{"id":497529,"date":"2026-02-22T21:36:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T21:36:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/497529\/"},"modified":"2026-02-22T21:36:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T21:36:10","slug":"team-usa-honored-johnny-gaudreaus-memory-by-making-him-an-olympic-champion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/497529\/","title":{"rendered":"Team USA Honored Johnny Gaudreau\u2019s Memory by Making Him an Olympic Champion"},"content":{"rendered":"

MILAN \u2014 Guy Gaudreau dried his eyes in time for the medal ceremony. He put his right hand over his heart in the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena stands Sunday afternoon as the United States flag was raised and the \u201cThe Star-Spangled Banner\u201d was played. Guy and his wife, Jane, wore No. 13 USA hockey sweaters\u2014Guy in blue, Jane in white\u2014with the family name on the back.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They were part of this epic moment, immense pride mingling with deep pain.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe grew up with all these guys,\u201d Guy says after the anthem, gesturing to the American players on the ice, gold medals around their necks. \u201cHe\u2019s probably here with them right now in spirit, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Team<\/p>\n

Team USA has brought Gaudreau\u2019s U.S. jersey with them throughout the Winter Olympics. | Erick W. Rasco\/Sports Illustrated<\/p>\n

If not for a horrific tragedy, Johnny Gaudreau\u2014\u201cJohnny Hockey,\u201d as he was known\u2014would have been part of the U.S. team that scored one of its all-time greatest victories<\/a> in the Olympic hockey final, defeating nemesis Canada, 2-1, in overtime<\/a>. The seven-time NHL all-star was the all-time leading U.S. scorer in international play. With the NHL players not participating in the previous two Olympics, this would have been his chance.<\/p>\n

But Johnny and his brother, Matthew, were killed by an alleged drunk driver while riding their bikes on a rural road in New Jersey<\/a> on Aug. 29, 2024, on the eve of their sister\u2019s wedding. It was a tragedy that shocked and devastated so many people throughout the hockey world.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The ripples from that tragedy have continued to be felt. So has the respect the hockey community has for Gaudreau<\/a>\u2014respect that reached all the way to Milan. USA Hockey invited the family to attend the Games, and they waffled initially before deciding to come.<\/p>\n

For Johnny Gaudreau. \u2764\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/rWycdK8NUo<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 22, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Here, his old teammates, peers and friends made sure to honor Johnny Hockey in this moment of triumph. At a time of peak personal athletic achievement, dreams coming true, the American team thought of who wasn\u2019t there with them.<\/p>\n

Within minutes after ending a riveting, intense game on an OT goal by Jack Hughes, American players Matthew Tkachuk, Auston Matthews and Zach Werenski paraded Johnny Hockey\u2019s jersey around the ice<\/a>. The Gaudreau family\u2014including Johnny\u2019s widow, Meredith<\/a>, and their two oldest children\u2014looked on, deeply moved by this show of respect and affection.<\/p>\n

\"Johnny<\/p>\n

Gaudreau last played for the U.S. at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, where he recorded three goals and eight assists. | RvS.Media\/Monika Majer\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

They accepted the emotional weight of being here, knowing that with the joy of this U.S. undefeated run through this tournament came the recurring pangs of who is missing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wanted to play on this team in the worst way,\u201d Guy says. \u201cHe wanted to win a gold medal in the worst way.\u00a0 So it was a lot of emotions. We\u2019re very proud of them, proud of the team, proud of the boys, and very proud they honor them.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cStill, it makes it very difficult for us. Two sons, one night. Pretty hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

When it came time for the team picture after the medal ceremony, Tkachuk and Werenski skated over to the boards, went through one penalty box and up to the stands. They grabbed Noa Guadreau, age 3, and 2-year-old Johnny Jr.\u2014whose birthday was Sunday\u2014and took them to center ice for the team picture, along with Johnny\u2019s sweater. Lumps welled up in throats.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to play for him and make him proud and I feel like we did that ,\u201d says Werenski, who played with Gaudreau for the Columbus Blue Jackets. \u201cTo see his family here supporting us, they would\u2019ve been here with John. To see the kids here, having his jersey on the ice, it means everything. Super special moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Johnny<\/p>\n

Gaudreau\u2019s children Noa (left) and Johnny Jr. (center) shared a special Olympic moment with his former teammates. | Erick W. Rasco\/Sports Illustrated<\/p>\n

Added Brady Tkachuk: \u201cIt\u2019s just what he means to our whole entire team, what he means to USA hockey. I mean, we miss him and Maddie dearly, and he would’ve been on this team. He\u2019s touched everybody on that ice and we just wanted to, I guess, show the Gaudreau family our support. He was so near and dear to a lot of us. We did it for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guy Gaudreau was a two-sport star, hockey and soccer, and became a hockey coach. He still watches the game with a coach\u2019s critical eye, as his appraisal of this gold medal classic shows.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t too thrilled,\u201d he says. \u201cAt the end of the second period, they played like they were going to play not to lose, but they picked it up after that. They killed that five-on-three [power play]. That\u2019s the best power play in the world, five best players in the world, and they kill that. Then they came back in the third period and they played well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it\u2019s overtime, it\u2019s anybody\u2019s game, right? Anybody\u2019s game, turn over, it goes the other way. Z [Werenski] made a big play right up to Jack Hughes, and in the back of the net [for a goal]. So it was a great game, one that will help to grow the game of hockey.\u201d<\/p>\n

This was a generational triumph, one that is second in U.S. annals only to the \u201cMiracle On Ice\u201d of 1980. On the 46th anniversary of that team\u2019s upset of the Russians, younger Americans finally have a touchstone Olympic hockey moment of their own.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The U.S. won its first men\u2019s hockey gold medal since 1980. | Erick W. Rasco\/Sports Illustrated<\/p>\n

\u201cThe young kids are going to read about it, they\u2019re going to see the pictures,\u201d Guy says. \u201cThey\u2019re going to be so excited to get into the game. It\u2019s a great game. Now I\u2019ve got grandchildren to coach.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Werenski and Matthew Tkachuk returned the grandkids to the family in the stands, Guy grabbed Noa and put her on his shoulders. It\u2019s unspeakably sad that Johnny wasn\u2019t there to be part of the moment, and to have his own celebration with his kids. But family is filling in as best it can\u2014the immediate family, yes, but the USA Hockey family, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the boys, they love John,\u201d Guy says. \u201cThey really honored him today.\u201d<\/p>\n

More Winter Olympics on Sports Illustrated