Johnny Gaudreau’s wife Meredith posts tribute to her husband on social media following his death

Johnny Gaudreau’s wife released a statement on social media following her husband’s tragic death. Meredith Gaudreau wrote a tribute to her husband with several photos of their family in an Instagram post on Saturday.

The NHL star and his brother Matthew were killed Thursday night after being struck by a drunk driver while riding their bikes in rural Salem County, New Jersey.

Gaudreau followed this up with another message about her husband and their children, calling him “the best father in the world.”

Johnny, 31, and Matthew, 29, were in New Jersey to attend their sister’s wedding, which was set to take place on Friday. The brothers were to act as groomsmen, while their other sister was to be the bridesmaids.

According to police, Gaudreau and his brother were struck by an SUV that was attempting to pass two other vehicles. The driver of the SUV, Sean Higgins, reportedly had “a strong odor” of alcohol on his breath and failed an on-scene breathalyzer test. He was charged with two counts of homicide by vehicle and is being held at the Salem County Correctional Facility while the crash is investigated.

Johnny Gaudreau played 11 seasons in the NHL, nine with the Calgary Flames and the last two with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was a seven-time All-Star and in 2017 won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the player who “combines the finest sportsmanship and courtesy with a high level of playing ability.”