August 30, 2024 • 44 mins
The Boston College and NHL communities are mourning the tragic death of hockey star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, also a former BC hockey player, Matthew Gaudreau. The two brothers died Thursday while bicycling in New Jersey, when they were struck by a vehicle driven by an alleged drunk driver. Johnny was a superstar hockey player who led the Eagles to the Frozen Four in his junior season and was named the 2014 Hobey Baker Award Winner. Gaudreau went on to play in the NHL as a high scoring forward. We discussed this tragedy and the appropriate punishment for the alleged drunk driver.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Costs Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Very rarely do we deal with the story as horrible
as this story on Nightside, but the death of an
NHL player who was destined for the NHL Hall of
Fame in my opinion, Johnny Gudreau and his brother, who
also played professional hockey and played for a while out
in Worcester with the rail Riders. I was at the
(00:29):
gym earlier this morning, and when I left the gym,
I hadn't heard of the story. I hadn't watched any
news in the morning, and I was talking to a
friend of mine from Canada as I left the gym,
and she asked me, have you heard the news. I
wasn't sure what she was talking about, and that's how
I learned about this horrific story. For those of you
who haven't heard about it, I can't imagine anyone have not.
(00:52):
Both Johnny, also known as Johnny Hockey, great player, great
player for the Calgary Flames and the Blue Jackets. But
before that, Boston College and his brother, who also played
at Boston College, Matthew, were killed struck by a suspected
drunk driver. They were bicycling yesterday and near their home
(01:12):
in the childhood home in New Jersey. They were there
to serve as groomsmen for one of their sister's weddings. Today,
I mean, I cannot imagine a more tragic You know,
you hear about some professional athlete who dies, but the
circumstances of the death and the circumstances surrounding the death
(01:35):
are just extraordinary. With us as a representative of the
administration at Boston College. Jack Dunn, who's been a friend
of mine for a long time, I called him today.
I said, Jack, you know, it's going to be a
horrible day for you. Got to get you just for
a few minutes to try to explain to my audience
both here in New England and around the country, what
(01:55):
this young man, these two young men, meant to the
hockey program into Boston Calle College generally. Jack, I wish
I could say, welcome to nightside. It's it's a horrific
evening for you and a horrific evening for everyone associated
with Boston College. But how how is the how is
the Boston College family doing tonight? It has to be
(02:17):
a night that they will never never forget, and a
night that they I kind of imagine the pain that
that that people are feeling, particularly those involved in the
hockey program at Boston College.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Jack, It's true, Dan, It's it's a nightmare. It's the unthinkable.
Has happened to one of the best families I've ever
had the pleasure of knowing. They The Goudreau's were beloved
at Boston College. Johnny and Matthew were very tight siblings
and great players, but they were just as wonderful people
as they were a players, and they cast a wide
(02:52):
shadow over here because everyone loved them. I just have
so many memories of Johnny and Matthew and Johnny and
particularly he was the best college hockey player in the country.
He won the Hobe Baker Award, given to the very
best player in NCAA college hockey. And when kids would
come and ask for autographs, the line would always be
the longest for Johnny, and he'd stay and sign every
(03:13):
single autograph, and I think I would see him the
kids who were waiting to meet him a reflection of
the hopes they had for themselves. You know, a lot
of these athletes today are six feet tall and two
hundred pounds. Johnny was diminuted to be the small guy,
as was Matthew, but they always found time to meet
with kids, sign autographs off of hope. Anything we are
(03:34):
asked of each of them, they did. So we are
a community in mourning trying to comprehend the incomprehensible that
a family that was planning a wedding today's dealing with
the death of two remarkable young men just beyond imagination.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Well, what's extraordinary is again, there have been some players
you know of Johnny Size who survived in the NHL,
but to actually play as well as he did for
so long for both you know, Calgary and Columbus. Look,
(04:09):
that is a tough league at this point. There's a
lot of six or four defensemen who are willing to
take people's heads off as they try to get towards
the net. So as good as they were athletically, and
as good as they were as individuals and as family
members and obviously as a wonderful family, they also were
so skilled to be able to practice their craft, you know, literally,
(04:35):
as you know, amongst some of the toughest athletes in
the world. And to think that at the age of
thirty one and twenty nine, respectively, they're are bicycling the
night before their sister was to be married. I've read
some of the accounts of how the accident occurred, and
(04:55):
if the accounts that I've read are true, what a waste,
What a waste. They were mowed down. They lived together,
they played together at BC, and they died together. So
unnecessarily a guy allegedly drunk, who who apparently was trying
(05:16):
to pass a truck on a small rural dirt road
and must have lost control of the car and it
sounds like you hit him head on.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah, You've described exactly what we have heard from the
various reports, and it's such a tragedy and to inflict
that pain and suffering on that family, the entire hockey community,
these were wonderful people. Wonderful wonderful people. We always hope
our student athletes will rise to the occasion and the
ambassadors for the university, and one did that better than
(05:49):
Johnny Gudreau and his brother Matthew and Cherry York Today
and coach Greg Brown in the press conference, talked about
how infectious they were, a positivity they brought to the
locker room and how they brought up the best in
one another and another thing about Johnny when you signed
a professional contract. He's done very well in life. He
came back to Boston College to finish his degree. He
(06:10):
left after he won the will Be Baker Wardens during
the year. He came back to Boston College to finish
his degree because he had promised his mother that he'd
do so. Just a class, class act, a wonderful family,
and I don't know how they get through this. They'll
have the prayers and the support of the entire BC
community to help in any way possible to get through
this nightmarisho deal well.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
For those who don't know, the Hoby Baker Award is
for the best college hockey player in the country, which
he want. It's the equivalent of a Heisman Trophy for football, which,
of course Doug Flutie another relatively diminutive athlete. It's fair
to say that his impact on the hockey program at BC,
which is an extraordinary program, was very similar to Flutie's
(06:54):
impact on the football program.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Cherry York and Greg Brown talked about that today, how
their success led to the recruitment of other players, which
led to even more success at BC. So we're very
fortunate he was Johnny hockey. He brought an enthusiasm here
and then when Matthew played with him, it was the
most incredible year for both of them. They are so close,
they were the closest of brothers. But it definitely helped
(07:20):
to bring another student athletes on the hockey players to
attend Boston College. You might have gone somewhere else because
of the energy, the excitement that they had brought here.
So they'll be missed by the entire BC community and
the entire hockey world, and so so many ways to
have just Jack.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
I'm sure we've got a lot of interviews today, so
I very much appreciate and post on our friendship to
persuade you to join me tonight. I am assuming that
at some point Boston College and the entire community will
do something for these two young men. Is anything been
scheduled yet and if not.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Not yet, No, it's a very good point here. We
talked about it and I'll definitely share it with you
when we do. We're still just trying to make sense
of the shocking news, but there will definitely be something
that we'll do to honor the Gudros in the family
at the appropriate time.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
This year, Jack done in Boston College. Normally we talk
on happier times. I can't think of a worse time
in the day in the history of Boston College than
this day. And I don't I'm not being hyperbolic when
I say that, but I really mean that that this
has to be the single worst day in the history
of this great academic and athletic institution.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Thank you, Dan, Thank you for having me in for
your time.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Words the BC we appreciate.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
All right. Well, my wife's a BC Eagles, she's a
graduate undergraduate of BC, so we follow b C very
very closely. Jack done, Thanks and you know again not
that it matters, but please pass along our best wishes
to everyone, particularly the Gudreau family. This is it's breadthtaking
to when you think about how this went down and
(08:56):
these these young guys should have been celebrating the wedding
one of their sisters uh today and the parents Jane
and Gus, who man, what they must be going through tonight.
