The hockey world is in mourning following the sudden and tragic passing of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother Matthew in an accident on Thursday evening. Throughout Friday, teams and individuals throughout the hockey world shared their condolences and remembrances of the Gaudreaus.

We’ve collected several of them for your convenience.

Columbus Blue Jackets

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.

Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice. He brought a genuine love for hockey with him everywhere he played from Boston College to the Calgary Flames to Team USA to the Blue Jackets. He thrilled fans in a way only Johnny Hockey could. The impact he had on our organization and our sport was profound, but pales in comparison to the indelible impression he made on everyone who knew him. Johnny embraced our community when he arrived two years ago, and Columbus welcomed him with open arms. We will miss him terribly and do everything that we can to support his family and each other through this tragedy.

At this time, we ask for prayers for the Gaudreau family and that their privacy be respected as they grieve.

[Source]

Calgary Flames

It’s with great sadness, we mourn the tragic deaths of our friend Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau.

Our hearts are broken by this devastating loss. Johnny was and always will be a member of the Flames family and loved by all of Calgary.

It was our privilege to call Johnny our teammate for nine amazing years in Calgary. He came to Calgary as a young man and grew up here, not only as a superstar on the ice, but also a beloved member of our community.

The pain we feel for Johnny’s wife Meredith, children Noa and Johnny, parents Jane and Guy, sisters Kristen and Katie, and the entire Gaudreau family is immense.

Ownership, management, players, and staff of the Calgary Flames express our heartfelt sympathies during their time of sorrow.

You are in our thoughts and prayers.

[Source]

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman

The National Hockey League family is shocked and saddened by the tragic passing of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew. 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.

Gaudreau often told the story of how his father taught him to skate as a child in his home state of New Jersey and he carried that same youthful passion throughout his 11 NHL seasons. A skilled playmaker, Gaudreau participated in the NHL All-Star Game seven times where he was always a fan favorite, particularly while showcasing his talents in the various skills competitions for which he was so well suited.

He will be remembered fondly in Calgary, where he played his first nine seasons with the Flames from 2013-14 to 2021-22, emerging as one of our League’s brightest young stars while compiling the franchise’s fifth-highest career points total. His loss also will be felt profoundly in Columbus, the city in which he chose to settle his family and where he was one of the respected, veteran leaders of a club building toward the playoffs. And both Johnny and Matthew will be mourned at Boston College, where they were teammates the year Johnny won the Hobey Baker Award in 2013-14, and at Gloucester Catholic High School in New Jersey, where both played and where Matthew was the head hockey coach following his own five-year pro playing career.

We send our most heart-felt condolences to his wife Meredith; their children, Noa and Johnny; his parents, Guy and Jane; and sisters Kristen and Katie. And we grieve alongside his teammates, members of the Blue Jackets and Flames organizations, his many friends in hockey and countless fans around the world for whom he created indelible memories on and off the ice.

[Source]

NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh

The NHLPA joins the hockey community in mourning the tragic loss of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew. Johnny was a beloved teammate and friend in both Calgary and Columbus, and he was a joy to watch during his 10 years and 763 games in the NHL. He enjoyed a decorated college career at Boston College where he played together with his brother, Matthew, who also went on to play professional hockey in the AHL and ECHL. The players and staff of the NHLPA are devastated by these​ terrible losses. We express our sincerest condolences to the entire Gaudreau family ​ Johnny’s wife, Meredith, and their children, Noa and Johnny; Matthew’s wife, Madeline; their parents, Guy and Jane; and their sisters, Kristen and Katie.

[Source]

Former Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving

I am absolutely devastated by the news of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew’s passing. John was a truly special player, dazzling on the ice with his incredible talent, but what made him truly special was the person he was off the ice. His thousand-watt smile and infectious personality were matched only by his love for his family, friends, and those close to him. He brought joy to everyone around him and to the many who never knew him but marvelled at his excellence on the ice.

John was a beloved teammate and a friend to so many in the hockey community, and he will be deeply missed by all of us who had the privilege of knowing him. My heart goes out to the entire Gaudreau family – to his mom and dad, Jane and Guy; his sisters, Kristen and Katie; his loving wife, Meredith; his precious children, Noah and Johnny; and everyone affected by his unimaginable loss.

Family was everything to John, and in his memory, please hug those close to you tighter and longer today and every day.

[Source]

Former Calgary Flames president of hockey operations Brian Burke

My heart goes out to the Gaudreau family after the tragic loss of Johnny and Matthew. I was lucky enough to have Johnny with the Calgary Flames and with USA Hockey, and it cannot be overstated just what a joy it was for everyone involved to have Johnny Gaudreau on their team. First and foremost, Johnny was always the first to raise his hand to give back to the community. When we had any charity requests, we always knew he would say yes, without hesitation. His love of his family, friends, and alma mater was always apparent and was clearly the driving force in his life. What I will remember most was his happiness, enthusiasm, and kindness that radiated out through the locker room every day. There are few players in hockey history that matched his passion and love for the game of hockey. His talent on the ice was enhanced, not diminished, by the fact that he was having fun out there. The entire Gaudreau family is in our thoughts and prayers as they navigate this incredibly difficult time.

[Source]

Former Calgary Flames general manager Jay Feaster

I am heartbroken by this tragic news. I will always remember Johnny from the off-seasons when Craig Conroy and I would make our annual trip to New Jersey to meet with Johnny and his Mom, Jane, and Dad, Guy. We always tried to convince him to leave school early and turn pro, and the entire time Johnny would look out the window of the meeting room at the rink his Dad ran and stare longingly at the ice. Finally, I would ask if he would prefer to be out there and he give me that big grin. I would tell him to go ahead, and we would visit with his Mom and Dad and family advisor. His smile was infectious, and he just loved playing the game. My heart is broken for his entire family, his wife, his young children, and all of us who knew him and loved him. The one thing I take some comfort in is knowing he and his brother have already found a shinny game in Heaven. RIP Johnny Hockey. You will be greatly missed.

Boston College

The Boston College Athletics Department and its men’s hockey program are devastated and mourn the tragic loss of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau on Thursday night.

Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, were shining stars on and off the ice for the Eagles.

Johnny played three seasons for Boston College from 2011-14 and was a member of BC’s 2012 National Championship team as a freshman. He led the nation in scoring as a junior and was the recipient of the 2014 Hobey Baker Award, presented annually to the top player in men’s college hockey. Nicknamed “Johnny Hockey,” he went on to play 11 years in the National Hockey League with the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Matthew and his brother played together on the ice at Kelley Rink during the 2013-14 season. A four-year standout for the Eagles from 2013-17, he played in 120 games for Boston College and was a two-time Beanpot champion in 2014 and 2016. After Boston College, Matthew went on to play professionally for five seasons and served as the head boys hockey coach at Gloucester Catholic H.S. in New Jersey for the past two seasons.

We extend our deepest sympathies to the entire Gaudreau family and mourn with them during this time of tragedy.

[Source]