Pittsburgh Penguins star Kevin Hayes has posted a moving tribute to his late college hockey teammate Johnny Gaudreau, three years after the tragic loss of his own brother, former NHL player Jimmy Hayes.
Kevin posted a photo of Gaudreau high-fiving Hayes’ nephew, Beau, on his Instagram Story.
Beau’s father is Jimmy, who passed away in August 2021, the day after his son’s second birthday.
“I love you John!” Hayes said on Instagram. “Say hi to Beau’s dad for me.”
Gaudreau and Hayes were teammates at Boston College, but the two NHL veterans never played on the same professional team.
Johnny Gaudreau is pictured here with Kevin Hayes’ cousin, Beau, in a touching tribute
Kevin Hayes played in the NHL for ten years for the Blues, Flyers, Rangers and Jets
Hayes was traded from the St. Louis Blues to the Pittsburgh Penguins this offseason, where he would play in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division alongside Gaudreau, a Columbus Blue Jacket.
Jimmy Hayes died after a toxicology report revealed fentanyl and cocaine in his system, the Boston Globe.
Johnny Gaudreau, 31, died Thursday night along with his younger brother Matthew Gaudreau, another former Boston College hockey player, in what is believed to be a bicycle accident.
The brothers were reportedly biking near their New Jersey home the night before their sister’s wedding.
Following the death of her brothers, Katie Gaudreau has cancelled her wedding, which was scheduled for Friday afternoon.
The fatal accident occurred just before 8:30 p.m. in Oldmans Township, Salem County.
The two were struck and killed by another vehicle driven by Sean M. Higgins, 43, of Woodstown, New Jersey, who was believed to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.
Higgins has been charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter, without bail or bond.
Johnny Gaudreau died Thursday night in a tragic bicycle accident in New Jersey
Higgins is accused of being drunk when he collided with Gaudreau and his brother
In documents seen by DailyMail.com, Higgins admitted to police he had consumed “5-6 beers” before getting behind the wheel of his Jeep Grand Cherokee and crashing into the back of Johnny and Matthew on Thursday night.
The wedding ceremony between Katie and her fiancé, Kevin Joyce, was scheduled to take place at the parish of St Mary – St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Gloucester City and was scheduled to begin at 1:45 p.m., according to the couple’s page on The Knot.
A six-hour cocktail party and reception was planned for Friday evening at The Lucy by Cescaphe in Philadelphia.
It is not yet known when the wedding will be postponed.
Officers also allege that Higgins showed signs of intoxication and admitted to drinking “prior to and while operating his vehicle.”
While smelling of alcohol, Higgins allegedly told them that “his alcohol consumption contributed to his impatience and reckless driving.”