Johnny Gaudreau dreamed of playing for Team USA in the 2026 Winter Olympics. He played left wing for most of his NHL career. He played nine seasons with the Calgary Flames and two with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Sadly, Johnny and his brother, Matthew, died in a biking accident in 2024. Team USA wanted to honor Johnny Gaudreau in Milano Cortina and invited his family to be part of their gold medal celebration. “He wanted to be on this team,” Johnny’s father, Guy Gaudreau, said. “And it would’ve been nice if he’d been here.” Johnny Gaudreau’s Sisters Encouraged His Family to Attend “Our two daughters, for 24 hours, they just kept at us: ‘You have to go. The boys would want you to do this. This would mean so much to John,’” Johny’s mom, Jane Gaudreau said. “It just means so much to our family, and we’re so excited to remember what our boys meant to hockey.” Together with Johnny’s widow, Meredith, and her children, John Jr. and Noa, the family made the trip to the Winter Olympics and were part of Team USA’s gold medal celebration. The team honored Johnny Gaudreau by having his children on the ice with his jersey, according to Fox News. “He was so near and dear to us,” Brady Tkachuk said. “We did it for him.” Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan remembered Johnny’s kindhearted nature and incredible skills. “He was one of America’s very best,” Coach Sullivan said. “He’s just a good person on the ice and off the ice, and I think he’s an inspiration to our players to this very day.” If a gold medal win wasn’t enough, Team USA brought home the win on Johnny Jr.’s second birthday. Can’t get muchbetter than that. This story’s featured image is by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images