Why Remember Johnny Gaudreau?
Key points
A look back at Johnny Gaudreau's stellar NHL career, his statistical achievements, his memorable 2022 playoff goal, his move to Columbus, and the tragic loss of him and his brother at ages 31 and 29.
Key takeaway
Johnny Gaudreau's career, though tragically cut short at age 31, was a testament to elite skill and profound humanity. His on-ice legacy is quantifiable: a 2011 4th-round draft pick who amassed 609 points (5th in Flames history), a +64 league-leading plus/minus in 2021-22, 115 points that season, and a iconic Game 7 overtime winner in the 2022 playoffs. His 7-year, $68.25 million contract with Columbus marked a major career shift. Beyond statistics, his seven All-Star appearances, 2016-17 Lady Byng Trophy, and charitable work in Ohio and New Jersey defined a joyful spirit. His passing, alongside brother Matthew (29), is a profound loss, reminding us that legacy intertwines professional achievement with personal impact and community contribution.
A Look Back at the Life of Johnny Gaudreau
Let's take a look back at the life of Johnny Gaudreau. Born in Salem, New Jersey, Gaudreau was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
Before heading to Alberta, he played three seasons at Boston College, winning the National Championship in 2012 and the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey in 2014.
He was an instant star when he arrived in Calgary, scoring a goal in his very first NHL game. He played nine seasons in Western Canada, averaging more than a point per game. His 609 total points are the fifth most in Calgary Flames franchise history.
He flexed his star power in the 2021-22 season, notching a career-high in goals and assists while leading the entire league in plus/minus at plus 64. His 115 points were tied for second in the league, only eight points behind the Art Ross Trophy winner, Connor McDavid. He was also named a First-Team All-Star and finished fourth in the Hart Memorial Trophy voting that year.
In the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs that same year, Gaudreau scored one of the most memorable goals in team history, a Game Seven overtime winner against the Dallas Stars that pushed Calgary into the second round for the first time since 2015. Afterwards, he described the goal, saying, "You dream about stuff like that."
That offseason, he surprised the hockey world by signing a seven-year, sixty-eight point two five million dollar deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets. In his two seasons in Ohio, he tallied 33 goals and 134 points in 161 games.
The 2016-17 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winner made seven All-Star appearances during his eleven-season career. Johnny Hockey will be remembered not just for his on-ice skills but for his joyful personality and his off-ice charitable efforts for health causes in central Ohio and his native New Jersey.
Johnny Gaudreau was just 31 years old.
Family Statement
The Gaudreau family released a statement through Jim Gaudreau, Johnny and Matthew's uncle:
"Last night we lost two husbands, two fathers, two sons, two brothers, two sons and brothers-in-law, two nephews, two cousins, two family members, two teammates, two friends, but truly two amazing humans. We want to let everyone know we are receiving your messages of love and support, and we appreciate your continued thoughts and prayers. We ask for your continued respect and privacy during this very difficult period of grief from all our families, and from the bottom of our hearts, and all the families they've touched by this terrible tragedy."
Johnny Gaudreau was 31. Matthew Gaudreau was 29.
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