NHL star Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, were  tragically killed after the two were struck down by a passing car in Oldmans Township at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Thursday evening, August 29. According to authorities, the brothers were riding bikes on a rural road in New Jersey called Stumpy Lane when the accident occurred.

Johnny’s hockey team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, posted a statement about his demise on X earlier today, August 30. The lengthy message notes how devastated and shocked the team is by the sad news.

Boasting about how incredible of a player and person Johnny was, their statement divulged, “Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend.”They go on to highlight how joyful Johnny would be in every game he played—a joy that was felt by everybody else who got to see the late star play. Johnny always brought his A-game and passion for the sport everywhere he went. His hockey career took him from Boston College to the Calgary Flames to Team USA to the Blue Jackets, where he served as the team’s winger.”The impact he had on our organization and our sport was profound, but pales in comparison to the indelible impression he made on everyone who knew him,” mentioned the Columbus Blue Jackets in their statement.