Latest news with #ColumbusBlueJackets'
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
PGA Tour star's tragic accident at Memorial led to meeting wife
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Memorial Tournament is one of the most famous tournaments in all of golf. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the event hosted by Jack Nicklaus. While most golfers build fond memories for winning at Muirfield Village, PGA Tour professional Bud Cauley remembers it for an entirely different reason. Almost seven years ago to the day, on June 1, 2018, Cauley suffered a tragic fate. The former Alabama Crimson Tide golfer had just missed the cut. While leaving the property in Ohio, he got into a car with Columbus Blue Jackets' James Wisniewski, Tommy Nichols and local surgeon David Crawford. The latter of which was driving. Less than a couple miles out, Crawford lost control of the vehicle and went careening off the road, going airborne into a tree. CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 15: Bud Cauley of the United States hits out of a greenside bunker on the first hole during the first round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club... CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 15: Bud Cauley of the United States hits out of a greenside bunker on the first hole during the first round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 15, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by) MoreCauley sustained five broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a fractured lower left leg, according to Golfweek. Crawford plead guilty to three counts of vehicular assault and was sentenced to 2.5 years of probation. Meanwhile, Cauley was staring at a long road to recovery. As it turned out, the tragic accident was a blessing in disguise. "It's kind of funny, honestly," said Cauley, who is tied for 26th at the Memorial following the third round. "I met my wife sorta because I was in that car accident. I was home in Florida recovering from the surgery and that's when we met. "The worst thing that's ever happened to me led to me meeting my wife, then getting married and we have two kids now. The worst things that happened to me led to the best things that happened to me. "I wouldn't change it if I could," Cauley said. This week at The Memorial marked his first trip back to Muirfield Village in four years following complications from surgery. He has had a resurgent year on the PGA Tour in 2025. He has made 10 of 11 cuts entering The Memorial, including four top 10s. Cauley came in hot, finishing solo third at last week's Charles Schwab Challenge. Although his third round derailed any hopes of winning his first PGA Tour event this week, Muirfield Village will always have special meaning to Bud Cauley. More Golf: Tiger Woods and Vanessa Trump Ready for 'Next Step' in their Relationship
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Team USA Wins Gold & Honours Johnny Gaudreau At 2025 World Championships
Team USA won the gold medal at the 2025 IIHF World Championships. After defeating Switzerland 1-0 in overtime, they snapped a 92-year drought without winning gold at the Worlds. When Team USA captain Clayton Keller went up to accept the trophy, he was joined by Columbus Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski, Buffalo Sabres' Tage Thompson, Nashville Predators' Brady Skjei and Vancouver Canucks' Connor Garland — all carrying a Gaudreau jersey. Advertisement They placed the jersey over the trophy in honour of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, who tragically passed away before the 2024-25 season. All year long, Team USA found ways to honour the Gaudreau brothers — including keeping Johnny's sweater hanging in his locker stall throughout the tournament. It's been a strong year for USA Hockey on the international stage, and it ended with a gold medal at the Worlds to finally end the 92-year wait. As mentioned, Werenski was part of the gold-winning team. That's exactly why he committed to going — he wanted to bring a gold medal back home before what will be a busy summer of weddings, including his own. Advertisement In the tournament, he finished with one goal and five assists for six points, was a +8, and had 21 shots on goal. Werenski will now shift his attention to his wedding. As for the Blue Jackets' organization and fans, focus turns to the NHL Draft on June 27th and 28th, followed by one of the most important free agencies in franchise history. Former Blue Jacket Original Inducted Into IIHF Hall Of Fame Former Blue Jacket Original Inducted Into IIHF Hall Of Fame Another Former Blue Jacket O.G. has been given another high honor. 