After Team USA beat Canada 2‑1 to win the Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey after 46 years, players, coaches, and fans erupted in joy. But the celebration wasn’t just about the win!  It was also a moment for someone who wasn’t there: Johnny Gaudreau, the late star forward who could have been on the team but passed away 2 years ago. But Matthew Tkachuk and Team USA made sure his memory was honored in the most emotional way that left his widow, Meredith, deeply moved!

Immediately after the final buzzer, U.S. players held up Johnny Gaudreau’s No. 13 jersey and skated it around the ice as a way to let his presence be part of the moment. And then came one of the most emotional moments of the Milan Olympics night: his children, three-year-old Noa and two-year-old Johnny Jr., were brought onto the ice.

Carried in the arms of the champions, they posed with the jersey, surrounded by teammates who loved and admired their father. Even Matthew Tkachuk held little Noa in his arms. Seeing all of this, Meredith Gaudreau shared a special memory from the moment.

She said she told her daughter, “Daddy’s friends want to take a picture with you and Johnny… You get to do this because of daddy and they love and they miss him too.”

“She was really excited. ” Meredith said. “… She’s started to put things together and she’s very, very proud.” Their youngest, Carter, born seven months after Johnny Gaudreau passed, couldn’t make it to the Olympics, but he watched from home, wearing his father’s number 13 in spirit.

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Meredith added, “So when the guys do what they can to still include John and our kids, it just means everything to me. You know, these guys are really good people, really good friends of ours. And I just consider them really great role models.”

Fans in the arena and viewers at home were moved to tears after witnessing a celebration that went far beyond the scoreboard.  And it wasn’t just Meredith and the children who were emotional. Johnny Gaudreau’s parents, who lost both of their sons in that accident, were heartbroken too.

Johnny Gaudreau’s father breaks down in tears

Losing both sons on the same day is a pain no parent should ever face. For Jane and Guy Gaudreau, that unimaginable tragedy became reality on August 29, 2024, when their sons, Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and Matthew, 29, were killed in a bike accident in New Jersey. The brothers were riding together on the eve of their sister’s wedding when a driver, suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, struck them.

The driver was arrested and has pleaded not guilty to charges including aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide, evidence tampering and leaving the scene of an accident. For now, the case has not yet gone to trial. But undoubtedly, the loss created a void for the Gaudreau family that no gold medal or championship could ever replace. But at the 2026 Olympics, Johnny Gaudreau’s spirit was celebratedwhich brought both tears to his parents.

Guy Gaudreau was seen crying as Jack Hughes scored the overtime goal to win Team USA’s gold medal. Even commentator Mike Tirico was overcome with emotion when two children of Johnny Gaudreau were brought on the stage by Dylan Larkin and Zach Werenski.  “They are going to hold their dad’s jersey and get a picture with the gold medal team,” he said. “You talk about sports and you talk about the togetherness of a team if you’ve ever been part of a team, you know what it means.”

In the end, the gold medal was historic, yes but the real victory was the love, the memory of Johnny Gaudreau, and the connection that filled the ice that night!