When the United States won its first men’s ice hockey gold medal in 46 years, who was not there was as important as who was.
Left wing Johnny Gaudreau was one of American hockey’s brightest lights, and a world medalist (bronze in Denmark in 2018) as well as a world junior gold medalist (in Russia in 2013). Johnny and his brother Matthew died when they were hit by a drunk driver while cycling in New Jersey in August 2024. USA Hockey made Johnny’s memory a cause célèbre ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
