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Team USA men’s hockey honored the late Johnny Gaudreau on Sunday as players carried his jersey and his children onto the ice as they celebrated a gold medal win at the Olympics.
Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed by an alleged drunk driver in New Jersey in August 2024. They were in town for their sister’s wedding. The former Columbus Blue Jackets player likely would have been on the team if it wasn’t for the tragedy.
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United States’ Dylan Larkin (21) holds Johnny, the son of the late player Johnny Gaudreau while posing with teammates after a men’s ice hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
United States’ Matthew Tkachuk (19) carries Noa Gaudreau, following a men’s ice hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Katie Gaudreau appeared on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” and thanked the team for what they did.
“Team USA really went above and beyond. It meant the world,” she said Monday. “Even just having his jersey out when Matthew (Tkachuk) went out with his jersey round-to-round with the jersey. It really meant a lot. And we thought it was just going to end there.
“And then I remember watching the jersey when they were giving out the gold medals and thinking, ‘Wow, it’s still there,’ and as the celebration went on, when they went to do the picture, they stopped for a little bit. We were like, ‘What are they doing? What are they doing?’ And I thought I heard them say earlier, ‘There’s Meredith in the crowd,’ and when they went and got Johnny (Junior) on his second birthday and Noa, it truly meant the world to us because, honestly, this is what John wanted for his children. He wanted them to experience these experiences, these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that he worked so hard for.”
TEAM USA MEN’S HOCKEY HONORS JOHNNY GAUDREAU AFTER WINNING OLYMPIC GOLD
Team USA pose for group photo Johnny Gaudreau’s children during the Men’s Gold Medal match between Canada and United States on day sixteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (RvS.Media/Monika Majer/Getty Images)
Team USA won the game, 2-1, thanks to Jack Hughes’ score in overtime. Canada missed out on a handful of chances to bust the game open.
Katie Gaudreau said she thought there may have been some kind of divine intervention for Canada to have missed some of the opportunities they had.
“They would be very proud. They like a nail-biter, so they probably would’ve been chirping everyone. But they would’ve been proud,” she said. “I think there were a couple goals that … they might have had a little help in saving. They didn’t go in. There was a couple times I was watching, ‘How did that not go in?’ I think they might have had some help behind the net. They were never quite defensive so I don’t know if they woulda made their way back in the defensive zone to stop that puck.”
She added that the grief of losing her brothers was still there, but thanks to the hockey community, she and her family have been able to take it day by day.
“There’s no processing. We’re still taking it day by day,” she said. “But because of the help of the hockey community and really North America as a whole, we’ve been able to go one step everyday further and I’m so thankful for the community’s help. No parent, wife, sister, children should ever have to experience this tragedy.
Auston Matthews (34) of the United States, Zach Werenski (8) of the United States and Matthew Tkachuk (19) of the United States hold up the jersey of John Gaudreau after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 22, 2026. (Amber Searls/Imagn Images)
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“The fact that we’re still here and taking it step by step to honor the boys and their legacy is really in thanks to the community and things like Team USA and what they did yesterday. Just the outpour of love and support for John’s kids, Matthew’s trip, it’s truly incredible what this community can really do.”
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