Team USA Celebrates Olympic Gold With Late Teammate Gaudreau’s Children

The team brought two of Gaudreau’s children onto the ice, where they posed with the players in their victory photo, along with their father’s jersey.

Members of gold medalist Team USA hold up the jersey of the late John Gaudreau and celebrate with his children during the medal ceremony following the men's gold medal match between Canada and the United States on Day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22, 2026. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

MILAN—The U.S. players had just pulled off the biggest win of their careers and claimed the country’s first Olympic gold since 1980, but after the overtime win against Canada on Sunday, their former teammate Johnny Gaudreau was never far from their thoughts.

Gaudreau was killed, along with his brother Matthew, in August 2024 by a drunk driver while cycling. The incident happened three months after the 31-year-old winger played with the United States at the World Championships.