Gaudreau's children join gold medal celebration

MILAN — Johnny Gaudreau's 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's first gold medal at the Games since 1980.Then, the tribute to the late player known as "Johnny Hockey" went even further.The oldest two of Johnny and Meredith Gaudreau's 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's jersey in it. To a man, players said he should have been with them."It meant everything," said Werenski, who assisted on Jack Hughes' golden goal in overtime. "This 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."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's wedding. Johnny played his final two seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets."He's with us here in spirit for the whole tournament," captain Auston Matthews said. "To have his jersey out there in the team photo and have his kids come out and be with us, we're obviously thinking of him."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."He obviously would have been on this team — and been a huge part of it," forward J.T. Miller said. "A guy I grew up with and against and knew pretty well. It's more than hockey, at that point... He deserved better, and he had a big part in how things went down today."Larkin, who was also close to Gaudreau, dedicated what is just the third U.S. men's hockey gold in history to Gaudreau and former USA Hockey executive Jim Johannson, who died unexpectedly just before the 2018 Olympics."This is for the guys who wore this jersey before us," Larkin said. "All those people should be here. Johnny especially, Matty his brother. To get it done today, it's just an unbelievable feeling.''