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Associated Press
3 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
Thousands take part in Gaudreau Family 5K walk and run in honor of brothers John and Matthew
SEWELL, N.J. (AP) — A few days after brothers John and Matthew Gaudreau died when they were struck by a driver while riding bicycles on the eve of their sister Katie's wedding, family friends were visiting parents Guy and Jane at their home during a rainstorm. Looking outside after the skies cleared, they saw a double rainbow that brought them some momentary peace. Since then, Jane Gaudreau had not gotten any signs she attributed to her sons, so she sat in their room Friday and asked them for some divine intervention to clear out bad weather in time for an event to honor their legacies. After a brief scare of a tornado watch the night before, a rainbow appeared Saturday morning about an hour before the sun came out for the inaugural Gaudreau Family 5K Walk/Run and Family Day. 'I was so relieved,' Jane said. 'I was like, 'Well, there's my sign.'' Thousands attended the event at Washington Lake Park in southern New Jersey, a place John and Matthew went hundreds of times as kids and around the corner from Hollydell Ice Arena, where they started playing hockey. Roughly 1,100 people took part in a walk or run in person, along with more than 1,300 virtually in the U.S., Canada and around the world. 'I think it speaks to them as a family, how close they were and how everybody loved being around them,' said Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, one of a handful of NHL players who were close to the Gaudreaus and made a point to be there. 'You just see the support from this community and from other players as well that are here and traveled in. It just says a lot about Johnny, Matty, their legacy and this family as a whole, how much support they have because they're such amazing people.' Along with honoring the NHL star known as 'Johnny Hockey' and his younger brother family and friends called Matty, the goal of the event was to raise money for an accessible playground at Archbishop Damiano School where Jane and her daughter Kristen work. It was a cause John and Matthew had begun to champion in honor of their grandmother Marie, who spent 44 years at the school and died in 2023. It became their mother's project after their deaths. 'Jane works every day with children with disabilities, and she knew how important it was for the playground to be built,' said family friend Deb Vasutoro, who came up with the idea for a 5K. 'The playground has been a project for, I think, four or five years, and there just never was enough funding. When the boys passed and Jane needed a purpose, she thought, 'Let's build the playground.' It was the perfect marriage of doing something good to honor the boys and seeing children laugh and smile.' The Rev. Allain Caparas from Gloucester Catholic High School, which the brothers attended and played hockey for while growing up in Carneys Point, said raising funds for the playground is an extension of the impact they had on the community. 'They're continuing to make a difference in the lives of so many others,' Caparas said. 'Johnny and Matthew lived their lives with purpose, and now we're celebrating that.' Social media filled with mentions from folks in Columbus and Calgary, the NHL cities in which John Gaudreau played, and as far away as Ireland and Sweden. Paul O'Connor, who has been tight with the Gaudreau family from son Dalton being childhood best friends with Matthew, couldn't empty out his inbox because he kept getting notifications about signups and donations. 'It just keeps growing,' O'Connor said. 'And people that couldn't be here, they're doing a virtual (5K). If they can't do either, they're just throwing money at the cause.' Tears welled up in the eyes of Guy and Jane as they talked about the event. His speech to the crowd was brief and poignant at the same time. 'I'd like to thank everybody for coming,' Guy said after running the 5K. 'It really means a lot to Jane and the girls and the family. We miss the boys, and it really means a lot for us to have you here to honor my boys. Thank you.' The sea of people first in the rain and then the sunshine included folks in gear from all across hockey. Tkachuk wore a 'Johnny Hockey' hoodie with Gaudreau's name and No. 13 on the back. He handed sticks, collected from various vigils in late August and early September, to race winners along with fellow players Erik Gudbranson, Zach Aston-Reese, Tony DeAngelo and Buddy Robinson. 'Our family wouldn't have missed this,' Gudbranson said after flying in Friday night following a trip to Walt Disney World. 'Hockey's a very tight community. It's still a tragedy. We miss the boys.' The aim is to hold the event annually moving forward, potentially in Calgary and Columbus. 'We thought this was such a good thing to honor the boys we want to keep it up,' Jane said. 'I just think each year it'll just get better and better.' ___ AP NHL:
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
NHL Trade Rumors: Is Brady Tkachuk staying loyal to the Senators—or setting up a surprise exit?