I just our prayers and our thoughts are with with
BC and with the Gudura family tonight check down as
always talked to you, my friend, Thank you so much.
(09:19):
You're welcome. When we get back, I want to talk
about this. And normally this is not the type of
subject we talk about on Nightside. Occasionally, occasionally you'll hear
a story of an athlete of some caliber who dies unexpectedly.
There have been, you know, occasionally a drug overdose. You've
(09:43):
seen some time an athlete gets into a car accident
based upon their own lack of judgment. But this is
there are so many levels here and and I'd like
to talk talk about it. I'd also like to ask
you and this is, this is, this is going to
(10:06):
get a little a little tough for all of you,
all of us. If we're honest, we'll admit that at
some point, you know, most of us, including myself, will
admit that, at some point in our lives, we got
behind the wheel after having had a beer two. But
this driver, Sean Higgins of Woodstown, New Jersey, has been
(10:28):
charged with two counts of death by auto, also known
here as Forhiciel homicide, and he's being held tonight. Apparently
they had a preliminary hearing this morning. His arraignment has
been scheduled to next Thursday, and he will remain he
will remain in the Salem County Correctional Facility until then
(10:53):
the troopers who arrived at the scene. This is according
to an article out of the Columbus Dispatch, and it
is just impossible to underestimate what this young man meant
not only to the Boston College program, but to the
Columbus Blue Jackets and before that to the Calgary Flames
(11:15):
suspected under the influence at the time of the crash.
According to the report released on Friday morning, and again
I am quoting from the Columbus Dispatch piece by Brian
Hedger and Cole Barons, the crash occurred as this guy
Higgins is driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee northbound on a
(11:37):
road named Pennsville Auburn Road. It's a rural road. He
passed a car in the southboune lane, but he went
to pass an suv. The suv moved to the center
of the road. The suv was passing around the good
(11:58):
Row brothers who were peddling north on the side of
the road on their bikes. Higgins then attempted to pass
the suv on the right on the right going to
pass an suv on the right on a rural road,
and he struck the two bicyclists in the rear. According
(12:18):
to the criminal complaint against Higgins, he remained on the scene.
When law enforcement arrived at the crash site, investigators noticed
that he smelled of alcohol. He told police he had
drank five to six beers before or end end while driving.
Before the crash. He failed to field sobriety test. Higgins
(12:41):
told police he believed his drinking had led to his
impatience and reckless driving that resulted in the crash. So
if the guy admits to having had five or six,
my suspicion, as he probably had more than five or six,
and for someone to get behind the wheel of a
(13:02):
car after having five or six this occurred at about eight
thirty last night, when we were on the air twenty
four hours ago. These young guys should have been at
their sister's wedding tonight today and tonight in Philadelphia. They
should be dancing at a wedding right now, all because
(13:24):
of this fool Sean Higgins. Now again, please, as you
spend some time partying this weekend and spending good times
with friends. We always hear about these accidents, but this
is one that really should be seared into our minds.
(13:47):
These were two young men who had an incredible life.
They had incredible lives before them, They had a great family,
They had spent their entire lives honing their craft. One
is an Nahell soon to be NHL Hall of Fame
hockey player, even though his career has been cut short.
(14:11):
What should be done with Sean Higgins. I don't know
what the criminal law is in New Jersey, but I
would suspect could be wrong, but I would suspect that
probably he's looking at, you know, maybe a ten year sentence.
Maybe some judge will give him a ten year sentence
consecutive as opposed to concurrently. But how do you punish
(14:35):
him adequately? There's just no way. I mean, there's no way.
This guy's forty three. You know, he survives prison. I
probably will. He will probably see the light of day
at some point down the line, long after the specifics
(14:58):
of this accident I've forgotten. How do you punish someone
like this. I'd love to get your reaction, and if
you've been a fan of Boston College hockey and you'd
like to pay a tribute to Johnny Hockey, Johnny Gudreau.
I just think it's important to talk about it. I
could not have done this program tonight without talking about it. Shocking,
(15:18):
shocking story. There are people killed in this country every
day drunk driving accidents. To get the number, but I
think sometimes there are about thirty thousand people in this country.
You die every year from automobile accidents, and I'm sure
a good percentage are related to alcohol indoor drugs. Six one, seven,
two thirty six one seven, nine, three, one ten thirty.
(15:41):
My name's Dan Ray. This is night Side. Come on
back and let's talk about this.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Now, back to Dan Ray Live from the window World
to Night Than Studios. I'm WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
We're talking about the deaths of two young hockey players,
the brothers on Johnny and Matthew Gudrow. Now, Johnny Gudrou
played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and many of you
who are not hockey fans probably didn't realize there was
a team called the Columbus Blue Jackets. It's an expansion team.
He had been drafted by the Calgary Flames, and those
(16:15):
of you who are not hockey fans might not know
that one of the teams in the National Hockey League
is the Calgary Flames. Used to be the Atlanta Flames.
A long time ago. He played in two cities. He
didn't play for the Rangers, didn't play for the Canadians,
didn't play for the Bruins of the Blackhawks, but he
was an All Star player. That does nothing to minimize
(16:39):
the conversation, or for that matter, to maximize the conversation.
But he had this connection with Boston, having played here
for Boston College, where he won the Hoby Baker, which
is the best college hockey player in the country. It's
an extraordinary award, similar to the Heisman Trophy. And his life,
(17:01):
UH is cut short, cut short. In an instance, all
of us, all of us should wake up tomorrow and
remember the lesson that this, this should teach us, and
that none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Today, his former coach,
the great Jerry Yorke, had a news conference along with
(17:25):
the current Boston College coach.
Speaker 5 (17:28):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
This is Jerry york a great a great guy who
I've met and and I know sometimes listens to this program.
He was talking to w BZ TV and I think
it was Dan Roach who was doing the interview about
the loss of Johnny and Matthew Gudreu. That's cut twenty three, Rob.
Speaker 6 (17:50):
Yeah, that's the most important thing because you know, Johnny's
getting so much publicity of the tragic all of the news,
national news, and but but Maddie was the two sons,
and to lose both sons that we're both parents, were you,
I mean, this is really hard, difficult. And then they
were there to celebrate the younger sister's wedding, which is today.
(18:13):
I just can't put it together.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
But they were. They were such a join the coach,
they really were.
Speaker 6 (18:21):
You know, each coach wants to have the best practice
today and didn't make it the best practice because he's
stuff in the ice and they're so creative and so
full of energy.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
We miss him.
Speaker 6 (18:34):
Unbelievable. I can't can't explain it.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Jerry the coach, Jerry Yorke also talked to Canadian radio.
