USA Hockey confirmed that Johnny Gaudreau was working toward making the U.S. roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics. He and brother Matthew grew up watching the Games, always dreaming of playing in them.
“It was their dream,” Jane Gaudreau said of her sons.
Johnny and Matthew died on Aug. 29, 2024, when they were struck by an SUV while riding bicycles near their hometown in New Jersey. The accident happened on the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding. Their deaths shocked the hockey community, and they’ve been honored since by retired numbers, a memorial 5K and more tributes.
Johnny Gaudreau was an elite player a decade into his NHL career. He was also the all-time U.S. leading scorer in international play.
Guy Gaudreau said USA Hockey told the family their oldest son was on the projected roster for Milan. The tournament wraps up Sunday when the Americans play rival Canada for the gold medal.
“He wanted to be on this team. And it would’ve been nice if he’d been here.”
Guy Gaudreau spoke during the third period of the U.S. semifinal win on Friday night.
The U.S. is honoring the Gaudreau brothers with a tribute in their locker room at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. A blue No. 13 Gaudreau jersey hangs there as a reminder of the player known as “Johnny Hockey.”
Dylan Larkin played with Gaudreau at multiple world championships.
“It means everything — we all know he should be here with us,” Larkin said. “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 arrived in Milan on Friday. Johnny’s widow, Meredith, and their two oldest children came with them.
The Gaudreau parents had been planning a trip to Las Vegas. They initially hesitated after USA Hockey invited them 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 said.
She added: “It just means so much to our family, and we’re so excited to remember what our boys meant to hockey.”
The Gaudreau family connections to players on the current roster run deep. The ties go from Boston College to the NHL.
Johnny played with Noah Hanifin on the Calgary Flames and Zach Werenski on the Columbus Blue Jackets. He also competed with several current teammates at world championships.
“Johnny was close to a lot of guys in that room,” Hanifin said. “We know he’d be here with us, so we’ve been thinking about him and carrying him with us.”
Werenski said Meredith reached out to his wife a few days before the family arrived. The team had just advanced to the final.
“It’s great having them here, and it’s super special,” Werenski said. “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 management told the Gaudreaus. Johnny would have been on the team if he were still alive, based on his body of work and performance in a U.S. uniform.
“He was one of America’s very best,” Sullivan said. “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 still talk about Gaudreau regularly. Charlie McAvoy played alongside him at worlds.
“All the stories are funny,” McAvoy said. “Just an amazing person, just an infectious personality.”
He praised the attention to detail from team staff. They’ve placed little reminders of Gaudreau throughout the room.
“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,” McAvoy said. “You always see them. They’re just gentle. They’re right there. But we know that he’s always with us.”
Along with Johnny’s No. 13 jersey is that number on the wall alongside Matthew’s No. 21.
It’s similar to what USA Hockey did a year ago at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Guy Gaudreau took part in practice as a guest coach during that tournament.
This would have been Johnny Gaudreau’s first chance to play at the Olympics. The NHL didn’t participate in 2018 and 2022.
But it almost certainly won’t be the last time his jersey hangs in the U.S. locker room at major tournaments. The tradition could continue for years to come.
“I hope so,” Larkin said. “I sure hope so.”
