Andrew Mangiapane reflects on the loss of his friend and former teammate Johnny Gaudreau
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Andrew Mangiapane, a forward for the Washington Capitals, spoke candidly about his friend and former teammate Johnny Gaudreau's passing.
On August 29, while riding their bicycles in their hometown, Johnny and his brother Matthew were struck by a suspected drunk driver, which resulted in their deaths. Matthew was 29 and Johnny was 31.
As the Washington Capitals hit the ice on Friday for training camp, with certain players, including Andrew Mangiapane in his inaugural season with the team, speaking to the media post-practice. Mangiapane was questioned regarding his friend and former teammate Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed by an intoxicated motorist at the end of August while riding a bicycle with his brother Matthew.
During a Friday interview with Sammi Silber from The Hockey News, Andrew Mangiapane expressed to reporters that Johnny Gaudreau's death still feels incomprehensible to him. He added that he will deeply miss Gaudreau, whom he described as one of his closest friends in hockey.
"Johnny was... one of my best friends in hockey. So definitely very sad, definitely going to miss him," Mangiapane said, adding, "It still doesn't make sense to me. I don't think it ever will."
He added, "When I first kind of got drafted I was thrilled because the organization doesn't care that you're kind of a smaller player, because they have Johnny there, right? So every time I stepped on the ice with him, I looked up to him. He was a big role model for me. He definitely helped my game a lot more than you know."
He added, "When I first kind of got drafted I was thrilled because the organization doesn't care that you're kind of a smaller player, because they have Johnny there, right? So every time I stepped on the ice with him, I looked up to him. He was a big role model for me. He definitely helped my game a lot more than you know."
"I was able to go to the funeral and get some closure there and give my condolences to his family and everyone there," Mangiapane said.
For a portion of five seasons, Gaudreau and Mangiapane were teammates in Calgary before Johnny left the team as a free agent in 2022 to sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets. In 2021-22, Gaudreau and Mangiapane had their best season ever with 40 and 35 goals, respectively.
Andrew Mangiapane's reflections on Johnny Gaudreau's tragic passing highlight the profound impact of their friendship and the deep loss he feels. Mangiapane's openness about his grief and the personal bond they shared offers a rare glimpse into the emotional lives of athletes.
His tribute underscores the preciousness of life and the close-knit nature of sports communities, while also emphasizing the need for greater road safety awareness to prevent such devastating losses.
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| POLL | ||
21 SEPTEMBRE | 59 ANSWERS Andrew Mangiapane reflects on the loss of his friend and former teammate Johnny Gaudreau Do you believe Andrew Mangiapane's reflections on Johnny Gaudreau will inspire his performance this season? | ||
| Yes | 47 | 79.7 % |
| No | 12 | 20.3 % |
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