Red Wings captain shares tribute to Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau

The entire hockey world has been in mourning for the past two days since the deaths of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. The two hockey players were killed by a reckless driver who struck them while they were on their bikes just one day before they were to be groomsmen at their sister’s wedding. The tragedy of their loss has prompted an outpouring of support from members of the hockey community around the world, many of whom have shared touching stories about their time with the brothers.

For some Detroit Red Wings players, the loss hit close to home. The brothers were among their teammates and friends in the tight-knit hockey community. Some Detroit players shared their love and stories about the Gaudreau brothers on social media after their passing.

Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin posted a photo of himself and Johnny Gaudreau during the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, where they were teammates on Team North America and made three appearances at the Men’s World Cup in 2017, 2018 and 2019. They also played against each other multiple times during their NHL careers.

“Sending my love to Meredith, Madeline and the entire Gaudreau family,” Larkin wrote. “I will always cherish all the good times we had and always remember how kind you were to me when we first met. I will always miss watching you play. #13

Other Detroit players also posted images and tributes to their social media accounts, including Tyler Motte and William Lagesson.

In the wake of a tragic loss, some Red Wings players have also taken the time to support the family Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau leave behind. A GoFundMe was set up to support the Gaudreau family, particularly Matthew Gaudreau’s wife Madeline, who is pregnant with their first child. Detroit forward Andrew Copp and former Red Wing Zach Aston-Reese were among the 4,649 donors to the fund. Those were only the players who made their names public; some donations to the fund were made anonymously.

If you would like to donate to GoFundMe, you can do so here.