Team USA Honors Johnny Gaudreau After Winning Gold Medal

The United States made sure to honor Johnny Gaudreau immediately after their gold medal win.

Feb 20, 2026; Milan, Italy; Jack Eichel (9) of the United States greets fans after the game against Slovakia in a men's ice hockey semifinal during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The United States captured their third-ever gold medal in the men's ice hockey tournament after defeating Canada in overtime in the final game. The win marks the country's first gold at the event since 1980, when the Miracle on Ice team captured the top prize at Lake Placid.

The first thing the American leaders did was an incredibly touching display. In the immediate aftermath of their win and celebrations, three of the team's top players made sure the team paid tribute to a player who was supposed to be there: Johnny Gaudreau.

Team USA has carried the memory of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau with them since his unfortunate passing last year. As the group celebrated gold with the Gaudreau family in the stands, captain Auston Matthews, Zach Werenski and Matthew Tkachuk carried his Team USA jersey for a victory lap around the ice.

For Johnny ❤️ pic.twitter.com/RjZMsT73RD

— ESPN (@espn) February 22, 2026

Do It For Johnny

The entire United States team wanted to accomplish this feat for their country and one another, but there was something special about the motivation this team drew from playing for Gaudreau. Detroit Red Wings captain and Team USA forward Dylan Larkin told ESPN about how much each of the players thought about winning for Johnny Hockey.

"It means everything — we all know he should be here with us," Larkin said. "He should be with us. We love him, and I like that we continue to think about him and I wouldn't imagine it any other way."

The team kept Johnny with them throughout the tournament. His number 13 uniform was hung up in his own locker room throughout the event, and it remained there through the gold medal contest until it was brought out for the celebration.

Oct 15, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; A banner is raised in remberance of Johnny Gaudreau before the game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images | Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images

With the Gaudreaus in Attendance, USA Makes History

What made the game and tournament even more special down the stretch was having so many family and friends in attendance. That support included Johnny's wife, Meredith, and their children, plus Johnny and Matthew's parents.

Having the Gaudreaus in attendance meant even more to the team. Top defender and teammate of Johnny's with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Zach Werenski, shared how much it meant to the team to have them there cheering Team USA on.

"It's great having them here, and it's super special," he said. "We're happy that we made it to the gold-medal game so they can watch that and be a part of it. It's on us to make them proud."

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