Mark Scaglione is a producer at NBC News
The U.S. men’s ice hockey team is playing for more than just a gold medal at the Milan Cortina Olympics. Inside the team’s locker room at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, a jersey with the number 13 hangs proudly, honoring the late American hockey player and NHL star Johnny Gaudreau.
Gaudreau, 31, who played for the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Calgary Flames, and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, 29, were fatally struck by an alleged drunk driver while they were bicycling in New Jersey in August of 2024. They were killed the night before their sister’s wedding. The sudden tragedy sent shockwaves through the hockey community, with tributes pouring in from teammates, coaches and fans across the NHL. Gaudreau played for Team USA in six different international events, including five International Ice Hockey Federation Men’s World Championships, tallying 43 points in 40 games, the most points in USA men’s IIHF history. Gaudreau was considered a strong contender to make the U.S. Olympic team. The Gaudreau family put out a statement on social media ahead of the men’s Olympic hockey tournament in Milan, which expressed their “heartache knowing how much this moment meant to John.” The family described Gaudreau’s desire to represent Team USA. “In that final summer, John was training harder than ever, with his dad, pushing himself to be in the best shape of his life. He was determined to earn his spot on that Olympic roster,” the Gaudreau family said. “While it breaks our hearts that John won’t be there to live out that dream, we know he will be so very present with Team USA and all of his close friends competing throughout these games,” the family said. The family added a message of support for Gaudreau’s former teammates. “Go Team USA. We know John and Matty are watching with pride.” Gaudreau’s teammates expressed a similar sentiment. “We know he’s here with us, cheering us on and rooting for us,” said alternate captain Matthew Tkachuk. “He’s got his own area in the locker room and it’s always nice to see that as a reminder,” he added. Teammate Zach Werenski played with Gaudreau on the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2022 -2024. “I know how much Johnny wanted to be here for the Four Nations and the Olympics,” he said. Gaudreau and Werenski represented Team USA together in the 2024 men’s World Championship. “It’s super special to see his jersey hanging, and we’re playing for him and trying to make him proud,” he added. U.S. men’s hockey team head coach — and current head coach of the NHL’s New York Rangers — Mike Sullivan acknowledged what Johnny’s legacy means to the team. “We did it in the Four Nations tournament a year ago, and we’re carrying that jersey with us here in Milan,” he said. “The fact that our team is celebrating him throughout this tournament just speaks volumes to the character and the person that Johnny was,” he said. “I know how much he meant to a lot of the guys in that room.”
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