NHL All-Star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed Thursday evening when they were hit by a suspected drunken driver while riding bicycles in New Jersey, according to police.
They died one day before their sister, Katie, was to be married.
The Gaudreau brothers were to be groomsmen at the wedding scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia. Johnny Gaudreau, 31, was an 11-year NHL veteran, and the Columbus Blue Jackets — his team since 2022 — described the deaths as an “unimaginable tragedy” in a social media post.
Reaction was swift, heartfelt and came from across the sports landscape.