This is a huge story in Canada, a huge story
about Johnny Hockey. And he told the story of how
this guy was I guess five foot six, probably five
foot eight on skates, five foot nine on skates maybe,
(18:58):
how how he learned how to scale. It's a it
might break the mood here a little bit, but it's
a I think it's a fun story. And it just
talked about the dedication. In order to become an ice
hockey player, unlike any of the other sports, you have
to first learn to eskape and generally have to learn
to escape pretty early. This has cut twenty four up
(19:20):
cut twenty four.
Speaker 7 (19:20):
Every day with Johnny was a gift. He was such
an in sexious guy. But when Johnny stepped on the ice,
everything he was accomplished. He was so excited about just
going on the ice to practice. And I remember his
dad to teach Johnny to escape. He had a package
of skittles and he throw a skill out and Johnny
(19:42):
amble over, somehow get to the skill and then throw
another skill out. He says to me that this is
how I learned to ESKATEE.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
Those of you who you was a mom or dad
have tried to teach us your children how to skate.
I think you can identify with that. I know I can.
And both of my kids turned out to be good
skaters and hockey players. They were not anywhere near the
caliber of these two young men. But this is it's
(20:19):
impossible to if you're not a hockey fan, to understand
how talented these young men were, and they had They
were thirty one and twenty nine and their lives gone
gone in an instant. And that's something that every one
(20:43):
of us should think about, particularly if this weekend or
any time in the future, we're going to have a
couple of drinks. Please be careful, Please be careful. All
of us have done it at some point. And if
maybe some of you have never done it, okay, but
I think most of us, including me, have done it.
(21:04):
You have, you know, even one drink? Your reaction. This
guy went way overboard if what he admitted to the
police is even partially true. Even that he admitted to
the police five or six beers, generally, when someone's cops
(21:24):
to that to a police officer, five to six is
going to be much more than five to six. And
how do you punish this guy? I guess the punishment
that he will that he will mostly feel, is what
he did to another family and what he did to
two young men, all because he wanted a few beers
(21:46):
on a Thursday evening. Well, take a break, it's nine thirty.
I would love to hear from you on this one.
This is a tough one to talk about, but that's
what we do here. This is a talk show. So
if you're a hockey person and you want to comment,
if you're a Boston college person, if you're just a
human being and you understand what this family is going through.
(22:09):
Johnny Goudreau besides leaving his mom and dad and two sisters,
Kristen and Katie, he also leaves to a wife, Meredith,
and two young children, a daughter, Noah and a son
Johnny Matthew Godreau Goodrow survived by his wife, Madeline uh
(22:31):
and both both brothers are survived by their parents, Jane
and Gus Goudreau. And as someone says, you know, parents
should never, should never have to bury their children. We're
back on Night's. I know it's pretty it's a down topic.
I know it is, and I know it's a Labor
Day weekend and it's tough to talk about. But damn it,
(22:51):
damn it. If one person tonight can change their behavior, okay,
uh And And if you want a drink to access,
drinking your own home drink, drinking your cave, drinking your cellar,
drinking your attic, we'll drinking your backyard. But don't ever
find yourself in this situation that this guy Sean Higgins
(23:14):
finds himself in tonight knowing he's got to be sitting
in a jail celler in Salem County Correctional Facility, and
in New Jersey if you're from New Jersey, whatever, I
just want to open these phone lines up, and I
hope my audience will rise to the occasion. And and
perhaps not. You might want to echo what I'm saying,
(23:36):
but you also might want to see some sort of
a lesson. There has to be something in here that
that is more than just the death of two great
young guys who apparently were great hockey players, but better
human being six one seven, two, five, four ten thirty
six one seven, six one seven nine. This is tough
(24:02):
to talk about. I understand your hesitation, but I hope
you'll join us coming back on the night Side.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on w BZY,
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
By the way, you just heard Jerry York one. One
other comment here from Jerry Jerry Yorke if I could uh.
This was from his press conference this afternoon. Cut twenty five,
Rob Souch, I'd like to.
Speaker 6 (24:29):
Ship what Craig said. It was shocking news to us.
You know, it's just such a hard reality when you
wake up in the morning and hear that and the
biggest thing, and Greig and I have talked about this
that you know, Johnny is the national news and you know,
my phone's been bringing all over the Canada, United States
this morning. But they're both boys, you know, and both
(24:53):
are so close to our program. So can you imagine
Key and Jay and the parents, Uh, one of the youngest,
the younger start of Katie's getting married today and they
were all back to celebrate and U and now you
lose two sons. So it's it's amost sound imaginable. And uh,
you know, we know life is difficult, and this is
(25:15):
certainly one of those times. But he was a special
gradual connections. Like Greg said to us, are you know,
both amazing players and people all talking about Johnny as
you know, Olympic player and a world class but just
as uh some of the raise the level of your
practice to beat Johnny hockey but not wear that label.
(25:41):
H well respected by all the students here, the teachers,
and by Greg and I. You know, if you ask
us the name of our favorite players, you know they've
got to be. Both boys are going to be among them.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Boston College former Boston College hockey coach Jerry York. Let's
let's get some phone calls and some reaction from some
of you, which I appreciate all of you taking the time.
This is Dan and Hampton. I assume that's Hampton Beach,
New Hampshire, right Dan, Yeah.
Speaker 8 (26:11):
Well I'm actually in a town or Dan. This is
just horrible. I quickly have a a Johnny Goodrow story, like, well,
I've been a unh hockey guy forever and I remember
back at twenty thirteen when BC came up to play
(26:32):
un AS and I think Johnny was just coming back
from playing for Team USA Juniors. And the first thing
I asked was b C BU fan BC fans in
front of us, and I asked which number is Goodrow?
And he said fourteen. And what was a good memory
that night?
Speaker 2 (26:48):
For me?
Speaker 8 (26:48):
It was the biggest fifty to fifty of the year,
so the place was packed and I want it. I
want over thirteen hundred dollars whatever. Yeah, and you and
I won the game too, which really yeah in over time.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
Okay, yeah, that's a great game. Yeah.
Speaker 8 (27:09):
Wow, you know, it's always been a great first thing
when I think of Johnny somehow I always thought he
was gonna somehow we were gonna he was gonna end
up with the Bruins some way, somehow.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
But I.
Speaker 8 (27:23):
Just I think all of Hockey East, I hope uh
coming up all where something in his memory, and I'm
sure they will.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
That'll be a great gesture. That'd be a great gesture.
You know. I'm hoping to here from some of our
Canadian listeners tonight, because as big as this story is here,
I'm sure it's as you know, even bigger in Canada.
And I think about you know, I was thinking today
about the death of Kobe Bryant in that horrible helicopter
accident a few years ago, and seeing it reported that
(27:53):
there was a helicopter and Kobe Bryant was on it
and with his daughter, and then in an hour or
so they said, yeah, this helicopter crashed in fog. And
you said, well, Kobe Bryant, I mean, you know, the
top of his game. This is the equivalent. You know.
It may not have been as big an individual star,
because basketball is still a bigger sport in America than hockey,
(28:16):
but he was of that same caliber. And to die
the night before his sisters, his younger sisters winning his.
