'Absolutely devastated': Panthers Matthew Tkachuk among many left shocked, saddened by passing of Johnny Gaudreau
Brothers Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were killed after being struck by a suspected drunk driver on Thursday night in New Jersey
The tragic deaths of Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother Matthew have had a sudden and profound impact on the hockey world.
Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk was teammates with the elder Gaudreau brother for six years during their time with the Calgary Flames.
On Friday, Tkachuk made a post on social media with a heartfelt message about his longtime friend.
“Absolutely devastated. I will miss seeing that smile! RIP Hockey! Love you bro,” Tkachuk wrote.
Both Tkachuk and Gaudreau left the Flames during the summer of 2022.
Gaudreau signed a seven-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets while Tkachuk was traded to the Panthers in a blockbuster midsummer deal.
Rumors of the Gaudreau’s passing began to circulate on social media late Thursday night, but it wasn’t until Friday morning that the news nobody wanted to be true became confirmed.
According to authorities, the brothers were riding their bicycles at around 8:30 p.m. when they were fatally struck by a suspected drunk driver in South Jersey.
Both Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, were in town for the wedding of their sister, which was scheduled for Friday.
There has been an outpouring of touching messages and condolences since the sad news became public, including a makeshift memorial outside Nationwide Arena in Columbus.
Some of those social media messages can be seen below:
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