2025 Columbus Blue Jackets Potential Free Agent Targets: Matt Grzelcyk 2025 Columbus Blue Jackets Potential Free Agent Targets: Matt Grzelcyk This summer, Spencer Lazary and I will continue our series with more potential free agent targets that could be on the market on July 1st. Former Blue Jackets Forward Lands GM Job With Metro Rival New York Islanders Former Blue Jackets Forward Lands GM Job With Metro Rival New York Islanders Former Columbus Blue Jacket original Mathieu Darche now has the big job. 2025 Columbus Blue Jackets Potential Free Agent Targets: Reilly Smith 2025 Columbus Blue Jackets Potential Free Agent Targets: Reilly Smith This summer, Advertisement Jason Newland and I will continue our series looking at potential free agent targets who could be available on July 1. 2025 Columbus Blue Jackets Potential Free Agent Targets: Brandon Tanev 2025 Columbus Blue Jackets Potential Free Agent Targets: Brandon Tanev This summer, Spencer Lazary and I will continue our series with more potential free agent targets that could be on the market on July 1st. Blue Jackets Players Eliminated As Canada Suffers Massive Upset At Worlds Blue Jackets Players Eliminated As Canada Suffers Massive Upset At Worlds The Columbus Blue Jackets' players from Team Canada are heading home.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Zach Werenski Says Johnny Gaudreau ‘Deserves This Gold Medal More Than Anyone'
Zach Werenski had a great World Championship. He missed the first couple of games but it was no coincidence that the U.S. team got much better after he arrived. In seven games, Werenski had six points and was voted to the tournament all-star team by accredited media and named Top Defenseman by the tournament directorate. But more importantly, the USA won the gold medal for the first time since 1933. 'We've put a lot of work in these past couple of weeks,' Werenski said after the game. 'It's a really close group and the U.S. hasn't done this in a long time, so we're just really happy that we're the group to do it and it feels amazing.' With the final game against Switzerland scoreless after 60 minutes, Werenski said, 'I thought we had a quiet confidence in our room. We were focused, we knew someone was going to be the hero in that room, and it was Tage (Thompson) tonight. 'That's a really good hockey team over there, they didn't give us much, I felt like it was a pretty even game, Tage makes a great play in overtime, Sway (goaltender Jeremy Swayman) makes a lot of great saves to keep us in it all game and we came out on the right side.' Zach Werenski: 'Olympics Still A Long Way Off' After initially declining an invitation to play at this year's IIHF World Championship, Zach Werenski had a change of heart and the US team is thankful for that. The Columbus Blue Jackets' defenseman has four points in four games since joining the team, as the USA got progressively better throughout the group stage. The team finished second in Group B after a come-from-behind 5-2 win over Czechia on Tuesday. Still holding the Johnny Gaudreau's No. 13 jersey, the one the U.S. players took with them to accept the championship trophy, Werenski was asked about that moment. 'Yeah, it was pretty emotional,' he said. 'I think he leads the U.S. in points here, he always came to this tournament with a smile on his face and I learned a lot from him, so I feel like he deserves this gold medal more than anyone, and he was with us the whole time.' Gaudreau played in five World Championships for the USA, winning a bronze medal in 2018. He leads the USA all-time with 30 assists and 43 points – one more than Patrick Kane in each case. Gaudreau and Werenski were Columbus Blue Jackets teammates for two seasons. At around 11:30 PM local time in Sweden, Werenski was asked how he and his teammates were going to celebrate the win. 'We're going to have some fun tonight but I think I have a 3 AM taxi to the airport, so I'm running out of time here. We'll see what happens.' Photo © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images: Johnny Gaudreau (left) and Zach Werenski playing together for the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023-24. Tage Thompson's OT Goal 'Didn't Feel Real; It Still Doesn't' Like a lot of the members of the team that represented the USA at this year's IIHF World Championship, Tage Thompson has had success at the U-18 and U-20 levels internationally, but gold had eluded him at this level.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Zach Werenski: ‘Olympics Still A Long Way Off'