Speaker 8 (28:25):
Four sister her wedding day. Those are her two brothers, family.
It just it doesn't get.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
It, just Dan, I think, yeah, well, Dan, I appreciate that.
But also at the hands of an alleged drunk driver.
Speaker 9 (28:43):
I mean exactly.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
You look at Kobe Bryant, and I believe Kobe was
going with about with his daughter to a basketball game,
and they weren't They were concerned they were going to
get there. They took a helicopter. And you know how
fog bank can come in. If fog bank comes in
and you have a problem, you might say, well, you
should have been driving, but there was no This is
(29:05):
some guy who couldn't stop at two, couldn't stop at three,
couldn't stop at four or five beers and took these
two lives. This guy's going to have to live with
himself for the rest of us.
Speaker 8 (29:16):
Oh my god.
Speaker 10 (29:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (29:18):
And you know, and Kobe Bryant, though he was sort
of near the end or at the end of his
career by.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Then, I mean, he was still he was a superstar,
I know.
Speaker 8 (29:28):
But the thing is, John's still in his prime thirty
one years old. He's still had so many more years
to go.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
He would have had another at least five or six years.
Speaker 8 (29:38):
Oh, absolutely absolutely, And he's just like I say, Hockey East.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
You know, that's a great suggestion. And maybe Jerry York
is listening or someone bet there should be some sort
of a tribute. Absolutely, Dan, I got pack lines, so
I want to get as many in as I can.
But I thank you so much. That's a great story
to start us off. And it lightens to move just
a little bit to think that you're on him play
and your team you and age did be pulling out. Thanks,
(30:05):
thank you, my friend.
Speaker 8 (30:06):
Thanks much.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Let me go to Chris in Chumpstort, Massachusetts. Chris, you
were next one night, sag right ahead.
Speaker 5 (30:13):
We can therefore work. This morning, I heard this story
and I was like, I cannot believe it. I have
a brother who has played hockey for fifty years and
he would not do a thing like that, Thank god.
He his friends would not do a thing like that.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
Yeah, I mean it's seemcomprehensible, and just that moment in time,
you know, if they had gone out for the bike
ride five minutes later or five minutes earlier, it's just
the vagaries of life. Jerry root Yorke talked about it
that you wake up in the morning and say it
was another good day. You know, it's a nice day
in New England. But don't take it for granted, you
(30:50):
know exactly.
Speaker 5 (30:52):
I agree with that.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
You know, every day you get is a present. And
if you'd said, if you said to most of us yesterday, hey,
would you would you trade places if you had a
chance with you know, Johnny Goodrol and become a National
Hockey League player at the age of thirty one, I
think most people would say, yeah, that's a good deal.
Speaker 5 (31:15):
Well, you just never know exactly tell me about it,
and you.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Never know to tell you about the place. Chris, I
appreciate you, you my friend.
Speaker 5 (31:23):
Thank have a good weeknd all.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
Right you two. Let me go next to Paul in Ontario. Paul,
I'm you were up there in Canada. I would love
to know that has to be a nation in morning tonight.
Speaker 9 (31:38):
Absolutely, Johnny Goudreau was absolutely loved in Calgary specifically, but
right across Canada. Hockey Night in Canada, which is every Saturday,
always had a double header, so the Maple Leafs or
Canadians would be the first game, then a Western team
would be the second game, often the Calgary plane. So
(32:00):
Johnny Goodreau was seen almost every Saturday night or every
second Saturday night, and as I said, he was so
admired in the community. It just made my I was
just stone cold when I heard the news this morning.
I was just so shocked, and I just wanted to
extend my condolences to the to the family and the
(32:23):
fans and friends of both players. It's just such a
sad day, Paul.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
I appreciate hearing from you. Again. Our signal does get
into Canada. Uh And and I know that we love
all the sports down here in America, and we have
our pockets of you know, baseball is best, and football
is number one, and hot nothing's better than hockey and basketball.
But in Canada, even though you got you know, CFL football,
(32:53):
and you have an NBA team in Toronto, and you
of course have you know, you had a you know,
Major League Baseball team in Montreal for for a while,
you have you have an MLB team in Toronto as well.
Hockey is king in Canada.
Speaker 5 (33:06):
I mean, absolutely no.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
Sport that's even close. And when you get a superstar
like this young man who also happens to be a
good guy, I mean, you guys have had some great superstars,
you know, Wayne Gretzky, Bobby or all great you know
our own Ray bulk here who we've adopted. Uh, you
know Gordie How, the great Gordy How. For all those years,
the great Canadian teams. You've had really some wonderful hockey
(33:32):
heroes in Canada. But this, this young man was right
there with him, and I hope that they induct him
into the NHL Hall of Fame as soon as possible.
I don't know.
Speaker 9 (33:42):
I'm sure that will happen, and I'm sure they'll waive
the waiting period, which I believe is three years.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
So amazor League baseball it's five. I'm not sure what
it is in hockey, but yeah.
Speaker 9 (33:52):
I believe it's three. I believe it's three.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Paul. I appreciate you calling. I believe you. I think
you've called before, have you not?
Speaker 9 (33:59):
YEA, Yes, I'm Paul and Burlington.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
If it has at Burlington, Ontario, I would have known
who it was. Paul, one of my most loyal listeners
in Canada. I so appreciate you.
Speaker 9 (34:10):
Taking the time and again my condolences and thanks for
having this topic on your show tonight. I think it's
really important.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
Couldn't ignore it, particularly with this young man's connection to Boston,
you know, New Jersey, a son of New Jersey, but
he's an adopted son of Boston College and of course Canada,
Calgary in the NHL, in Columbus, Ohio. I mean he
made an impact wherever he went. Paul, we'll talk soon.
Speaker 9 (34:38):
Okay, thanks buddy, Okay, you take care, Dan, Now take
a quick.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Break, come right back on Night's side. I got one
line at six one seven, two, five, four to ten
thirty and one line at six one seven, nine one
to ten thirty. If you're on the line, I promise
we'll get you in and we will change topics at
ten o'clock. And I'll remind you that we will do
our end of August snap poll tonight at eleven o'clock.
And there are only two candidates who could be elected president.
(35:05):
I think you know both of their names. This is
the first snap poll which will not include RFK, and
I'd love to see how this all goes tonight, beginning
at eleven o'clock. Back on Nightside right after this.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
Now back to Dan ray Li from the Window World
Nightside Studios.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
I' w b Z to news Radio back to the calls,
Eileen joins us. Eileen, thanks for calling in. I don't
know if you're a big hockey fan, but you certainly
must understand the impact of the deaths, of the unnecessary
deaths of these two young men.
Speaker 9 (35:37):
Hi, Eileen, Well, I.
Speaker 11 (35:42):
Just have to say that all day today, I've just
been feeling sick and I'm all alone, and I don't
have anybody around me. But and I just I'm so
glad that you're just bringing this out in the open
tonight because I think it's it's just such a terrible,
(36:03):
terrible thing. I mean, on their way to the sister's
wedding day. And I hope this drunk driver spends the
rest of his life in jail.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
Yeah, he probably won't, but he's going to have to
spend the rest of his life with the memory of
what he did. He may not remember it because he
might have been so drunk, but he's going to have
to realize. And I think that's going to be the
greatest punishment, that that's a life sentence in of itself.
