{"id":25130,"date":"2026-02-22T14:17:29","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T19:17:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/team-usa-hockey-honors-fallen-teammate-johnny-gaudreau-after-olympic-gold-victory\/"},"modified":"2026-02-22T14:17:29","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T19:17:29","slug":"team-usa-hockey-honors-fallen-teammate-johnny-gaudreau-after-olympic-gold-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/team-usa-hockey-honors-fallen-teammate-johnny-gaudreau-after-olympic-gold-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"Team USA Hockey Honors Fallen Teammate Johnny Gaudreau After Olympic Gold Victory"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Following their historic overtime victory over Canada that secured America’s first Olympic hockey gold in over four decades, the U.S. men’s hockey team made sure to remember a fallen teammate who couldn’t be there to celebrate with them.<\/p>

Johnny Gaudreau, a 31-year-old forward who had competed alongside many of these players, was tragically killed in August 2024 when a drunk driver struck him and his brother Matthew while they were riding bicycles. The fatal accident occurred just three months after Gaudreau had represented the United States at the World Championships.<\/p>

During Sunday’s medal presentation ceremony in Milan, team members displayed Gaudreau’s number 13 jersey as they stood together celebrating their dramatic victory. The touching tribute continued when players Zach Werenski and Dylan Larkin brought Gaudreau’s children from the spectator area down to the ice surface, where they participated in the championship team photograph alongside their father’s jersey.<\/p>

“Just to get it done, to score that big goal that USA Hockey, the guys that have worn this jersey before us, have been missing, it’s just an incredible feeling,” Larkin said.<\/p>

“This is for a lot of people. This is for the guys that wore this jersey before us, and Johnny Gaudreau especially. All those people, they should be here with us, Johnny, Matty his brother, and to get it done today is just an unbelievable feeling.”<\/p>

American supporters in the Santagiulia arena could be heard shouting “Johnny Hockey” \u2014 Gaudreau’s well-known nickname \u2014 throughout the celebration that followed the championship victory.<\/p>

Team captain Auston Matthews explained the deep connection many players shared with Gaudreau and how the team kept his memory present throughout their Olympic journey.<\/p>

“I think he’s had a big impact on a lot of guys in our room, a lot of guys grew up with him, played with him, spent a lot of time with him,” captain Auston Matthews said.<\/p>

“We had his jersey in our room last year at the Four Nations. We had his jersey in the room here at the Olympics.<\/p>

“Just a subtle reminder that him and his brother, they’re kind of with us in spirit. And to be able to get it done like that, to win, to have his jersey out there and the team photo and have his kids come out and be with us.<\/p>

“We’re obviously thinking of him and we just felt like the impact that he’s had on so many guys in our room was special and he was with us here in spirit the whole tournament.”<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The U.S. men’s hockey team dedicated their first Olympic gold medal since 1980 to former teammate Johnny Gaudreau, who died in a drunk driving crash last August. Players honored Gaudreau by displaying his jersey during the medal ceremony and inviting his children onto the ice for team photos.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":25129,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[836],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771787848567.jpg?fit=450%2C272&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbtNqq-6xk","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":24602,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/team-usa-honors-fallen-hockey-star-johnny-gaudreau-at-winter-olympics\/","url_meta":{"origin":25130,"position":0},"title":"Team USA Honors Fallen Hockey Star Johnny Gaudreau at Winter Olympics","author":"Admin","date":"February 21, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The U.S. Olympic hockey team is paying tribute to late NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, who died in a bicycle accident last August. Gaudreau's jersey hangs in the team's locker room as they compete for gold, with his family attending the games in Milan.","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/sports\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771687920940.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771687920940.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771687920940.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771687920940.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":27364,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/lawyer-for-gaudreau-brothers-alleged-killer-seeks-dismissal-of-charges\/","url_meta":{"origin":25130,"position":1},"title":"Lawyer for Gaudreau Brothers’ Alleged Killer Seeks Dismissal of Charges","author":"Admin","date":"February 25, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The defense attorney for Sean Higgins, accused of fatally striking NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother while they were cycling, is requesting a judge dismiss certain charges. 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Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal exactly 46 years after the famous \"Miracle on Ice\" victory.","rel":"","context":"In "Sports"","block_context":{"text":"Sports","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/sports\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771787855588.jpg?fit=450%2C294&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":28983,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/team-usas-historic-hockey-double-gold-sparks-political-controversy\/","url_meta":{"origin":25130,"position":3},"title":"Team USA’s Historic Hockey Double Gold Sparks Political Controversy","author":"Admin","date":"February 27, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The United States made history by winning both men's and women's Olympic hockey gold medals for the first time, defeating Canada in overtime in both finals. 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