The Columbus Blue Jackets have confirmed the death of American hockey star Johnny Gaudreau also known as Johnny Hockey, hours after he trended all over social media over alleged news of his death in a car accident. He was 31.
Reports went viral all over X (formerly Twitter) claiming that the Columbus Blue Jackets star was killed in an accident alongside his brother Matthew after they were hit by a car while riding their bicycles near their family home in New Jersey.
According to reports, the accident happened Thursday night around 8:30 p.m. when the brothers were riding their bikes on Pennsville Auburn Road in Oldmans Township in Salem County, New Jersey.
While riding, they were hit by a suspected drunk driver and both lost their lives. Reports say the driver stayed on-scene following the crash.
Johnny and Matt, who both live outside Salem, had come back home to attend their sister Katie’s wedding on Friday.
After hours of speculation and rumor mongering, the Columbus Blue Jackets confirmed the death of Johnny Hockey.
“The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy. Johnny was not only a great hockey player but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his wife, Meredith, his children, Noa and Johnny, his parents, their family and friends on the sudden loss of Johnny and Matthew,” a statement from the organization read.
U.S.A Hockey also released a statement: “Our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, whose lives ended way too soon. Words cannot appropriately express the sorrow the hockey community is feeling today,”
The drunk driver, Sean Higgins of Woodstown, NJ, a 43-year-old veteran, was arrested Thursday night and charged with vehicular homicide. Higgins told police he had five or six beers before driving. The accident occurred when he tried passing two cars and veered into the narrow lane the brothers were biking in.
Johnny Gaudreau played eight years for the Calgary Flames after being picked in the fourth round, 104th overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. In July 2022, he joined the Columbus Blue Jackets in free agency, having expressed a desire to return to the States.
Gaudreau won numerous accolades throughout his career. Johnny Hockey, as he was often fondly called, was named the 2014 winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the best player in the NCAA while at Boston College.
Johnny was selected for the 2014 NHL All-Rookie team and was a Calder Memorial Trophy finalist for the NHL’s best rookie in 2014.
During his first full NHL season in 2014–15, he was selected to play in the 2015 NHL All-Star Game.
His brother, Matt Gaudreau, after playing four years for Boston College, had a career mainly in the USHL and AHL, among others.
He played on the Reading Royals of the ECHL, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League (AHL) and their ECHL affiliate, the Worcester Railers.
Prior to confirmation of the death of Gaudreau and his brother, social media had been going agog with news of his passing. Below is the whirlwind account of what happened prior to official confirmation from the authorities.
Johnny Gaudreau Car Accident
The news of Johnny Gaudreau’s alleged death started spreading after a news report from 6abc that two bicyclists had been killed by a driver in a suspected drunk-driving accident.
The incident reportedly occurred around 8:30 p.m. Thursday night on Pennsville Auburn Road near Stumpy Lane in Oldmans Township in Salem County, New Jersey.
While currently playing for the Blue Jackets in Ohio, Gaudreau is a Salem NJ native.
Journalist and CEO of Sports Thinkers, Steve Franklin, whose X bio claims he ‘says what the common man is afraid to say’, reported that the news had been confirmed to him by a brother who is a cop.
“My brother (police officer in Salem County, NJ) has confirmed with me that NHL Player Johnny Gaudreau has passed away in a car accident. Rest in peace, Johnny Gaudreau. Columbus Blue Jackets legend,” he wrote.
However, many netizens were skeptical to believe Franklin’s reporting, especially as it was pointed out that he has gotten some stories embarrassingly wrong in the past including a rumor about Amari Cooper that turned out false.
Irrespective of the sketchy nature of the initial info, the news sparked off intense discussions on X and other social media platforms as people raced to find out the truth.
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Despite reporting from no official sources, numerous people in the hockey community seemingly confirmed the news, starting with former NHL referee Tim Peel, who wrote on X after someone asked him to take down his post on the reported death: “Morgan unfortunately this is true. Jonny and his brother were killed by a drunk driver tonight,”
After further probing, Peel said he wouldn’t give away his sources but knows for a fact that some Calgary Flames reporters (Johnny’s former team) confirmed the news to him.
A sheet of paper also from an alleged police investigator’s notebook is making its way across social media, appearing to show the names of Johnny and his brother Matthew and their address in the report but that, as with everything else, remained unverified at the time.
Meanwhile, a reporter revealed that after speaking with the New Jersey State Police, they said that they were being bombarded with numerous calls about the incident but they refused to confirm or deny the rumor at the time.
Another X account alleging to be a Blue Flames employee also claims the news has been confirmed to the organization but they had yet to make it public.
This essentially left the entire social media sphere in purgatory until authorities eventually confirmed the news.
Nevertheless, the delay in confirmation left fans languishing in as they feared the worst.
“Hoping this is a mistake…” one distraught fan wrote.
Another said: “Pray it’s not true , if it is such a tragic loss,”
Other fans are promised fire and brimstone for the X accounts spreading the info if it turns out to be false.
Who is Johnny Gaudreau Hockey?
Johnny Gaudreau nicknamed Johnny Hockey is an American professional ice hockey player who plays as a winger for the Columbus Blue Jackets in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Gaudreau was born John Michael Gaudreau on August 13th, 1993 in Salem, New Jersey. He grew up in Carneys Point Township and played pee-wee hockey and little league baseball.
He got his start playing for the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the United States Hockey League in 2010–11 season. He made the 2011 USHL All-Star Game and was named to the USHL All-Rookie Team and to the All-USHL Second Team. He was also rookie of the year.
His play was rewarded as the Calgary Flames selected him with the 104th pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
He played for the NCAA Division I’s Boston College Eagles from 2011 to 2014 , winning the 2014 winner Hobey Baker Award as the best player in the NCAA. During his rookie NHL season, was named to the 2014 NHL All-Rookie team. and during his first full season, he made the 2015 NHL All-Star Game.
After several years in Calgary, Gaudreau declined to re-sign to the team as he wanted to return home and joined the Columbus Blue Jackets as a free agent in July 2022, signing a seven-year, $68.25 million contract, less money than he would have made by staying with the Flames.
Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed in a car accident on Thursday, August 29th 2024 in Salem after they returned home for their sister’s wedding. He is survived by his wife, Meredith, their two children, Noa and Johnny, and their parents, Guy and Jane.