Johnny Gaudreau

John Michael Gaudreau (August 13, 1993 – August 29, 2024) was an American professional ice hockey player. A left winger, he played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played college ice hockey for the Boston College Eagles in NCAA Division I for three seasons beginning in 2011 and was selected in the fourth round, 104th overall, by the Calgary Flames in the 2011 NHL entry draft. Nicknamed "Johnny Hockey", he was named the 2014 recipient of the Hobey Baker Award as the best player in the NCAA and, during his first full NHL season in 2014–15, was selected to play in the 2015 NHL All-Star Game, as well as being named to the annual NHL All-Rookie team. Gaudreau was a Calder Memorial Trophy finalist for the NHL's best rookie and won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the league's most gentlemanly player for the 2016–17 season. In 2022, Gaudreau signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he spent his last two seasons. Gaudreau was noted as helping to grow opportunities for smaller hockey players; despite measuring in at 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m), he was a seven-time NHL All-Star and finished fourth in Hart Memorial Trophy voting twice.

Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were killed by an allegedly drunk motorist while cycling on August 29, 2024, in Oldmans Township, New Jersey.

Gaudreau was born on August 13, 1993, in Salem, New Jersey, to Guy Gaudreau, a former soccer player, college hockey player, and high school coach from Beebe Plain, Vermont, and Jane Gaudreau. He had two sisters and a younger brother, Matthew, who played hockey for the Worcester Railers and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the ECHL and AHL, respectively.

Gaudreau grew up in Carneys Point Township, New Jersey. As a child, he played little league baseball in the Penns Grove Little League, where he was teammates with future Boston Red Sox pitcher Mike Shawaryn, and participated in the 2006 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Hershey, Pennsylvania. He initially attended Gloucester Catholic High School in Gloucester City, New Jersey, but later graduated from Dubuque Senior High School in Dubuque, Iowa while playing for the Dubuque Fighting Saints.

Gaudreau played the 2010–11 season with the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the United States Hockey League (USHL), where he played in the 2011 USHL All-Star Game and helped his team win the Clark Cup as the USHL champions. He ultimately finished second in the league in goals, with 36, and fourth in points, with 72. Gaudreau's outstanding play was rewarded with selections to the USHL All-Rookie Team and the All-USHL Second Team, as well as the USHL Rookie of the Year award.

Gaudreau was selected in the fourth round, 104th overall, in the 2011 NHL entry draft by the Calgary Flames. Listed at 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) and 137 lb (62 kg), Gaudreau was the lightest player selected at the draft, and tied with Rocco Grimaldi for the shortest player selected.

After attending the Calgary Flames training camp ahead of the 2011–12 season, Gaudreau started his career in the NCAA with the Division I Boston College Eagles team in the Hockey East conference. He originally signed a letter of intent to play with Hockey East rival Northeastern University, but opted for Boston College when Northeastern hockey head coach Greg Cronin resigned in June 2011 to take a position with the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs.

As a freshman at Boston College, Gaudreau scored 21 goals and 23 assists (44 points) in 44 games, leading all first-year students in scoring. He played an integral part in Boston College's win in the team's national championship, scoring a goal late in the third period in their 4–1 win in the final over Ferris State University. Gaudreau was awarded the Bill Flynn Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the Hockey East Championship Tournament. He also helped the Eagles win the traditional Beanpot Tournament for the third year in a row and was named Beanpot MVP after the tournament.