The mourning for hockey star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew continued Wednesday as vigils in Ohio and Canada drew thousands of fans wanting to pay their respects.
The two Gaudreau brothers were killed last Thursday night when a motorist struck them while they were riding their bikes in their New Jersey hometown, shaking the hockey world just before the start of the season.
While it’s not known the exact number of fans that attended the vigil outside of Nationwide Arena in Columbus, more than 2,000 candles had been handed out by Blue Jackets staff members on Wednesday, The Athletic reported.
North of the border, Julian McKenzie of The Athletic posted a video of a sea of fans outside Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary.
Blue Jackets players fondly remembered Johnny Gaudreau, who joined the organization as a free agent in 2022.
“I just wanted to say thank you, John, for choosing Columbus when other people wouldn’t,” an emotional Zach Werenski said on Wednesday night. “You brought so much joy and excitement to this city, I’ve never quite seen anything like it. Something only truly special players can do and that’s what you were. Over the past two years, I’ve gotten to know John and his family and I can see just how much they meant to him. They were his whole world, especially his wife Meredith and his kids Noah and Johnny.
“There are so many things I’m going to miss about John starting with that huge plate of pasta with a Coke before games.”
Erik Gudbranson, who played with Johnny Gaudreau in both Columbus and Calgary, said during the stateside vigil that the team’s “hearts are shattered in a million pieces” while also calling him “an amazing friend.”
Gudbranson also recalled something special that had been unique to his friendship with Gaudreau over the years.
“There’s something that I’ll miss very dearly,” Gudbranson said, per The Athletic. “I had this little thing with John, where I’d pick him up and give him a bearhug, and I wouldn’t let him down until he told me he loved me. He wouldn’t tell me for a long time. I know now, with him up there, that it’s because he enjoyed the hug.
“I just miss him so much. It’s wrong.”
Even far away from the gatherings, hockey fans were doing what they could to honor the memory of the two hockey players.
In Bridgeport, Connecticut, a pair of flower bouquets were placed in front of Total Mortgage Arena, the home of the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders.
Matthew Gaudreau spent time playing for the New York Islanders’ affiliate during his pro career.
Sean Higgins is alleged to have driven under the influence and was arrested and charged with two counts of death by auto for striking the two brothers with his car.
Higgins allegedly tried to pass two slow-moving vehicles when he hit the Gaudreaus while they were riding their bikes.
The two were a day away from being groomsmen at their sister’s wedding.