Speaker 9 (36:32):
I lean trust me on.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
That one, and I share your sentiments.
Speaker 11 (36:37):
Thanks, Eileen, We'll talk later, yep, Okay, Thanks dam good night.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
Let me go to Eugene in the Philippines. Eugene, and
next on Nightsig and go right ahead, Eugene.
Speaker 4 (36:49):
Good morning. Then you're very appropriate in your discussion. In
my opinion, it's oh Labor Day in the US. How
many more drunk drivers are going to be traveling this weekend?
And how many more innocent people will have to die?
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Yeah? Well, maybe maybe as a result, and again you're
always trying to find something to grasp onto, maybe as
a result of this, there will be some individual who
would ordinarily over indulge and will remember this, and and
we'll say, look, in memory of the Goudreaux brothers, I'm
(37:32):
going to turn my life around here. Maybe maybe I'll
stop drinking, or maybe I will say I'm never going
to drink and drive again. You know, all of these
these stories we talk about fade in the back of
our memory bank. But this is one that should last
with a lot of people. I mean, I just kind
of imagine what this guy is thinking tonight, the guy
(37:54):
who allegedly killed both of these young men. As I
said to Eileen, he will probably see the light of
day at some point because for hekilh homicide. He's going
to get a tough sentence if it's proven, you know
that he was drunk, particularly beyond you know all the
elements of that crime. But even if he gets out
fifteen years from now or twenty years from now, he's
(38:17):
still got to live with the knowledge of what he did.
That's a tough sentence.
Speaker 4 (38:25):
Yeah, well, Dan, think about this one. How many others
that were not famous sports figures, overever and one known
and were killed every day in Massachusetts? All right, drunk
driver this last week?
Speaker 2 (38:42):
Well yeah, I mean you're right, Eugene, And every death
is a tragedy, but this one is this one because
of the circumstances, not only a famous athlete, a very
famous athlete, two professional athletes, brothers who were in their hometown.
This is like if they were killed in their hometown.
They tried the world with their their abilities from this sport.
(39:03):
But wow, I mean it gonna be they should have
been dancing at their sister's wedding tonight. And that's yeah, Eugene,
thank you for your sentiments. You wear your heart and
your sleeve and I can hear it in your voice.
Thank you, my friend.
Speaker 4 (39:22):
All right, then you have a good holiday weekend. They're okay,
and all.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
Of us should every day when we wake up, you know,
in the morning, say thank God for another day and
thank God that our children are safe. And I'm just
hoping that out of this some people are gonna kind
of say to themselves, you know what it could have
been me, I you know, I had five beers or
something way way over the top, you know.
Speaker 4 (39:46):
Anyway, you know one person, it's worth it.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
Yeah, not worth the loss, but but during the hour
might be worth it. Thanks you, Geene, appreciate it. Let
me get two more in here before the break. At least,
let me go to Daryl in New Brunswick, Second Canadian
College tonight. Daryl, I know that you're a hockey fan
up there, and from our previous conversations has to be
a tough.
Speaker 9 (40:10):
Yes, I am, and I appreciate the topic also led
Eileen and Eugene. No good conversation. I Leen, you're not
alone because you're on Dan Ray. But listening to Edmonton
and Calgary radio today, people actually mentioned as well about
the Boston connection with the boys, right yep. And with
(40:32):
that they're actually the Calgary flame. They're actually lighting that tonight.
And respect to John and his brother.
Speaker 2 (40:41):
Thank you, and this was a kid. He's thirty one
years old, and when you think about it, he had
an impact here at Boston College. He had an impact
I'm sure in New Jersey where he grew up, had
an impact here in New England at Boston College, because
BC really is a regional college. It's named Boston College,
but it's it's, you know, a major hockey institution. He
had a major impact in Calgary in Western Canada, and
(41:03):
then he had a major impact playing for the Columbus
Blue Jackets, uh in in in Middle America in Ohio.
You don't get any more Middle American than than Columbus Ohio.
Speaker 9 (41:14):
Right, so been there as well? Yeah, right, to let
you guys know that people are respecting this family so
much that even young kids are saying, I grew up
with this guy. But they're also dropping up Skittles and
great daid raid and the Calgary Sattle.
Speaker 2 (41:35):
Yes, yep. Well, my understanding that he was a big
Skittles fan and didn't have the greatest diet. You know,
we talk about the Tom Brady's of the world that
have the perfect diets. Avocado this and avocato that. I
guess Johnny was still a great athlete, and his diet
probably looked a lot more like yours and mine. Kind
of just a regular guy.
Speaker 9 (41:55):
Darryl minus turkey bacon club.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
So I mean, hey, I admit to that as well.
Speaker 9 (42:01):
Thanks Derek, good night, Great long weekend guys, you too,
my friend.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
Okay, John and Draca Johnny going to wrap the hour
for us here, go right ahead.
Speaker 10 (42:10):
Hey, Dan, I'll tell you I saw this story. It
just threw me for a loop. Man. I went to
school with Joe Sacho from BU and Boston Bruins, this
assistant coach, and I watched hockey my whole life. And
this kid here. I watched this kid and the Hollydell
Arena down in South Jersey. Your friend was telling me
(42:30):
he used to show up and the kids would go
absolutely crazy. He said, John, do you think he's a
national hero? I said, you know, Sean said to me,
I think this kid is to those kids, to those
kids who he went and saw all the time at
that arena. Was just an amazing kid that just went
out and saw these young kids skate. He showed up
(42:52):
and showed his respect to the sport. And I am
just absolutely devastated from this. This is just Oh, sad
him with his brother, just minded her own business.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
Riding bikes, eight thirty at night and knuckle some knucklehead,
who's who's in the who's half in the bag? Way
out of control? He's going to drive recklessly and try
to pass a truck on the right.
Speaker 3 (43:16):
Yeah, he's passing on the right.
Speaker 10 (43:18):
I mean they're doing freaking thirty forty fifty sixty miles
an hour.
Speaker 3 (43:21):
They stand the chairs.
Speaker 4 (43:23):
He mowed them down.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
Yeah, they were hit, as my I misread it. They
were hit from behind. They didn't even see it coming.
Speaker 10 (43:30):
Oh god, they just heard this acceleration. Who knows if
they even looked.
Speaker 2 (43:36):
No, they never they Yeah. I misread it in terms
of initially so they were hit from behind. They never
heard it, probably until it was too late.
Speaker 10 (43:46):
I was telling my girlfriend Karena this morning. She was like, what, Yeah,
I couldn't believe it. She was absolutely stunned. When I
told him the news, I said, this is something that
you won't miss this afternoon when you go into the dial.
This is just absolutely devastating for the hockey world, for Canadians,
for anybody who wears that uniform, anybody who is the
(44:07):
biggest fan of the world in.
