FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) 鈥� Matthew Tkachuk estimated that he tells a story about Johnny Gaudreau's exploits, both the on-ice and off-ice variety, to somebody at least once a week.
And he's not going to stop, either.
Tkachuk spoke Wednesday about the death of his longtime friend and former teammate, calling Gaudreau 鈥渢he most offensively talented player I've ever seen.鈥� were killed on Aug. 29 when police said they were struck by a suspected drunken driver while they were riding bicycles on a rural road in New Jersey.
鈥淚t was such an honor to play with him,鈥� Tkachuk said at Florida's media day, the first formal event of the new season for the Panthers as they prepare to open defense of the Stanley Cup. 鈥淎nd you guys all saw what he did on the ice. I was the lucky one out of everybody in this room to have a great relationship with him off. So those are the memories I will take. But it鈥檚 been terrible. It really has.鈥�
Gaudreau and Tkachuk were teammates in Calgary for six seasons. Tkachuk was traded to Florida in the summer of 2022, the offseason in which Gaudreau left the Flames to play for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Gaudreau and his younger brother were killed near their childhood home in the evening before they were set to serve as groomsmen at their sister Katie鈥檚 wedding. them is charged with two counts of death by auto, along with reckless driving, possession of an open container and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle.
鈥淚t's been terrible,鈥� Tkachuk said. 鈥淚t really has.鈥�
The tributes for Gaudreau and his brother have been constant since their deaths and won't end anytime soon. Tkachuk and the Panthers will be the opponent in Columbus on Oct. 15 when the Blue Jackets play their first regular-season home game since Gaudreau was killed, a game certain to be incredibly emotional.
鈥淛ohnny is one of my favorite teammates that I鈥檝e ever played with. Such a great friend," Tkachuk said. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter if you knew them or played against them or even if you just have a sibling, everybody can relate to this. And it鈥檚 been terrible. I鈥檓 always going to carry something around where he鈥檚 always with me.鈥�
Tkachuk was one of many in the hockey world who attended the services for the Gaudreau brothers earlier this month. He said he constantly has been thinking about Johnny Gaudreau's wife, Meredith, their children who lost their father and the parents who lost their sons.
鈥淚 think everybody has an amazing job of telling stories and keeping him present, because that鈥檚 exactly what he would want is for us to smile about him and tell the fun stories about what a great player and teammate he was 鈥� and a better guy,鈥� Tkachuk said. 鈥淢y memory of him will go on forever.鈥�
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AP NHL:
Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