After initially declining an invitation to play at this year's IIHF World Championship, Zach Werenski had a change of heart and the US team is thankful for that. The Columbus Blue Jackets' defenseman has four points in four games since joining the team, as the USA got progressively better throughout the group stage. The team finished second in Group B after a come-from-behind 5-2 win over Czechia on Tuesday. 'It was a big win,' Werenski said in the mixed zone after the game, as reported by Dominik Jarka of 'The Czechs are very good, which is why they won last year in Prague. It was a tough test, and fortunately we passed.' The Americans had a wide 56-27 edge in shots in the game but trailed 2-1 after 40 minutes, largely due to going 0-for-4 on the power play. The team finally scored twice with the man advantage in the third period. 'The power play suddenly started clicking,' said Werenski. 'We controlled the tempo for most of the game. We were the better team and I think we deserved to win. This was our best game of the tournament so far.' Can This Roster Break USA's World Championship Semifinal Curse? Can the team that USA Hockey has assembled to represent the country at this year's IIHF World Championship reach the final? Previous teams have appeared good enough on paper. Werenski is a big addition to this team. After a season in which he recorded 82 points in 81 NHL games, he was nominated for the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman. He downplayed suggestions that he might win the award, though. 'It sounds nice but I think I know who will win,' he smiled, referring to Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche. As for his team's year, he said, 'It was a great season. It's really very unfortunate that it didn't work out in the end – we were so close to the playoffs – but I guess it wasn't meant to be. You know, we improved enormously during the year and we're definitely optimistic going into next season.' Next season also includes the Olympics, which Werenski would easily be in if the teams were chosen today. He picked up six assists in four games for the USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off this season, proving he can also produce offensively at international hockey's highest level. 'It's still a long way off so there's no point stressing about it,' he said about making the Olympic team. 'We all probably have it in the back of our minds, everyone would like to go to Milan, but I expect that how we all play at the beginning of next season will play the biggest role. 'Winning this tournament would certainly help, though,' he smiled. Adam Fantilli & Kent Johnson Asked About Elvis Merzlikins One of the interesting things about covering the IIHF World Championships as a journalist is the media presence from the different participating countries. As a nation that is crazy about hockey, Latvia always sends a significant number of journalists to cover the tournament and, like a lot of Latvians, were disappointed when Elvis Merzlikins announced that he wouldn't be representing his country this year.
Miami Herald
07-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Late hockey star Johnny Gaudreau's wife, Meredith Gaudreau, gives birth
Eight months after his death, Johnny Gaudreau's wife, Meredith Gaudreau, has given birth to their third child. The late Columbus Blue Jackets' star died Aug. 29 while biking with his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, in Oldmans Township, New Jersey. Both brothers were struck and killed by a driver accused of drunk driving. Matthew and Johnny Gaudreau were due to be groomsmen in their sister, Katie's, wedding the following day. Meredith Gaudreau announced she was pregnant with her and Johnny Gaudreau's third child during her eulogy at his funeral. 'John and I had the best six months as a family of four,' Meredith Gaudreau said at the time, according to ABC News. 'These will forever be the best six months of my life.' 'I'm in my ninth week of pregnancy with our third baby,' she continued, adding that the pregnancy was 'a total surprise.' Johnny Gaudreau learned of his third child shortly before his death. 'John was beaming and so excited,' she said. On Monday, April 7, Meredith Gaudreau announced the birth of their child on Instagram. 'I had our third baby!' the proud mom wrote alongside the first photos of their baby boy, noting he was born on April 1. 'Another baby boy,' she continued, sharing his name, 'Carter Michael Gaudreau - same middle name as his daddy.' Carter was born weighing 8 pounds, 3 ounces and measured 20.5 inches, also the 'exact same as his daddy. He looks exactly like his daddy too,' Meredith Gaudreau shared. 'I love you so much my baby! We are going to have so much fun. I can't wait to give you the best life, my special boy forever.'