Speaker 2 (44:08):
That and anybody who who would look at that family
and realize that of all the I mean the tragedy
of the men's proportions on the worst day possible, John,
I hate to do this to Your emotions are clear,
and I think they represent the feelings of a lot
of my listeners tonight.
Speaker 10 (44:24):
Thank you, thanks so much for doing this. See you lead.
Speaker 2 (44:28):
You're welcome. It's not a fun hour to do. We're
going to talk next hour about a problem with teenagers
in Somerville, Massachusetts, and I have a solution. We'll be
back on Nightside right after the tent
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Costs Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Very rarely do we deal with the story as horrible
as this story on Nightside, but the death of an
NHL player who was destined for the NHL Hall of
Fame in my opinion, Johnny Gudreau and his brother, who
also played professional hockey and played for a while out
in Worcester with the rail Riders. I was at the
(00:29):
gym earlier this morning, and when I left the gym,
I hadn't heard of the story. I hadn't watched any
news in the morning, and I was talking to a
friend of mine from Canada as I left the gym,
and she asked me, have you heard the news. I
wasn't sure what she was talking about, and that's how
I learned about this horrific story. For those of you
who haven't heard about it, I can't imagine anyone have not.
(00:52):
Both Johnny, also known as Johnny Hockey, great player, great
player for the Calgary Flames and the Blue Jackets. But
before that, Boston College and his brother, who also played
at Boston College, Matthew, were killed struck by a suspected
drunk driver. They were bicycling yesterday and near their home
(01:12):
in the childhood home in New Jersey. They were there
to serve as groomsmen for one of their sister's weddings. Today,
I mean, I cannot imagine a more tragic You know,
you hear about some professional athlete who dies, but the
circumstances of the death and the circumstances surrounding the death
(01:35):
are just extraordinary. With us as a representative of the
administration at Boston College. Jack Dunn, who's been a friend
of mine for a long time, I called him today.
I said, Jack, you know, it's going to be a
horrible day for you. Got to get you just for
a few minutes to try to explain to my audience
both here in New England and around the country, what
(01:55):
this young man, these two young men, meant to the
hockey program into Boston Calle College generally. Jack, I wish
I could say, welcome to nightside. It's it's a horrific
evening for you and a horrific evening for everyone associated
with Boston College. But how how is the how is
the Boston College family doing tonight? It has to be
(02:17):
a night that they will never never forget, and a
night that they I kind of imagine the pain that
that that people are feeling, particularly those involved in the
hockey program at Boston College.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Jack, It's true, Dan, It's it's a nightmare. It's the unthinkable.
Has happened to one of the best families I've ever
had the pleasure of knowing. They The Goudreau's were beloved
at Boston College. Johnny and Matthew were very tight siblings
and great players, but they were just as wonderful people
as they were a players, and they cast a wide
(02:52):
shadow over here because everyone loved them. I just have
so many memories of Johnny and Matthew and Johnny and
particularly he was the best college hockey player in the country.
He won the Hobe Baker Award, given to the very
best player in NCAA college hockey. And when kids would
come and ask for autographs, the line would always be
the longest for Johnny, and he'd stay and sign every
(03:13):
single autograph, and I think I would see him the
kids who were waiting to meet him a reflection of
the hopes they had for themselves. You know, a lot
of these athletes today are six feet tall and two
hundred pounds. Johnny was diminuted to be the small guy,
as was Matthew, but they always found time to meet
with kids, sign autographs off of hope. Anything we are
(03:34):
asked of each of them, they did. So we are
a community in mourning trying to comprehend the incomprehensible that
a family that was planning a wedding today's dealing with
the death of two remarkable young men just beyond imagination.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Well, what's extraordinary is again, there have been some players
you know of Johnny Size who survived in the NHL,
but to actually play as well as he did for
so long for both you know, Calgary and Columbus. Look,
(04:09):
that is a tough league at this point. There's a
lot of six or four defensemen who are willing to
take people's heads off as they try to get towards
the net. So as good as they were athletically, and
as good as they were as individuals and as family
members and obviously as a wonderful family, they also were
so skilled to be able to practice their craft, you know, literally,
(04:35):
as you know, amongst some of the toughest athletes in
the world. And to think that at the age of
thirty one and twenty nine, respectively, they're are bicycling the
night before their sister was to be married. I've read
some of the accounts of how the accident occurred, and
(04:55):
if the accounts that I've read are true, what a waste,
What a waste. They were mowed down. They lived together,
they played together at BC, and they died together. So
unnecessarily a guy allegedly drunk, who who apparently was trying
(05:16):
to pass a truck on a small rural dirt road
and must have lost control of the car and it
sounds like you hit him head on.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah, You've described exactly what we have heard from the
various reports, and it's such a tragedy and to inflict
that pain and suffering on that family, the entire hockey community,
these were wonderful people. Wonderful wonderful people. We always hope
our student athletes will rise to the occasion and the
ambassadors for the university, and one did that better than
(05:49):
Johnny Gudreau and his brother Matthew and Cherry York Today
and coach Greg Brown in the press conference, talked about
how infectious they were, a positivity they brought to the
locker room and how they brought up the best in
one another and another thing about Johnny when you signed
a professional contract. He's done very well in life. He
came back to Boston College to finish his degree. He
(06:10):
left after he won the will Be Baker Wardens during
the year. He came back to Boston College to finish
his degree because he had promised his mother that he'd
do so. Just a class, class act, a wonderful family,
and I don't know how they get through this. They'll
have the prayers and the support of the entire BC
community to help in any way possible to get through
this nightmarisho deal well.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
For those who don't know, the Hoby Baker Award is
for the best college hockey player in the country, which
he want. It's the equivalent of a Heisman Trophy for football, which,
of course Doug Flutie another relatively diminutive athlete. It's fair
to say that his impact on the hockey program at BC,
which is an extraordinary program, was very similar to Flutie's
(06:54):
impact on the football program.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Cherry York and Greg Brown talked about that today, how
their success led to the recruitment of other players, which
led to even more success at BC. So we're very
fortunate he was Johnny hockey. He brought an enthusiasm here
and then when Matthew played with him, it was the
most incredible year for both of them. They are so close,
they were the closest of brothers. But it definitely helped
(07:20):
to bring another student athletes on the hockey players to
attend Boston College. You might have gone somewhere else because
of the energy, the excitement that they had brought here.
So they'll be missed by the entire BC community and
the entire hockey world, and so so many ways to
have just Jack.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
I'm sure we've got a lot of interviews today, so
I very much appreciate and post on our friendship to
persuade you to join me tonight. I am assuming that
at some point Boston College and the entire community will
do something for these two young men. Is anything been
scheduled yet and if not.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Not yet, No, it's a very good point here. We
talked about it and I'll definitely share it with you
when we do. We're still just trying to make sense
of the shocking news, but there will definitely be something
that we'll do to honor the Gudros in the family
at the appropriate time.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
This year, Jack done in Boston College. Normally we talk
on happier times. I can't think of a worse time
in the day in the history of Boston College than
this day. And I don't I'm not being hyperbolic when
I say that, but I really mean that that this
has to be the single worst day in the history
of this great academic and athletic institution.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Thank you, Dan, Thank you for having me in for
your time.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Words the BC we appreciate.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
All right. Well, my wife's a BC Eagles, she's a
graduate undergraduate of BC, so we follow b C very
very closely. Jack done, Thanks and you know again not
that it matters, but please pass along our best wishes
to everyone, particularly the Gudreau family. This is it's breadthtaking
to when you think about how this went down and
(08:56):
these these young guys should have been celebrating the wedding
one of their sisters uh today and the parents Jane
and Gus, who man, what they must be going through tonight.
