31-year-old Columbus Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau has tragically passed away

Late Thursday evening, unconfirmed reports had begun to surface speculating that Gaudreau had lost his life in an unfortunate cycling accident. Feelings on the situation only intensified when a Cleveland Monsters reporter reached out to New Jersey State Police for confirmation and officers would not confirm nor deny the rumours.

However, former NHL referee Tim Peel has publicly stated that the information is accurate and that Gaudreau, 31, has indeed passed away. The full range of details are not yet known, but there is a belief that Johnny and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, may have been struck and killed by a drunk driver.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have since confirmed the horrific news, issuing an official statement on Friday morning:

The heartbreaking announcement has sent shockwaves through the hockey community. Gaudreau, an 11-year NHL veteran, played 9 seasons as a member of the Calgary Flames before signing in Columbus as a free agent in the summer of 2022.

There are absolutely no words to describe what a horrible tragedy this is. Our deepest and most sincere condolences to the Gaudreau family and the entire Columbus Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames organizations. Absolutely heartbreaking.

Source: Hockey-Reference
Johnny Gaudreau player profile