It was the stuff of legend; Gaudreau growing up learning to skate by tracking a trail of Skittles candy on the ice inside Hollydell Ice Arena in Sewell, New Jersey, the rink where his father, Guy, was hockey director.

The Johnny Hockey story began in Carneys Point, New Jersey, and went through Dubuque of the United States Hockey League to the campus of Boston College, where he won the 2014 Hobey Baker Award voted as the NCAA's best player, to the international stage, where he won a gold medal with the United States at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Champinship, and on to the NHL.

Selected in the fourth round (No. 104) by the Calgary Flames in the 2011 NHL Draft, the 5-foot-9, 157-pound left wing quickly became one of the League's most exciting players. He made his NHL debut in the final game of the 2013-14 season and scored a goal in a 5-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks.

That was a hint of things to come. Gaudreau played 80 games in 2014-15, scored 24 goals and was a finalist for the Calder Trophy given to the NHL's top rookie. He led all first-year players in assists with 40, tied Mark Stone of the Ottawa Senators for the rookie lead in points with 64 and had 14 multiple-point games.

Gaudreau wasn't finished. He also helped Calgary to its first Stanley Cup Playoff appearance in six seasons and led the Flames with nine points in 11 games.

In 2016-17, he won the Lady Byng Trophy for skill, sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct, then set NHL career highs in assists (60) and points (84) in 2017-18.

Gaudreau scored 100 points in a season for the first time in his NHL career when the Flames defeated the Seattle Kraken 5-3 on April 13, 2022. He became the 11th different United States-born player in NHL history to score at least 100 points and second since Patrick Kane for the Chicago Blackhawks (110, 2018-19; 106, 2015-16). He finished with 115 points, the third-most by a United States-born player in one season behind Pat LaFontaine (148) in 1992-93 and Kevin Stevens (123) in 1991-92.

On July 13, 2022, Gaudreau signed a seven-year $68.25 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He earned the 700th point in the NHL with an assist in a 5-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 16, 2023. He had five points (one goal, four assists) for the United States in a 10-1 win against Kazakhstan on May 19, 2024, to give him 43 at the IIHF World Championship and break Patrick Kane's record for most points and assists by a United States player in tournament history.

Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, died Aug. 29, 2024, when they were struck by an alleged drunk driver who was charged with two counts of death by auto, while riding bicycles near their home in Salem County, New Jersey. Johnny was 31 years old. Matthew was 29.

Their deaths evoked an outpouring of emotion and tributes from the entire hockey community and sports world.