I just our prayers and our thoughts are with with
BC and with the Gudura family tonight check down as
always talked to you, my friend, Thank you so much.
(09:19):
You're welcome. When we get back, I want to talk
about this. And normally this is not the type of
subject we talk about on Nightside. Occasionally, occasionally you'll hear
a story of an athlete of some caliber who dies unexpectedly.
There have been, you know, occasionally a drug overdose. You've
(09:43):
seen some time an athlete gets into a car accident
based upon their own lack of judgment. But this is
there are so many levels here and and I'd like
to talk talk about it. I'd also like to ask
you and this is, this is, this is going to
(10:06):
get a little a little tough for all of you,
all of us. If we're honest, we'll admit that at
some point, you know, most of us, including myself, will
admit that, at some point in our lives, we got
behind the wheel after having had a beer two. But
this driver, Sean Higgins of Woodstown, New Jersey, has been
(10:28):
charged with two counts of death by auto, also known
here as Forhiciel homicide, and he's being held tonight. Apparently
they had a preliminary hearing this morning. His arraignment has
been scheduled to next Thursday, and he will remain he
will remain in the Salem County Correctional Facility until then
(10:53):
the troopers who arrived at the scene. This is according
to an article out of the Columbus Dispatch, and it
is just impossible to underestimate what this young man meant
not only to the Boston College program, but to the
Columbus Blue Jackets and before that to the Calgary Flames
(11:15):
suspected under the influence at the time of the crash.
According to the report released on Friday morning, and again
I am quoting from the Columbus Dispatch piece by Brian
Hedger and Cole Barons, the crash occurred as this guy
Higgins is driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee northbound on a
(11:37):
road named Pennsville Auburn Road. It's a rural road. He
passed a car in the southboune lane, but he went
to pass an suv. The suv moved to the center
of the road. The suv was passing around the good
(11:58):
Row brothers who were peddling north on the side of
the road on their bikes. Higgins then attempted to pass
the suv on the right on the right going to
pass an suv on the right on a rural road,
and he struck the two bicyclists in the rear. According
(12:18):
to the criminal complaint against Higgins, he remained on the scene.
When law enforcement arrived at the crash site, investigators noticed
that he smelled of alcohol. He told police he had
drank five to six beers before or end end while driving.
Before the crash. He failed to field sobriety test. Higgins
(12:41):
told police he believed his drinking had led to his
impatience and reckless driving that resulted in the crash. So
if the guy admits to having had five or six,
my suspicion, as he probably had more than five or six,
and for someone to get behind the wheel of a
(13:02):
car after having five or six this occurred at about eight
thirty last night, when we were on the air twenty
four hours ago. These young guys should have been at
their sister's wedding tonight today and tonight in Philadelphia. They
should be dancing at a wedding right now, all because
(13:24):
of this fool Sean Higgins. Now again, please, as you
spend some time partying this weekend and spending good times
with friends. We always hear about these accidents, but this
is one that really should be seared into our minds.
(13:47):
These were two young men who had an incredible life.
They had incredible lives before them, They had a great family,
They had spent their entire lives honing their craft. One
is an Nahell soon to be NHL Hall of Fame
hockey player, even though his career has been cut short.
(14:11):
What should be done with Sean Higgins. I don't know
what the criminal law is in New Jersey, but I
would suspect could be wrong, but I would suspect that
probably he's looking at, you know, maybe a ten year sentence.
Maybe some judge will give him a ten year sentence
consecutive as opposed to concurrently. But how do you punish
(14:35):
him adequately? There's just no way. I mean, there's no way.
This guy's forty three. You know, he survives prison. I
probably will. He will probably see the light of day
at some point down the line, long after the specifics
(14:58):
of this accident I've forgotten. How do you punish someone
like this. I'd love to get your reaction, and if
you've been a fan of Boston College hockey and you'd
like to pay a tribute to Johnny Hockey, Johnny Gudreau.
I just think it's important to talk about it. I
could not have done this program tonight without talking about it. Shocking,
(15:18):
shocking story. There are people killed in this country every
day drunk driving accidents. To get the number, but I
think sometimes there are about thirty thousand people in this country.
You die every year from automobile accidents, and I'm sure
a good percentage are related to alcohol indoor drugs. Six one, seven,
two thirty six one seven, nine, three, one ten thirty.
(15:41):
My name's Dan Ray. This is night Side. Come on
back and let's talk about this.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Now, back to Dan Ray Live from the window World
to Night Than Studios. I'm WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
We're talking about the deaths of two young hockey players,
the brothers on Johnny and Matthew Gudrow. Now, Johnny Gudrou
played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and many of you
who are not hockey fans probably didn't realize there was
a team called the Columbus Blue Jackets. It's an expansion team.
He had been drafted by the Calgary Flames, and those
(16:15):
of you who are not hockey fans might not know
that one of the teams in the National Hockey League
is the Calgary Flames. Used to be the Atlanta Flames.
A long time ago. He played in two cities. He
didn't play for the Rangers, didn't play for the Canadians,
didn't play for the Bruins of the Blackhawks, but he
was an All Star player. That does nothing to minimize
(16:39):
the conversation, or for that matter, to maximize the conversation.
But he had this connection with Boston, having played here
for Boston College, where he won the Hoby Baker, which
is the best college hockey player in the country. It's
an extraordinary award, similar to the Heisman Trophy. And his life,
(17:01):
UH is cut short, cut short. In an instance, all
of us, all of us should wake up tomorrow and
remember the lesson that this, this should teach us, and
that none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Today, his former coach,
the great Jerry Yorke, had a news conference along with
(17:25):
the current Boston College coach.
Speaker 5 (17:28):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
This is Jerry york a great a great guy who
I've met and and I know sometimes listens to this program.
He was talking to w BZ TV and I think
it was Dan Roach who was doing the interview about
the loss of Johnny and Matthew Gudreu. That's cut twenty three, Rob.
Speaker 6 (17:50):
Yeah, that's the most important thing because you know, Johnny's
getting so much publicity of the tragic all of the news,
national news, and but but Maddie was the two sons,
and to lose both sons that we're both parents, were you,
I mean, this is really hard, difficult. And then they
were there to celebrate the younger sister's wedding, which is today.
(18:13):
I just can't put it together.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
But they were. They were such a join the coach,
they really were.
Speaker 6 (18:21):
You know, each coach wants to have the best practice
today and didn't make it the best practice because he's
stuff in the ice and they're so creative and so
full of energy.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
We miss him.
Speaker 6 (18:34):
Unbelievable. I can't can't explain it.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Jerry the coach, Jerry Yorke also talked to Canadian radio.