As the Ottawa Senators wrapped up a season of redemption by returning to the playoffs for the first time in eight years, star forward Brady Tkachuk found himself having to address persistent trade rumors linking him to the New York Rangers . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The speculation, which began early in the 2024–25 NHL season, resurfaced during exit interviews. This time, Tkachuk didn't hold back. Brady Tkachuk shuts down Rangers trade rumors When asked about the reports suggesting he could be dealt to New York, Tkachuk was emphatic: 'Obviously it's a lie,' he said. 'All those articles, stories … It's just not true. But I think it's on me if I let that bother me or take me off what I'm trying to do. Everyone knows that I'll do whatever it takes to win.' His loyalty to the Senators organization and its fans was crystal clear. Tkachuk emphasized his passion for the city and his belief in the team's trajectory: 'Seeing this fan base, this excitement, see how much they rallied around us, everybody's waiting for it. Everybody wants to accomplish the same thing and win the Stanley Cup .' Rangers deny tampering after owner's accusation The rumors gained momentum in December after Larry Brooks of the New York Post reported that the Rangers had made Tkachuk their top trade priority. This prompted a swift response from Senators GM Steve Staios, who publicly dismissed the speculation. Ottawa owner Michael Andlauer took things further, accusing the Rangers of 'soft tampering.' The Rangers strongly denied any wrongdoing. 'This is an irresponsible accusation, and we defer to the commissioner's office,' a team spokesperson stated in response. While Ottawa finally broke through to end their playoff drought, the Rangers spiraled in the opposite direction. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Despite entering the season with high expectations after winning the Presidents' Trophy the year prior, they failed to secure a postseason spot—an outcome widely considered a major disappointment. Also Read: Though Brady Tkachuk appears off-limits, Rangers president and GM Chris Drury will be under pressure to shake things up this offseason. Meanwhile, the Senators can now focus on building around their captain without the distraction of baseless trade chatter. Tkachuk's message was clear: he's committed to the Senators' vision, and no rumor mill is going to change that.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Brady Tkachuk Calls Trade Rumors Linking Him To Rangers A ‘Lie'
Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images Early on in the 2024-25 season, there were rumors linking Brady Tkachuk to the New York Rangers. According to Larry Brooks of The New York Post in December, the Rangers made Brady Tkachuk their primary trade target. Senators general manager Steve Staios quickly shot down these rumors while Ottawa owner Michael Andlauer even accused the Rangers of soft tampering. Senators General Manager Reportedly Planned To Meet Brady Tkachuk Over Rangers Trade Rumor Senators General Manager Reportedly Planned To Meet Brady Tkachuk Over Rangers Trade Rumor The Senators are reportedly not happy about the Brady Tkachuk trade rumors linking him to the Rangers. When addressing the constant trade rumors around his name during exit interviews, Tkachuk made sure to emphasize that he has no intention of leaving the Senators organization. 'Obviously it's a lie,' Tkachuk said. 'All those articles, stories … It's just not true. But I think it's on me if I let that bother me or take me off what I'm trying to do. Everyone knows that I'll do whatever it takes to win. Seeing this fan base, this excitement, see how much they rallied around us, everybody's waiting for it. Everybody wants to accomplish the same thing and win the Stanley Cup.' In response to the soft tampering accusations made by Andlauer, the Rangers denied any sort of wrongdoing. 'This is an irresponsible accusation, and we defer to the commissioner's office,' a Rangers spokesperson said in reply to Andlauer's comment. The Senators ended up making the playoffs for the first time in eight years. Meanwhile, the Rangers regressed from their Presidents' Trophy-winning season and missed the playoffs altogether, marking a catastrophe of a year. It likely won't mean bringing in Tkachuk, but Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury will certainly be busy this summer.
National Post
06-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
YOU BE THE BOSS: Have your say on the Ottawa Senators off-season plans
The Ottawa Senators have packed their bags and headed their separate ways for the off-season. Article content After making the playoffs for the first time since 2017, Senators fans are feeling good about the direction of this team under owner Michael Andlauer, president of hockey operations and general manager Steve Staios and head coach Travis Green. Article content Eliminated by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round in six games, the Senators battled back from a 3-0 deficit to make it a series before losing a 4-2 decision at home on May 1. Article content 'It's going to be a long summer, but I know that we're going to come with so much fire for next year, and that it's truly going to be a special year next year and special years down the road,' captain Brady Tkachuk said. Article content There will be changes in the off-season, there always are. Article content Article content
Edmonton Journal
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Maple Leafs not deflecting D-zone talk ahead of Game 1 against Florida
Article content 'There's more bodies there, so there's going to be more deflections. It's about trying to keep those bodies clear where the goalie can see it.' In beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in the first round, the Panthers scored two goals off a tip and one off a deflection. Against the Leafs, the Ottawa Senators scored two goals off tips. While Sens such as Brady Tkachuk and Ridly Greig got in the space of Toronto goalie Anthony Stolarz every so often, you can bet the price of a Leafs playoff ticket that the Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand will be buzzing around the Leafs net with more regularity. Blocking shots will play a role. The Leafs blocked 128 shots in the series against Ottawa, the second-most in the Stanley Cup playoffs prior to Game 7 between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night. Only the Minnesota Wild, with 130, had blocked more shots than the Leafs. If Stolarz has a clear view on any shot, the chances are good he's going to stop it. In the deciding Game 6, neither of the Sens' two goals came off a direct shot. Brady Tkachuk tipped a shot past Stolarz and David Perron banked a puck in off the goalie from behind the goal line. 'If you look at the playoffs in general, there's been a lot of goals that are being deflected,' Morgan Rielly said. 'There has been lots of traffic at both net fronts, and that will continue to be the case. We're going to have to focus on that area for sure.'
