Team USA Honors Johnny Gaudreau After Winning Olympic Gold

Team USA's thrilling overtime victory against Canada for Olympic gold brought tears to fans' eyes for two reasons: the historic win and the beautiful way players honored Johnny Gaudreau. After Jack Hughes scored the winning goal, the celebration became a tribute to the late NHL star.

Gaudreau, known throughout hockey as "Johnny Hockey," played 11 seasons in the NHL before he and his brother Matthew were killed by a drunk driver while riding bikes in August 2024. He left behind his wife Meredith, who was pregnant with their third child, and two young kids.

The team kept a Gaudreau jersey hanging in their locker room throughout the entire Olympics. After securing the gold medal with a 2-1 win, stars Auston Matthews, Dylan Larkin, and Matthew Tkachuk skated around the ice carrying his Team USA jersey while fans chanted "Johnny Hockey."

The most touching moment came when Larkin and Zach Werenski went into the stands and brought Gaudreau's children, two-year-old Johnny Jr. and daughter Noa, onto the ice for team photos. The kids stood next to their dad's jersey as the team celebrated with their gold medals.

"We saw them up there, and we wanted to get the whole family on," Werenski explained. Matthews added that it felt like Gaudreau was with them in spirit: "To be able to get it done like that, to win, to have his jersey out there in the team photo, have his kids come out and be with us, we're obviously thinking of him."

Why This Inspires

Meredith Gaudreau watched from the stands, emotional throughout the ceremony. She later shared photos on Instagram, writing that the gesture meant "everything to me, I think John too most of all." The timing made it extra special: February 22 was Johnny Jr.'s second birthday, a date his father had chosen because of travel schedules.

Katie Gaudreau, Johnny's sister, said the tribute exceeded all expectations. "Team USA really went above and beyond," she told Fox & Friends. "This is what John wanted for his children. He wanted them to experience these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that he worked so hard for."

The team's gesture shows how sports can honor those we've lost while celebrating achievements they would have treasured.