Blue Jackets' Johnny Gaudreau and brother Matthew die after being hit by car on eve of sister's wedding

NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother were killed Thursday night when they were hit by a suspected drunken driver while riding bicycles in their home state of New Jersey, police said.

Gaudreau, 31, and brother, Matthew, 29, are Carneys Point, New Jersey, natives and were in the area for their sister Katie's wedding scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia, at which they were to be groomsmen.

New Jersey State police said Friday the Gaudreau brothers were cycling on a road when a man driving in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind, causing fatal injuries.

Police said the driver, Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and charged with two counts of death by auto and jailed at the Salem County Correctional Facility.

Johnny Gaudreau, known as "Johnny Hockey," played 11 professional seasons in the league and was set to enter his third with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He played his first nine with the Calgary Flames, a tenure that included becoming one of the sport's top players and a fan favorite across North America.

"Just devastating news for all of us connected with the Gaudreau family," Jerry York, who coached the Gaudreau brothers at Boston College, told The Associated Press by phone. "Both Matty and Johnny were terrifically admired by all of us. Wonderful young guys, and they impressed a lot of us off ice."

The Blue Jackets called it an unimaginable tragedy.

"Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend," the team said in a statement. "Johnny played the game with great joy which was felt by everyone that saw him on the ice. He brought a genuine love for hockey with him everywhere he played."

Gaudreau, at 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, was part of a generation of hockey players who thrived in an era of speed and skill that made being undersized less of a disadvantage. He scored 20-plus goals six times and was a 115-point player in 2021-22 as a first-time NHL All-Star when he had a career-best 40 goals and 75 assists.

"While Johnny's infectious spirit for the game and show-stopping skills on the ice earned him the nickname 'Johnny Hockey,' he was more than just a dazzling hockey player; he was a doting father and beloved husband, son, brother and teammate who endeared himself to every person fortunate enough to have crossed his path," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said.

NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh said: "Johnny was a beloved teammate and friend in both Calgary and Columbus, and he was a joy to watch during his 10 years and 763 games in the NHL. ... The players and staff of the NHLPA are devastated by these terrible losses."

A fourth-round pick of Calgary's in 2011, Gaudreau helped Boston College win the NCAA championship in 2012 and in 2014 took home the Hobey Baker Award as the top college player in the country.

As a professional, Gaudreau was part of the NHL all-rookie team during his first season in the league and was third in voting for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 2014-15.

Gaudreau was a point-a-game player with 642 points in 644 regular-season and playoff games since breaking into the league. In 2022, he left the Flames to sign a seven-year contract worth nearly $69 million with the Blue Jackets that put him and his young family in central Ohio, closer to his family in New Jersey.

Social media was full of an outpouring of messages about Gaudreau.

USA Hockey said, "Words cannot appropriately express the sorrow the hockey community is feeling." The Flames said Gaudreau "came to Calgary as a young man and grew up here, not only as a superstar on the ice but also a beloved member of our community."

Former Flames teammate Blake Coleman posted that he was "completely gutted. The world just lost one of the best."

"I don't know why I'm even writing right now I'm shaking but Johnny was one of my favorite teammates I've ever played with," retired goaltender Eddie Lack said. "Always happy, always spreading positivity around him. Rest in Peace my friend and prayers for your wonderful family. Hug your loved ones."

NBA superstar LeBron James, who is from Akron, Ohio, said he instantly got sad after seeing the news.

"My thoughts and prayers goes out to the Gaudreau family," James said. "May Johnny and Matthew fly high, guide/guard and bless their family/s from the heavens above."

In international play, Gaudreau owns the men's world championship records by a U.S. player with 30 assists and 43 points, earlier this year breaking marks previously held by Patrick Kane.

Gaudreau's death is the latest off-ice tragedy to strike the organization in the past few years. Goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died in July 2021 when he was struck in the chest by a firework while attending the wedding of then-Blue Jackets goaltending coach Manny Legace's daughter in Michigan.

The team is now left to deal with another unexpected loss three weeks before training camps around the league are set to open.

"We will miss him terribly and do everything that we can to support his family and each other through this tragedy," the Blue Jackets said. "At this time, we ask for prayers for the Gaudreau family and that their privacy be respected as they grieve."