Calgary defenseman Rasmus Andersson reposted a July 14, 2024 photo of him and Gaudreau to his X account, @RAndersson19, with the following:

“It’s not easy to find the right words today. You were a great hockey player, but it’s the person Johnny that will always be with me, one of my best friends, it didn’t matter if we hadn’t spoken for a day or a week, we always knew where to find each other! There wasn’t a dry eye in the Andersson house today, we all love you Johnny. … To Meredith Noa and Johnny Jr., we are always here for you and we love you. Rest in peace uncle Johnny and Matty.”

Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko, a teammate of the Gaudreaus at Boston College, posted a photo of the brothers on his Instagram account, tdemko30, writing, “Really some of the sweetest people I’ve played with and been close to. Rest in peace boys.”

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Kevin Hayes, who also played with Johnny and Matthew at BC, posted a photo on Instagram, kphayes12, of Johnny and his nephew Beau, the son of Kevin’s late brother Jimmy Hayes, a former NHL player.

In the caption, Hayes wrote, “I love you John! Say hi to Beau’s dad for me.”

Additionally, Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield posted a photo on Instagram (colecaufield) of himself and Gaudreau in a Flames uniform, ready to face off in midfield, along with a broken heart emoji.

Former Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent released a statement through the Montreal Canadiens expressing his “deepest condolences” to the Gaudreau family.

Vincent, coach of the AHL’s Laval, was Columbus’ coach last season, Gaudreau’s second with the Blue Jackets. He also was an assistant with Columbus from 2021-23.

Gaudreau signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Blue Jackets on July 13, 2022.

“This tragedy has left me speechless and in shock,” Vincent said. “Over the years, I have had the privilege of knowing the real Johnny Gaudreau — the person behind the hockey player. He was a humble and unassuming young man with extraordinary talent who never sought the spotlight. Instead, he enjoyed the simple pleasures of life and possessed a quiet strength of character. His passion for the game and exceptional hockey sense allowed him to achieve greatness, yet he remained down to earth and true to himself. I had the pleasure of meeting his wonderful family, including his wife, children and parents. My thoughts are with them today. It is an honor to have known not only the incredible hockey player, but also the kind and beloved person Johnny was to everyone he met. Wherever we went, people admired him on and off the ice. Despite his success, he remained humble and genuine. Johnny, you touched so many lives with your kindness and infectious smile. I feel privileged to have known you so well. Your memory will be with me forever. Rest in peace Johnny.”

Former Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen also made an emotional statement about the Gaudreau brothers on his X account.

Kekalainen was GM of the Blue Jackets when Johnny Gaudreau signed his contract.

“I am deeply saddened by the news I received late last night,” Kekalainen wrote on his X account @jkekalainen. “RIP Johnny and Matthew, fine young men with a beautiful family that seemed so close… gone far too soon. My condolences to the Gaudreau family and strength in their grief. This is devastating.”

The Toronto Maple Leafs released a statement from general manager Brad Treliving, who served as general manager of the Calgary Flames during all eight of Gaudreau’s seasons with the team.

“I am devastated to hear of the passing of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew,” said Treliving. “John was a truly special player who shone on the ice with his incredible talent, but what made him truly special was the person he was off the ice. His thousand-watt smile and infectious personality were matched only by his love for his family, friends and those close to him. He brought joy to everyone around him and to the many who never knew him, but marveled at his excellence on the ice. John was a beloved teammate and friend to so many in the hockey community, and he will be deeply missed by all of us who had the privilege of knowing him. My heart goes out to the entire Gaudreau family – his mother and father, Jane and Guy; his sisters, Kristen and Katie; his loving wife, Meredith; his precious children, Noa and Johnny; and everyone affected by this unimaginable loss. Family was everything to John, and in his memory, hug those closest to you tighter and longer today and every day.”

Former NHL executive Brian Burke, who served as the Flames’ president from 2013 to 2018, also wrote on his X account @Burkie2020 about the “joy” Gaudreau brought to the game and to every team he played for.

“First and foremost, Johnny was always the first to raise his hand to give back to his community,” Burke wrote. “Whenever we had requests for charity, we always knew he would say yes, without hesitation. His love for his family, friends and alma mater was always evident and was clearly the driving force in his life. What I will remember most was his happiness, enthusiasm and kindness that radiated throughout the locker room each and every day. There are few players in hockey history who matched his passion and love for the game of hockey. His talent on the ice was enhanced, not diminished, by the fact that he was having fun doing it. The entire Gaudreau family is in our thoughts and prayers as they navigate this incredibly difficult time.”

Kelsie Snow, the widow of Chris Snow, the former vice president of hockey operations and assistant general manager for the Flames, wrote on her X account @kelsiewrites about the grief the Gaudreau family is now feeling.

Chris Snow died at the age of 42 on September 30, 2023, after an inspiring public battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

“There is no air in my lungs today,” Kelsie Snow wrote. “All my love is with the beautiful Gaudreau family. Cohen, Willa and I know the visceral, incomprehensible and unsurvivable pain they are feeling right now, and we stand with them in the devastated solidarity that only mourners can understand.”

The NHL and all of its teams, the NHL Players’ Association, AHL, USA Hockey, NHL Alumni Association, the United States Hockey League, the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints (Johnny Gaudreau’s former team), Boston College, BC Men’s Ice Hockey, Gloucester Catholic High School, of which the Gaudreaus are alumni, Major League Baseball and the Cincinnati Reds are also among the many organizations that have posted thoughts, prayers and condolences on their social media accounts.

Also sharing their heartfelt words were New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Hall of Fame goaltenders Bernie Parent and Henrik Lundqvist, Chicago Blackhawks midfielder Connor Bedard, Washington Capitals forward TJ Oshie, defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (currently an unrestricted free agent), Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane, Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy, and former NHL players Eddie Lack, Kevin Weekes, Colby Armstrong and Ryan Whitney.

More tributes continue to pour in via social media on Friday.