MILAN (AP) – Johnny Gaudreau\u2019s No. 13 jersey was hanging in the U.S. locker room throughout the Olympics, and Dylan Larkin and Matthew Tkachuk carried it around the ice after the U.S. beat Canada in overtime to win the country\u2019s first gold medal at the Games since 1980.<\/p>\n
Then, the tribute to the late player known as \u201cJohnny Hockey\u201d went even further.<\/p>\n
The oldest two of Johnny and Meredith Gaudreau\u2019s three children were in attendance, along with their grandparents, Guy and Jane, and they got to be part of the celebration. Larkin and Werenski brought 3-year-old Noa and 2-year-old Johnny Jr. on the ice for the team photo, which also had Gaudreau\u2019s jersey in it. To a man, players said he should have been with them.<\/p>\n
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United States’ Dylan Larkin (21) holds Johnny, the son of the late player Johnny Gaudreau, while posing with teammates after a men’s ice hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.(Source: AP Photo\/Petr David Josek)<\/p>\n
\u201cIt meant everything,\u201d said Werenski, who assisted on Jack Hughes\u2019 golden goal in overtime. \u201cThis is something John would have been at. And to see his family here supporting us and seeing his kids, bringing them on the ice, we talked about playing for him, making him proud and I think we did that. Super special to see them and to have kids on the ice, he was a huge part of USA Hockey.\u201d<\/p>\n
Johnny and his brother, Matthew, died in August 2024 when they were struck by an SUV while riding bicycles near their hometown in New Jersey on the eve of their sister Katie\u2019s wedding.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s with us here in spirit for the whole tournament,\u201d captain Auston Matthews said. \u201cTo have his jersey out there in the team photo and have his kids come out and be with us, we\u2019re obviously thinking of him.\u201d<\/p>\n
An elite player a decade into his NHL career and the all-time U.S. leading scorer in international play, Johnny Gaudreau was on track to be in Milan. Guy Gaudreau said USA Hockey told the family that their oldest son was on the projected roster.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe obviously would have been on this team \u2014 and been a huge part of it,\u201d forward J.T. Miller said. \u201cA guy I grew up with and against and knew pretty well. It\u2019s more than hockey, at that point. … He deserved better, and he had a big part in how things went down today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Larkin, who was also close to Gaudreau, dedicated what is just the third U.S. men\u2019s hockey gold in history to Gaudreau and former USA Hockey executive Jim Johannson, who died unexpectedly just before the 2018 Olympics.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is for the guys who wore this jersey before us,\u201d Larkin said. \u201cAll those people should be here. Johnny especially, Matty his brother. To get it done today, it\u2019s just an unbelievable feeling.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
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