NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and brother killed by suspected drunk driver in New Jersey

NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother were killed Thursday night while biking when they were hit by a suspected drunk driver, authorities confirmed, as the two were preparing to be groomsmen in their sister's wedding on Friday.

Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and Matthew Gaudreau, 29, were cycling in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, when a driver attempting to pass another car fatally struck them, Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron of the New Jersey State Police said Friday in a statement. Both brothers were pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver, identified as 43-year-old Sean Higgins, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and was charged with two counts of death by auto, Lebron said. Higgins was booked into the Salem County Correctional Facility and appeared in a virtual courtroom Friday afternoon, where a judge said he could face up to 10 years of prison.

At the time, Higgins was represented by a public defender, but he said he planned to hire a private attorney.

Higgins' detention trial is scheduled for next Thursday, Sept. 5. He nodded grimly when the judge informed him that he would have to remain in jail until then.

An affidavit of probable cause revealed that the responding police officer detected a "strong odor" of alcohol from Higgins' breath at the scene of the crash. Higgins admitted to having consumed five to six beers before the accident and proceeded to fail a sobriety test.

Gaudreau's team, the Columbus Blue Jackets in Ohio, mourned the loss in a statement Friday morning.

"The Columbus Blue Jackets are shocked and devastated by this unimaginable tragedy. Johnny was not only a great hockey player, but more significantly a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend," the team said. "We extend our heartfelt sympathies to his wife, Meredith, his children, Noa and Johnny, his parents, their family and friends on the sudden loss of Johnny and Matthew."

Nicknamed "Johnny Hockey," Johnny Gaudreau was celebrated for his flashy offensive play and exceptional scoring ability.

He played alongside his brother at Boston College before being drafted by the Calgary Flames in 2011, where he quickly became a fan favorite. He was selected for the NHL All-Star Game seven times. In 2022, he signed a seven-year contract with the Blue Jackets and was entering his third season with them.

“Gaudreau often told the story of how his father taught him to skate as a child in his home state of New Jersey and he carried that same youthful passion throughout his 11 NHL seasons,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.

In an interview with "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt," Boston College coach Jerry York said the news of the brothers' deaths put the college community in a state of shock.

"As hockey players, Johnny was a world-class Olympic athlete. Matty was really gritty, high-nosed, both small forwards," York said. "But ... they were such great human beings."

York said he got to know the Gaudreau family well because they attended almost every game. The two brothers were in their New Jersey hometown on Thursday to celebrate the wedding of their younger sister Katie, York said. A website for the wedding listed the two brothers as groomsmen.

To watch the full interview, tune in to “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT or check your local listings.

After his own professional hockey career, Matthew Gaudreau followed in the footsteps of their father and became the head coach of their alma mater, Gloucester Catholic High School.

"Johnny and Matt have been a source of great pride in Gloucester Catholic's close-knit community, and they will be missed by everyone who knew them," the school said in a post on Facebook.

Wayne Bumm played hockey at Gloucester Catholic under the Gaudreau brothers' father and told WCAU reporters that the NHL star was one of the best hockey players to come out of South Jersey.

"I have two kids myself and now they don't have their dad. It’s horrible," Bumm said, as he brought flowers to a growing memorial outside Nationwide Arena in Columbus, where Gaudreau had played. "I know his dad was proud of him, how he made it to the NHL."

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also extended their condolences.

"Fran & I offer our deepest condolences to the family of @BlueJacketsNHL‘s Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew," DeWine said. "Our thoughts are also with the entire Blue Jackets organization as they mourn the loss of one of their own."

"To every member of the Gaudreau family, please know that the people of New Jersey grieve with you," Murphy said.

The crash remains under investigation, police said.