“Just devastating news for all of us who are associated with the Gaudreau family,” Jerry York, who coached the Gaudreau brothers at Boston College, said in a telephone interview with the AP. “Both Matty and Johnny were tremendously admired by all of us. Great young guys, and they made a big impression on us off the ice.”

York raved about parents Guy and Jane and the family’s dedication to their children and hockey. Gaudreau has been married to his wife Meredith since 2021 and they have two children under 2, Noa, born in September 2022, and Johnny, born in February.

“We want everyone to know that we receive your messages of love and support, and we appreciate your continued thoughts and prayers,” an uncle, Jim Gaudreau, said in a statement on behalf of the families. “We ask for your continued respect and privacy during this very difficult time of grief.”

Fans laid flowers and hockey sticks for Gaudreau outside Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus and outside the Flames’ home rink in Calgary. Tributes came from far and wide, with moments of silence in Cincinnati before a Major League Baseball game between the Reds and Milwaukee Brewers and before a hockey Olympic qualifying game between Slovakia and Hungary in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava.

The Blue Jackets said Gaudreau was “not only a great hockey player, but most importantly, a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend.”

“Johnny played the game with great joy, which was evident to everyone who saw him on the ice,” the team said in a statement. “He brought a genuine love of hockey with him wherever he played.”

Gaudreau’s death is the latest off-ice tragedy for the Blue Jackets. Goalie Matiss Kivlenieks died in July 2021 when he was struck by fireworks in Michigan while attending the wedding of the daughter of then-Blue Jackets goaltending coach Manny Legace.

Gaudreau, 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, was part of a generation of hockey players who thrived in an era of speed and skill when being small was less of a disadvantage. A winner of the Lady Byng Trophy in 2017 for sportsmanship and courtesy coupled with a high level of play, he scored 20-plus goals six times and was a 115-point player in 2021-22 as the first NHL All-Star when he had a career-best 40 goals and 75 assists.

“While Johnny’s infectious play spirit and impressive on-ice skills earned him the nickname ‘Johnny Hockey,’ he was more than just a dazzling hockey player; he was a devoted father and beloved husband, son, brother and teammate who endeared himself to all who were fortunate enough to cross his path,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

Marty Walsh, executive director of the NHL Players’ Association, said players and staff were devastated by the losses. He called Johnny “a beloved teammate and friend in both Calgary and Columbus (and) a joy to watch during his 10 years and 763 games in the NHL.”

Gaudreau was a fourth-round pick by Calgary in 2011 and helped Boston College win the NCAA championship in 2012. He won the Hobey Baker Award as the nation’s best college player in 2014, a season in which he and his brother played together for the Eagles.

Gaudreau was a player who scored almost a points per game with 776 points in 805 regular season and playoff games since entering the league. He left the Flames in 2022 to sign a big contract with the Blue Jackets, which allowed him and his young family to live in central Ohio, closer to his family in New Jersey.