NEED TO KNOW
Matthew Gaudreau met his wife Madeline Gaudreau when they were teenagers
The late Columbus Blue Jackets player married Madeline in July 2021
She welcomed their first child in December 2024, nearly four months after Matthew and his brother Johnny Gaudreau were killed
Matthew Gaudreau‘s wife is carrying on his memory following his August 2024 death.
The late Columbus Blue Jackets hockey player, nicknamed “Matty,” crossed paths with his wife, Madeline Gaudreau, in Nebraska as teenagers. After several years of dating, they got married in July 2021.
Madeline was pregnant with their first child when Matthew and his brother, NHL star Johnny Gaudreau, were killed by an alleged drunk driver, who has since pleaded not guilty, in New Jersey on Aug. 29, 2024. She welcomed their son, Tripp Matthew, in December 2024.
Ahead of the one-year anniversary of Matthew’s death, Madeline appeared on Good Morning America and described her late husband as “a pure, happy, good soul” and “fearless.”
“He made me a better person,” she added.
Here’s everything to know about the late Matthew Gaudreau’s wife, Madeline Gaudreau, and son Tripp.
She is a product manager
Madeline Gaudreau in May 2021.
Credit: Madeline Gaudreau/Instagram
After graduating from Millard North High School in Omaha, Neb., Madeline went on to attend Briar Cliff University, per her LinkedIn. She graduated in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in business, management, marketing and related support services.
In August 2022, she began working as a product manager at CDM Inc., which specializes in the distribution and manufacturing of engineered cable assemblies.
Madeline and Matthew met in Nebraska as teenagers
Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau with Matthew’s wife Madeline.
Credit: Madeline Gaudreau/Instagram
Madeline and Matthew met when the hockey player left Gloucester Catholic early to play junior hockey in Omaha, according to The Athletic. The pair’s relationship was long-distance when he went to college in Boston.
While it’s unknown when exactly they began dating, Madeline wrote on Instagram in September 2024 that being with Matthew was the “best 14 years of my life.”
“I will cherish those years and you for the rest of my life,” she continued.
They got married in July 2021
Madeline and Matthew Gaudreau on their wedding day.
Credit: Madeline Gaudreau/Instagram
Matthew proposed to Madeline in 2019 in Avalon, N.J., per his Instagram. After several years of dating, the pair tied the knot in July 2021.
Madeline announced the news on her Instagram, writing, “& then we were one. The Gaudreau’s.”
The wedding took place at The Grove at Centerton, a venue in Pittsgrove, N.J.
She welcomed their son Tripp four months after Matthew’s death
Madeline and Matthew Gaudreau in June 2024.
Credit: Madeline Gaudreau/Instagram
In June 2024, Madeline and Matthew announced on Instagram that they were expecting their first child together. Their son Tripp was born on Dec. 26, 2024, nearly four months after Matthew’s death.
While on Good Morning America in August 2025, Madeline said she wished she could have thanked Matthew for making her a mom.
“Because for a long time, Matt has wanted kids since I think he graduated college, and I was like, ‘ Matt, we’re too young.’ ” she said. “And a lot of people don’t know, but in January we got pregnant, and I had a miscarriage in February. So then I got pregnant again in March with Tripp. But I never thanked him for making me a mom.”
She co-launched a foundation in Matthew’s memory
Madeline Gaudreau, Meredith Gaudreau and Meredith’s daughter Noa.
Credit: Madeline Gaudreau/Instagram
Following Matthew’s death, Madeline and Meredith Gaudreau, Johnny’s widow, launched a foundation in March 2025 in honor of their late husbands.
As mentioned on its website, the John and Matthew Gaudreau Foundation supports projects and initiatives that “align with the values and passions that they championed during their lives.”
Madeline has paid tribute to Matthew in several other ways, from a tattoo in his honor to heartfelt social media posts.
Read the original article on People