Team USA honors Gaudreau at Olympics while rosary rings spread through NHL in his memory

Moments after clinching their first Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey in 46 years, U.S. players circled the ice with a No. 13 jersey held high, honoring the late Johnny Gaudreau.

 Following the 2-1 overtime victory over Canada at the 2026 Winter Games, several players skated with American flags and Gaudreau’s Team USA jersey. After the medal ceremony, teammates brought two of Gaudreau’s young children onto the ice for the championship photo as the crowd applauded.

 The beloved Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey,” likely would have been a contender for the Olympic roster with the NHL’s return to the Games in 2026. His No. 13 jersey hung in the U.S. locker room throughout the tournament, according to The Athletic.

Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, were killed Aug. 29, 2024, when they were struck by an alleged drunk driver while riding bicycles in New Jersey. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. The loss devastated the hockey world.

In Milan, the loss remained fresh for many U.S. players, who said Gaudreau was on their minds throughout the tournament.

“Johnny and Matty should be here, and that is still the biggest loss that all of us — USA Hockey, their family, our family — has gone through,” Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin told The Athletic. “To have Johnny Jr. and Noa out there, it just felt right. Johnny’s family first.”

Columbus Blue Jackets Captain Zach Werenski, Gaudreau’s former teammate, spoke about how the team’s connection to Gaudreau was apparent during the competition. 

“I honestly felt (Johnny’s presence) the whole tournament,” Werenski told The Athletic. “We talked about playing for him, making him proud and I think we did that.”

Matthews said the team carried that sense of remembrance into the celebration.

“Just a subtle reminder that him and his brother are with us in spirit,” Matthews told The Athletic. “To win and to have his jersey out there in the team photo, have his kids come out and be with us — we’re obviously thinking of him.”

A faith tribute beyond the rink

In the months since his passing, Gaudreau’s legacy has extended beyond the ice through a devotional practice rooted in his Catholic faith.

According to a report from Marians of the Immaculate Conception, Gaudreau’s father-in-law, Ed Morris, began distributing rosary rings — small metal bands worn on a finger that feature raised markings to help Catholics keep track of Hail Marys in the Rosary — to Gaudreau’s fellow NHL players in his memory. The rings had been blessed by Pope Francis.

Morris, a Pennsylvania-based Catholic ministry leader, has said he initially gave Gaudreau a rosary ring during his playing career and later saw him attach it to his hockey bag — a gesture Morris described as a visible sign of his faith. Morris has said Gaudreau’s witness inspired him to share the rings with teammates after his death.

The rosary rings have since been placed in multiple NHL locker rooms, according to the Marians’ report, and Morris has expressed hope that one day all 32 teams might carry them.