Meredith Gaudreau received a warm and emotional welcome while at the 2025 NHL Draft.
Johnny Gaudreau’s widow attended the event, held at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on June 27, to announce the Columbus Blue Jackets’ first-round pick.
When Meredith Gaudreau took the stage, she was greeted with people chanting her late husband's name and a standing ovation.
“I just wanted to take this time to thank every single team and every single fan base for your support for my family this past season,” she began. “It’s truly an honor to be here and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.”
Meredith Gaudreau also told the crowd, “My greatest honor is representing (Johnny).”
Thirty-one-year-old Johnny Gaudreau was a seven-time NHL All-Star. He and his brother Matthew, 29, were pronounced dead on Aug. 29, 2024, after they were hit by an alleged drunk driver while riding their bikes in their New Jersey hometown, according to NBC Philadelphia.
At her husband’s eulogy in September 2024, Meredith Gaudreau revealed she was pregnant with their third child. The couple was already parents to daughter Noa, 2, and 1-year-old son, John.
Seven months after Johnny Gaudreau’s tragic death, on April 1, she gave birth to their third child, Carter Michael Gaudreau.
“I had our third baby! 4/1/25,” she wrote on Instagram. “Another baby boy. Carter Michael Gaudreau — same middle name as his daddy. 8lb 3 ounces, 20.5 inches — exact same as his daddy."
She added that her newborn son also “looks exactly like his daddy too.”
The Blue Jackets' have honored the Gaudreaus in many ways since Johnny Gaudreau's death, including paying tribute to him at the home opener in October 2024. The players also celebrated Noa's second birthday in September 2024.
Meredith Gaudreau, on her end, regularly reflects on her late husband's legacy. Back in December, she showed off her new tattoo which is her husband’s signature on her right wrist.
