Team USA Honors Johnny Gaudreau In Emotional Olympic Tribute

After winning the gold medal in men’s hockey on Sunday, Team USA brought Johnny Gaudreau’s two young children onto the ice for the official team photo.

Team USA brings Johnny Gaudreau’s kids onto the ice for the team picture

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— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) February 22, 2026

After the medal ceremony on February 22, 2026, at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, U.S. players honored the late Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew, who tragically died in a hit-and-run in 2024.

The Gaudreau family was in attendance for the final game of the tournament, supporting the team. Johnny would have loved to have been part of that group. The team remembered him before and after the game, proudly displaying his jersey in the locker room, then bringing it out on the ice after the win.

The team went even further, demonstrating just how much Team USA was a family.

Zach Werenski, Dylan Larkin, and Matthew Tkachuk brought Gaudreau’s children—Noa (3) and Johnny Jr. (2)—onto the ice, placing them at the center of the gold medal team photo.

Players held up Johnny’s No. 13 jersey, a season-long inspiration, while fans waved flags and chanted “USA.” A Johnny Gaudreau chant started, making the already emotional moment of Team USA winning gold that much more meaningful. It was a touching moment for the Gaudreau family and for fans. WYu could tell how much of a presence Gaudreau was for the team, particularly in the final, as the rest of the roster went out there and, in many ways, won it for Johnny Hockey.

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