Gaudreau’s Defeat ‘Hard to Put into Words’ for Rookie Showcase Players

ARLINGTON, Virginia. — For Gavin Brindley, Johnny Gaudreau was a role model and, albeit too briefly, a teammate with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the United States at the 2024 IIHF World Championship.

Like the rest of the hockey world, the 19-year-old forward remains in shock after Gaudreau and his brother Matthew died Thursday when they were hit by a car while riding their bikes near their home in Oldmans Township, New Jersey. Johnny was 31. Matthew was 29.

“It’s hard to put into words,” Brindley said during the 2024 NHL Players’ Association Rookie Showcase at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on Wednesday. “I was very fortunate to play for a world championship with Johnny and get to know him. He was one of my favorite players growing up, especially being a smaller guy, and someone I always looked up to.

“I just feel for the Gaudreau family and (Johnny’s wife) Meredith and the kids. It’s an absolutely tragic accident. Johnny is probably one of the best guys I’ve ever played with. I can’t even put it into words.”

Brindley played in the NHL with Gaudreau only once: when he made his NHL debut with Columbus against the Carolina Hurricanes on April 16. At 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds, Brindley drew inspiration from his younger years watching Gaudreau, a 5-foot-9, 163-pound forward who used his dazzling offensive skills to score 743 points (243 goals, 500 assists) in 763 games over 11 NHL seasons with the Calgary Flames (2014-22) and Blue Jackets (2022-24).

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, who is 175 cm tall and weighs 88 kg, achieved a similar result.

“He really paved the way for me and a lot of other young players coming up,” the 20-year-old said. “He was doubted throughout his career, but he didn’t get offended or give up. He was a guy who played with a smile on his face. It was hard at times to realize how lucky we were to play this game, and he was the best at it, really showing his appreciation for the game and doing it with joy.

“Of course we are very sad about this news, but many younger players looked up to him.”

Among them was San Jose Sharks rookie Will Smith. The 19-year-old grew up in Boston, idolizing Gaudreau as he played at Boston College, where he helped the Eagles win the NCAA title as a freshman in 2012 and won the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA’s MVP in 2014.

Smith followed in the footsteps of Johnny and Matthew and played at Boston College last season before starring alongside Johnny at the 2024 World Championships in the Czech Republic.

“Spending some time with him at the World Series was special,” Smith said. “I scored an exhibition goal and he had one of the assists, so that’s probably one of my favorite goals I’ve ever had. … Obviously, we had the BC connection. One day, (Washington Capitals reliever) Ryan Leonard and I, Johnny and (Pittsburgh Penguins reliever) Kevin Hayes went golfing. That was probably one of the coolest days we spent there, just hanging out and talking about stories and stuff like that.”