Remembering Johnny Hockey: Johnny Gaudreau and brother Matthew shined on and off the ice
Johnny Gaudreau was known as “Johnny Hockey” for his lifelong journey in the sport he loved along with his family
Getting a nickname in hockey is not only a sign of affection but a sense that a player has really made it. Wayne Gretzky became the “Great One,” Mario Lemieux was “Super Mario” and the late Gordie Howe remains “Mr. Hockey” to the sport's players and fans everywhere.
“Johnny Hockey” was the one bestowed on Johnny Gaudreau, and it stuck to the talented, beloved player wherever he went. It was a reminder of his skills and unselfishness on and off the ice that made it all the more painful when word spread that the 31-year-old standout for the Columbus Blue Jackets died Thursday night along with younger brother Matthew when they were struck by a suspected drunken driver near their childhood home on the eve of their sister's wedding in Philadelphia.
Gaudreau never got the chance to put together a full NHL career like Gretzky, Lemieux or Howe, yet everyone in the sport knew who he was: A kid from Carneys Point, New Jersey, who thrived despite being well under 6 feet tall, a pioneer of sorts for players who make up for a lack of size with skill, speed and energy.
The brothers grew up in hockey, playing for the Little Flyers and even getting to spend a year together as teammates at Boston College in 2013-14. It was the season Johnny Gaudreau won the Hobey Baker Award as the top NCAA player in the country, and his brother was there to be a part of it.
