{"id":49342,"date":"2026-02-23T16:23:40","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T21:23:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=49342"},"modified":"2026-02-23T16:23:40","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T21:23:40","slug":"u-s-hockey-players-celebrate-olympic-gold-with-johnny-gaudreaus-kids-in-heartfelt-tribute-to-late-nhl-star","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2026\/02\/u-s-hockey-players-celebrate-olympic-gold-with-johnny-gaudreaus-kids-in-heartfelt-tribute-to-late-nhl-star.html","title":{"rendered":"U.S. Hockey Players Celebrate Olympic Gold With Johnny Gaudreau\u2019s Kids in Heartfelt Tribute to Late NHL Star"},"content":{"rendered":"
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@usahockey \/ Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Team USA finally captured its long-awaited gold medal in a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory over Canada, the celebration was about more than hockey. It was about memory, love, and a teammate who should have been there.<\/p>\n

Johnny Gaudreau\u2019s No. 13 jersey \u2014 kept in the Americans\u2019 dressing room throughout the tournament \u2014 was brought onto the ice for the postgame celebration. Then came the moment that left players and fans emotional: Gaudreau\u2019s young children, 3-year-old Noa and 2-year-old Johnny Jr., were carried into the team photo, front and center alongside the gold medalists. Johnny Jr. had just turned 2 that very day.<\/p>\n

For the players who knew and loved Gaudreau, the tribute felt inevitable. \u201cThis is for the guys who wore the jersey before us. Johnny Gaudreau especially,\u201d forward Dylan Larkin said. \u201cTo get it done today, it\u2019s just an unbelievable feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

The loss still feels painfully recent across the hockey world. Eighteen months ago, Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were killed by a drunk driver while biking the night before their sister\u2019s wedding. The tragedy stunned the sport\u2019s tight-knit community \u2014 and Team USA\u2019s roster included many players who had grown up alongside Gaudreau or shared the international stage with him.<\/p>\n

Gaudreau\u2019s connection to USA Hockey ran deep. He represented his country at four World Championships and helped win gold at the 2013 World Juniors. For years, he had hoped to compete in a best-on-best Olympic tournament. This was the stage he had waited for \u2014 the one his teammates now stood on without him.<\/p>\n

So when Gaudreau\u2019s parents, Guy and Jane, and his wife Meredith traveled to Italy for the semifinal and final, the team knew what they wanted to do. \u201cWe saw them up there and we wanted to get the whole family on,\u201d defenseman Zach Werenski said. \u201cSo we figured we\u2019d grab the kids. Special moment seeing Guy and Jane.\u201d<\/p>\n

The arena crowd understood the significance, too. As the celebration unfolded, chants of \u201cJohnny Hockey\u201d \u2014 Gaudreau\u2019s beloved nickname \u2014 echoed through the building. It was the same chant heard during last year\u2019s international final in Boston, but this time it carried the weight of victory and remembrance together.<\/p>\n

Players said the tribute reflected how present Gaudreau remained in their minds throughout the tournament. Captain Auston Matthews explained that his jersey had hung in their locker room at both the previous international competition and these Olympics. \u201cJust a subtle reminder that him and his brother are with us in spirit,\u201d Matthews said. \u201cWe\u2019re obviously thinking of him. Just felt the impact he\u2019s had on so many guys in this room is special. He was with us in spirit the whole tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n

Werenski echoed that sentiment, saying the team had spoken openly about honoring Gaudreau with their play. \u201cWe talked about playing for him, making him proud and I think we did that,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is something John would have been at.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the end, the Americans\u2019 first gold medal in 46 years became something even more meaningful: a shared tribute between teammates, family, and fans to a player whose legacy extends far beyond the ice.<\/p>\n

No. 13 wasn\u2019t missing from the celebration. He was right where he belonged \u2014 at the heart of it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When Team USA finally captured its long-awaited gold medal in a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory over Canada, the celebration was about more than hockey. It was about memory, love, and a teammate who should have been there. Johnny Gaudreau\u2019s No. 13 jersey \u2014 kept in the Americans\u2019 dressing room throughout the tournament \u2014 was brought…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":462,"featured_media":49351,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49342","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-television"],"yoast_head":"\nU.S. Hockey Players Celebrate Olympic Gold With Johnny Gaudreau\u2019s Kids in Heartfelt Tribute to Late NHL Star<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Zach Werenski and Dylan Larkin brought Gaudreau's kids Noa and Johnny Jr. on the ice for the team picture after their win.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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