matthew Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice he brought a general love for hockey when him everywhere he played from Boston College to the Calgary Flames the Team USA to the Blue Jackets he thrill fans in a whale when he draw any hockey good the impact he had our organization our sport was profound but pales in comparison to an indelible impression he made on everyone in knew him Johnny embraced our community when he arrived two years ago and Columbus welcomed him with open arms we'll miss him terribly and he'll do everything that we can to support his family and each other during this tragedy NHL PA executive director Marty Walsh said the NHL PA joins the hockey community in morning the tragic Lo loss of Johnny and his brother Matthew he was a beloved teammate and friend of Calgary in Columbia and was enjoy to watch during his 10 years at 763 games in the NHL he enjoyed a decorated career college career at Boston College where he played together with his brother Matthew who also went on to play pro with the AHL and ECHL the players and staff of the NHL PA are devastated by these terrible losses again the extended condolences to the extended goldo family now according to jury York who Co to Gold Rob BS at Boston College he said in a foreign interview with ap just devastating news for all of us connected with the gold R family the both Maddie and Johnny were typically admired by all of us wonderful young guys and he presses a lot of us on the ice now of course he was a pointed game player in his career now he holds the men World title records by us player with 30 assists and 43 points uh earlier this year breaking marks previously head by held by padrick Kane goo's death is the latest off tragedy to strike the organization in the past 5 years Golder Matas Kevin link died July 2021 we he struck in a chest by a firework while attending the wedding of then Blue Jacket Goldie coach Manny leg's daughter in Michigan now you know Michelle Brier the Detroit Tigers tragedy Tim Horton there's been a lot of uh key players through the years that have died in accidents py Lindberg and stuff like that uh you know debt by Miss Adventure or whatever but um uh Johnny hocky we will not listen to the song by top Cochran uh Big League which talks about the death of an upand cominging player and obviously Johnny hockey had a had a terrific career but I think most ranks will play that song with a with a tinge of sadness from now on because uh you know you cover somebody as as a media member and you're always saying yourself that guy deserves to be on a standle cup he never got there but I think in Columbus or whatever team he would follow up it was close Johnny hockey was just that he was a he was a a talented guy he was a hard working guy a family man and uh to all the Johnny hockey fans out there you have my condolences in my 41 years of as a sports Senator I've covered a lot of NHL tragedies but this is going to hurt a lot of people and I was walking in my soes in Woodstock New Brunswick and one of my college Pals from 40 years ago at nbcc Woodstock herb Ward told me that I couldn't believe it he couldn't believe it either he said what do you think well I said I'm going to do a podcast and tribute him so to all the fans all the Calgary fans Boston College Columbus everybody that follow his career we feel your loss in heaven it's a place where the rink is cold and the Breakaway is four miles and every every hockey player gets their Wings to Go to Heaven I think Johnny goodro I think God wanted somebody to to play the point or to play with Bello or play with the you know moris Rashard or uh you know slaps what a what a life in hockey he could have he was going to he was going to head to the Hockey Hall of Fame there was something going to break open because with Calgary he had a good team around it but it never happened so uh the loss of Johnny and Matthew of course a big loss for the hockey Community please pray for them tonight please pray for the family if you want to make tribute to Johnny hockey the best way you can motivate yourself to support a minor hockey program in your region noice initiation at the lower levels because Johnny came true that level and became a superstar support minor hockey male and female whatever you want to do give a donation volunteer your time do it in Johnny's memory because he would want you to hockey is life ladies and gentlemen it's a lifeblood of Canada and although he wasn't Canadian he was a he was an adopted Canadian the best compliment to an American athlete playing hockey in Canada we accept you as a Canadian and when you're gone you're still part of the family he was he was that good so Johnny hockey we're going to miss you and your brother as well he was a talent ladies and gentlemen I wish I wasn't giving as bad news as today but it's it's breaking my heart to do this because this channel is for you and I always want to give you good news but we're losing a lot of good people lately and here it's a tribute site so if you drop in and listen to this thank you for listening but like I said do something in Johnny's memory if you never heard of John of Johnny before Johnny Hawking you know what the one of the nicest nicknames in NHL history other than Mr hackey and we all know who Mr Hockey is Imagine to to being the the same nickname as as Gordy how Mr Hockey and Johnny hockey tremendous have a good one rest and peace Johnny bye