This one stinks. I took some time away from the keys this year to plan some exciting personal stuff, and the last few days I’ve been sitting and planning all the ways I thought I’d be getting back to writing about hockey. This was not the way.
Last night, Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were struck and killed by a drunk driver in New Jersey. The most unthinkable thing happened out of nowhere to two young kids, their families, their friends, and the entire hockey community that has been touched in one way or another by who they were and what they had done.
Let’s start with the more important thing. This is heartbreaking and I know for a fact that I speak for the entire Morning Skate locker room when I say that our thoughts, condolences and prayers are with everyone who this tragedy has hurt. This is a devastating loss of bright, young guys, way too soon, in such an insanely avoidable way. Hockey is something that has brought a community together time and time again, so when one of us is hurting, we all feel that hurt. This is no exception.
Both Johnny and Matthew found ways to continue to contribute to that Hockey community. Johnny gave Flames fans a reason to be excited again, gave one former Blackhawks fan a reason to be a Flames fan (we’ll touch on that shortly), and gave everyone who ever watched him lace ’em up a show. Small guy, lightning quick, hands like you wouldn’t believe. Always entertaining and passionate. Matthew continued playing as well after his Boston College tenure, but after a few years playing for various minor league affiliate programs, he took to another way to bring what he had to the game. He had been serving as the head coach of his former high school team since 2022.
It goes without saying that everyone in this community is touched by this tremendous loss. To echo the comments made by every organization and individual would take a lifetime. Yet through their love and commitment to their friends, family, loved ones, and fans, they will continue on in this world and in the game of hockey longer than any of us will be around to see.
A few years ago, there was a confused little hockey blog writer who just found out that his lifelong favourite team had committed such an unforgiveable act, that just past the tender age of 30, he was going to need a new favourite team. His friends at The Morning Skate reccommended “hey, you live in Calgary, check out the vibes”. Check out the vibes he did. He grabbed a few nosebleed tickets, wand watched the Flames pump the Rangers 6-0 on Nov. 6, 2021. That night there were these two guys who were unavoidably noticeable. #13 and #19. The reason Flames hockey was so fun for a time. Gaudreau potted two, helped on another, and that guy in the nosebleeds without a Hockey-Home had found one. Johnny Gaudreau’s sweater was the first I purchased as a Flames fan. I purchased it that night. Johnny Gaudreau truly helped me find my way back into a community of fans, and a very special one that has been more welcoming than any community I’ve ever been a part of. It’s also why it hurt so much when he left Calgary for Columbus, but you only find yourself mad because someone else gets to have the same appreciation for a guy somewhere else that you don’t get anymore. If he did it for me, I can only imagine that there’s a list a Red Mile long that there are hundreds, or even thousands of people with a similar story to mine.
Now, quite simply, don’t drive drunk. It’s been like 140 years since the first car was invented. They work the same, and so does alcohol. The two don’t go together. Hearing day after day about another young, bright life cut too short as a consequence of the selfish actions of one person is exhausting, it is heartbreaking, it is nothing we should be forcing ourselves to do every single day. Just don’t fucking pick up your keys. A decision that small could have saved (at least) 2 lives last night. The concept of “don’t be an idiot” is so simple to grasp but we have these conversations every single day about how heartbreaking of a loss we have to endure as people because someone missed the memo. We’ve known this is how it ends for decades and still we see it time and time again. If you drink, and you have your car, leave it there, take a cab, deal with it later. Don’t. Be. Stupid. Keep yourself and everyone else you’re going to encounter safe. I’m not going to mention the driver’s name because truthfully he doesn’t deserve the time and effort here. Bury him under the jail. This is about Johnny and Matthew and what we’ve lost in losing them.
From myself and the members of The Morning Skate team, we want to extend our most heartfelt sympathies to the Gaudreau family and the hockey community as a whole. There aren’t words that accurately explain what this is and there are obviously no words that are going to make it hurt less. All we can say is that we’re thinking of everyone touched by this tragedy. Be safe, hug your loved ones, and tell them you love them. Rest Easy Johnny and Matthew.
The Morning Skate 
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