MILAN — The U.S. men’s hockey team wanted to share its gold medal win as much with those who weren’t on the ice as those who were.
In the immediate celebration of America’s thrilling 2-1 overtime win against Canada in Sunday’s Olympic final, Auston Matthews, Zach Werenski and Matthew Tkachuk skated around the ice with the No. 13 jersey of the late Johnny Gaudreau.
And then, as Team USA posed for a photo, the players brought Gaudreau’s children Noa and Johnny Jr. onto the ice as part of the group.
“To be able to get it done like that, to win, to have his jersey out there in the team photo, have his kids come out and be with us, we’re obviously thinking of him,” said Matthews, the team captain. “Just felt like the impact that he’s had on so many guys in this room is special. He was with us in spirit the whole tournament.”
Gaudreau, 31, and younger brother Matthew, 29, were killed in 2024 when they were struck by a SUV while riding bicycles. Johnny Gaudreau would have been a candidate to make this Olympic team, especially after his commitment to the U.S. program in attending the world championships in the spring before his death.
He was a beloved teammate and a gifted playmaker who was nearly a point-per-game player over his 763 career games.
Team USA hung Gaudreau’s jersey in its locker room for each game during the Olympic tournament as a tribute, a tradition it carried over from last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off.
“Everyone is included in everything,” Dylan Larkin said of Team USA’s identity as being a tight-knit group.
Johnny Gaudreau’s widow, Meredith, was in the stands at the gold medal game along with his parents, Guy and Jane.
“We talked about it,” said Werenski, who was one of Gaudreau’s teammates with the Columbus Blue Jackets. “We saw them up there, and we wanted to get the whole family on, but it was kind of hard with the gate, so we figured we’d grab the kids. Special moment seeing Guy and Jane.”
The Gaudreau brothers were hockey teammates at Boston College, and close friends with several players on the current team.
Several U.S. players spoke of feeling the presence of the Gaudreaus throughout the Olympic run.
“Johnny and Matty should be here, and that is the biggest loss that all of us at USA Hockey, their family, our family, has gone through,” Larkin said. “And to have Johnny Jr. and Noa out there, it just felt right.
“And I think part of those, the puck not going in our net, was somehow him standing there doing something, laughing with Matty. Just somehow they put a spell around our net where that puck didn’t go in.”
Larkin even joked about Gaudreau with a wide smile.
“Ironic on the defensive side, he would’ve never been back there,” Larkin laughed. “But we miss him and we love him, and we love his family.”
