FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Matthew Tkachuk estimates he tells a story about Johnny Gaudreau's exploits, both on and off the ice, to someone at least once a week.
And it's not going to stop either.
Tkachuk spoke about the death of his longtime friend and former teammate, calling Gaudreau “the most offensively gifted player I’ve ever seen.” Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, died Aug. 29 when police say they were struck by a suspected drunk driver while riding bicycles on a rural New Jersey road.
“It was a great honor to play with him,” Tkachuk said at Florida media day, the first formal event of the new season for the Panthers as they prepare to begin their Stanley Cup defense. “And you all saw what he did on the ice. I was the fortunate one out of everybody in this room to have a great relationship with him off the ice. So those are the memories I’ll take with me. But it’s been awful. It really has been.”
Gaudreau and Tkachuk were teammates in Calgary for six seasons. Tkachuk was traded to Florida in the summer of 2022, the offseason in which Gaudreau left the Flames to play for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Gaudreau and his younger brother were killed near their childhood home in South Jersey the night before they were to be groomsmen at their sister Katie's wedding. The driver who police say hit them is charged with two counts of death by motor vehicle accident, reckless driving, possession of an open container and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle.
“It’s been terrible,” Tkachuk said. “It really has been.”
The tributes to Gaudreau and his brother have been constant since their deaths and won't end anytime soon. Tkachuk and the Panthers will be the opponent in Columbus on Oct. 15 when the Blue Jackets play their first regular-season home game since Gaudreau was killed, a game that is sure to be incredibly emotional.
“Johnny is one of my favorite teammates that I’ve ever played with. He’s a great friend,” Tkachuk said. “It doesn’t matter if you knew him or played against him or even if you just have a brother, everyone can relate to this. And it’s been awful. I’ll always carry something with me where he’s always.”
Tkachuk was one of many members of the hockey world who attended the Gaudreau brothers' funeral services earlier this month. He said he has been constantly thinking about Johnny Gaudreau's wife, Meredith, his children who lost their father and the parents who lost their children.
“I think everyone has an incredible job of telling stories and keeping him in the forefront, because that’s exactly what he would want: for us to smile for him and tell funny stories about what a great player and teammate he was, and an even better guy,” Tkachuk said. “My memory of him will live on forever.”
