The deaths of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau show again the special community that is hockey

Hockey has the power to heal.

I’m not talking about the game itself, but the community that surrounds and binds us together, especially during difficult times and unthinkable tragedies. While that concept may be difficult to believe after the tragic death of brothers Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau at the hands of an alleged drunk driver last week in New Jersey, there are, unfortunately, past experiences where the hockey community came together to ease everyone’s pain and disbelief.

Through social media, the Gaudreau family expressed its gratitude for the outpouring of support from family, friends, teammates, opponents, fans, the NHL, along with other hockey leagues and sports organizations. Every bit of it, whether it’s a bouquet of flowers, a fond memory, or a letter left on the steps of the Calgary Saddledome, or Nationwide Arena, the home of the NHL’s Flames and Blue Jackets, respectively, where Johnny Gaudreau, 31, starred for both teams during his 11-year career, all helps in the healing process.

I was fortunate to cover Johnny Gaudreau’s career and can attest he was one of the best both on and off the ice. It’s easy to understand why everyone admired him. Matthew, 29, was like his older brother. I met him briefly when he played for Worcester Railers of the ECHL during the 2021-22 season. This family deserves the support it is receiving.

Hockey also has a tradition to leave sticks outside a door to honor a player who has passed away and that reached a new level across North America this weekend after Johnny and Matthew were killed while riding their bikes on the eve of their sister’s wedding. Johnny leaves a wife and two young children. Matthew’s wife is pregnant with the couple’s first child. The family’s pain is unimaginable.

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The Gaudreaus know their hockey family will always be there for them.

After news broke of this horrific tragedy, it made me think of other events when the hockey community came together to help one another. While each situation is completely different, the immense support from the hockey community remained the same.

After the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013, the Bruins held the first public event to honor the victims in a pregame ceremony at TD Garden. It was an emotional night and still the organization continues to support those families affected to this day.

On April 6, 2018, 16 people were killed and another 13 seriously injured when the Humboldt Broncos Junior A team was involved in a bus crash. It shook the entire hockey world and the global support was incredible. Almost a year to the date of the tragedy, I interviewed Tyler Smith, who played for the Broncos and was on the bus during the crash. He explained how difficult it was for the surviving members of that team, but admitted the support they received from the hockey community helped.

“Everybody’s fighting their own battle,” he told me. “We’re fighting the same battle, but everybody heals differently.”

In 2020, Edmonton Oilers forward, and former Boston Bruin, Colby Cave died after suffering a brain bleed. He was 25. Support from the entire hockey world flooded the Cave family. In 2021, former Bruins forward and Boston native, Jimmy Hayes, passed away with cocaine and fentanyl in his system. He was 31. Again, the hockey community supported one of its own.

Locally, when high school hockey player AJ Quetta, of North Providence, suffered a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the neck down during a game for Bishop Feehan in 2020, the support from hockey community was off the charts. I witnessed first-hand how the Boston Bruins supported, and still support, Quetta and his family. Only days after his accident, Quetta posted a message for hockey community.

“I don’t have the words to describe how awesome you people are and how supportive you’ve been for me,” he said. “You all give me a reason to keep pushing and keep fighting. It’s awesome.”

His father, Anthony, added: “The support means so much to AJ and my family. All the text messages, all the Facebook posts, it keeps up moving forward. It keeps our head in the game. I just wanted to thank you all for all that you’ve done. It’s been awe-inspiring.”

These stories are some of the most notable examples of how the hockey community lends its support to those who need it past, present and future. There are so many other situations that non-hockey people don’t know about. Simply, hockey is the best.

The hockey culture is unique, beginning at the youth level and continuing through the NHL. I’ve been a beat writer in the NHL, NFL and MLB and I’m often asked why hockey players are the best athletes to work with on and off the ice.

People ingrained in the hockey community, especially players, learn about sacrifice at young age and they never forget it. They understand what it takes to participate in this expensive sport that hosts early morning practices and games, long commutes, overnight trips and costly equipment. Through it all, however, lifelong bonds are formed. Whether you see a past teammate often, or hardly ever, they will always have your back during times of adversity.

With the tragic loss of the Gaudreau brothers last week, we are once again reminded there are no strangers in the hockey community, only a support system that helps everyone heal in a different way.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Gaudreau tragedy shows again the special bond that hockey holds