Johnny Gaudreau was on the minds of Team USA throughout the men’s hockey tournament at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
Forward Matthew Tkachuk and defenseman Zach Werenski skated around the ice with a Gaudreau USA jersey after a 2-1 overtime win against Team Canada in the gold medal game Sunday. The entire team then took a photo on the ice with Gaudreau’s young children.
Gaudreau, along with his brother Matthew Gaudreau died when struck by a vehicle Aug. 29, 2024, while cycling in Oldmans Township, New Jersey. Johnny Gaudreau was 31 and a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets at the time.
“He’s on everybody’s mind,” U.S. captain Auston Matthews said after the win. “We’ve had his jersey in the locker room every game. So many guys on this team grew up with him and were close with him and here with us in spirit. It’s awesome.”
Jack Hughes scored the winning goal at 1:41 of overtime in the 3-on-3 format to give the U.S. its first men’s Olympic hockey gold medal since 1980.
Gaudreau represented the U.S. at the 2013 World Junior Championship, winning gold, the World Championship five times (2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024), and played at the World Cup of Hockey in 2016.
