Team USA, Ohio State women’s hockey honor Gaudreau with jerseys

Team USA is honoring one of their former players during the team’s run in the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Throughout the tournament, Team USA hung up a Johnny Gaudreau jersey in their locker room. Gaudreau won a gold medal with the national team back in 2013, and also earned a silver medal representing Team USA in the 2010 Hlinka Gretzky Cup tournament and a bronze medal in the 2018 IIHF World Championships.

In a video posted by the team on social media, Team USA forward Ryan Leonard reflected on what it means to have Gaudreau’s jersey hanging up.

“He’s in our locker room right now with his jersey in his stall, so it’s awesome to really reflect on that,” Leonard said in the video. “And any time you look over to the corner of the locker room and see him, it puts a smile on my face. So, I know he’s going to have my back out there during the game.”

Team USA plays in the semifinals on Saturday night at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, with a chance to play in the gold medal game Sunday with a win.

In Chicago, the Ohio State University women’s hockey team honored Gaudreau as well on Saturday, wearing his Columbus Blue Jackets jersey before the team’s game at Wrigley Field.

The players walked into the ballpark donning the sweaters. Wrigley Field hosted the Discover NHL Winter Classic on Wednesday.

Johnny and his brother Matthew, a former pro hockey player, died Aug. 29 when they were struck by an alleged drunk driver who has been charged with two counts of death by auto, while riding bicycles near their home in Salem County, New Jersey.