This is a huge story in Canada, a huge story
about Johnny Hockey. And he told the story of how
this guy was I guess five foot six, probably five
foot eight on skates, five foot nine on skates maybe,
(18:58):
how how he learned how to scale. It's a it
might break the mood here a little bit, but it's
a I think it's a fun story. And it just
talked about the dedication. In order to become an ice
hockey player, unlike any of the other sports, you have
to first learn to eskape and generally have to learn
to escape pretty early. This has cut twenty four up
(19:20):
cut twenty four.
Speaker 7 (19:20):
Every day with Johnny was a gift. He was such
an in sexious guy. But when Johnny stepped on the ice,
everything he was accomplished. He was so excited about just
going on the ice to practice. And I remember his
dad to teach Johnny to escape. He had a package
of skittles and he throw a skill out and Johnny
(19:42):
amble over, somehow get to the skill and then throw
another skill out. He says to me that this is
how I learned to ESKATEE.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
Those of you who you was a mom or dad
have tried to teach us your children how to skate.
I think you can identify with that. I know I can.
And both of my kids turned out to be good
skaters and hockey players. They were not anywhere near the
caliber of these two young men. But this is it's
(20:19):
impossible to if you're not a hockey fan, to understand
how talented these young men were, and they had They
were thirty one and twenty nine and their lives gone
gone in an instant. And that's something that every one
(20:43):
of us should think about, particularly if this weekend or
any time in the future, we're going to have a
couple of drinks. Please be careful, Please be careful. All
of us have done it at some point. And if
maybe some of you have never done it, okay, but
I think most of us, including me, have done it.
(21:04):
You have, you know, even one drink? Your reaction. This
guy went way overboard if what he admitted to the
police is even partially true. Even that he admitted to
the police five or six beers, generally, when someone's cops
(21:24):
to that to a police officer, five to six is
going to be much more than five to six. And
how do you punish this guy? I guess the punishment
that he will that he will mostly feel, is what
he did to another family and what he did to
two young men, all because he wanted a few beers
(21:46):
on a Thursday evening. Well, take a break, it's nine thirty.
I would love to hear from you on this one.
This is a tough one to talk about, but that's
what we do here. This is a talk show. So
if you're a hockey person and you want to comment,
if you're a Boston college person, if you're just a
human being and you understand what this family is going through.
(22:09):
Johnny Goudreau besides leaving his mom and dad and two sisters,
Kristen and Katie, he also leaves to a wife, Meredith,
and two young children, a daughter, Noah and a son
Johnny Matthew Godreau Goodrow survived by his wife, Madeline uh
(22:31):
and both both brothers are survived by their parents, Jane
and Gus Goudreau. And as someone says, you know, parents
should never, should never have to bury their children. We're
back on Night's. I know it's pretty it's a down topic.
I know it is, and I know it's a Labor
Day weekend and it's tough to talk about. But damn it,
(22:51):
damn it. If one person tonight can change their behavior, okay,
uh And And if you want a drink to access,
drinking your own home drink, drinking your cave, drinking your cellar,
drinking your attic, we'll drinking your backyard. But don't ever
find yourself in this situation that this guy Sean Higgins
(23:14):
finds himself in tonight knowing he's got to be sitting
in a jail celler in Salem County Correctional Facility, and
in New Jersey if you're from New Jersey, whatever, I
just want to open these phone lines up, and I
hope my audience will rise to the occasion. And and
perhaps not. You might want to echo what I'm saying,
(23:36):
but you also might want to see some sort of
a lesson. There has to be something in here that
that is more than just the death of two great
young guys who apparently were great hockey players, but better
human being six one seven, two, five, four ten thirty
six one seven, six one seven nine. This is tough
(24:02):
to talk about. I understand your hesitation, but I hope
you'll join us coming back on the night Side.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on w BZY,
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
By the way, you just heard Jerry York one. One
other comment here from Jerry Jerry Yorke if I could uh.
This was from his press conference this afternoon. Cut twenty five,
Rob Souch, I'd like to.
Speaker 6 (24:29):
Ship what Craig said. It was shocking news to us.
You know, it's just such a hard reality when you
wake up in the morning and hear that and the
biggest thing, and Greig and I have talked about this
that you know, Johnny is the national news and you know,
my phone's been bringing all over the Canada, United States
this morning. But they're both boys, you know, and both
(24:53):
are so close to our program. So can you imagine
Key and Jay and the parents, Uh, one of the youngest,
the younger start of Katie's getting married today and they
were all back to celebrate and U and now you
lose two sons. So it's it's amost sound imaginable. And uh,
you know, we know life is difficult, and this is
(25:15):
certainly one of those times. But he was a special
gradual connections. Like Greg said to us, are you know,
both amazing players and people all talking about Johnny as
you know, Olympic player and a world class but just
as uh some of the raise the level of your
practice to beat Johnny hockey but not wear that label.
(25:41):
H well respected by all the students here, the teachers,
and by Greg and I. You know, if you ask
us the name of our favorite players, you know they've
got to be. Both boys are going to be among them.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
Boston College former Boston College hockey coach Jerry York. Let's
let's get some phone calls and some reaction from some
of you, which I appreciate all of you taking the time.
This is Dan and Hampton. I assume that's Hampton Beach,
New Hampshire, right Dan, Yeah.
Speaker 8 (26:11):
Well I'm actually in a town or Dan. This is
just horrible. I quickly have a a Johnny Goodrow story, like, well,
I've been a unh hockey guy forever and I remember
back at twenty thirteen when BC came up to play
(26:32):
un AS and I think Johnny was just coming back
from playing for Team USA Juniors. And the first thing
I asked was b C BU fan BC fans in
front of us, and I asked which number is Goodrow?
And he said fourteen. And what was a good memory
that night?
Speaker 2 (26:48):
For me?
Speaker 8 (26:48):
It was the biggest fifty to fifty of the year,
so the place was packed and I want it. I
want over thirteen hundred dollars whatever. Yeah, and you and
I won the game too, which really yeah in over time.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
Okay, yeah, that's a great game. Yeah.
Speaker 8 (27:09):
Wow, you know, it's always been a great first thing
when I think of Johnny somehow I always thought he
was gonna somehow we were gonna he was gonna end
up with the Bruins some way, somehow.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
But I.
Speaker 8 (27:23):
Just I think all of Hockey East, I hope uh
coming up all where something in his memory, and I'm
sure they will.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
That'll be a great gesture. That'd be a great gesture.
You know. I'm hoping to here from some of our
Canadian listeners tonight, because as big as this story is here,
I'm sure it's as you know, even bigger in Canada.
And I think about you know, I was thinking today
about the death of Kobe Bryant in that horrible helicopter
accident a few years ago, and seeing it reported that
(27:53):
there was a helicopter and Kobe Bryant was on it
and with his daughter, and then in an hour or
so they said, yeah, this helicopter crashed in fog. And
you said, well, Kobe Bryant, I mean, you know, the
top of his game. This is the equivalent. You know.
It may not have been as big an individual star,
because basketball is still a bigger sport in America than hockey,
(28:16):
but he was of that same caliber. And to die
the night before his sisters, his younger sisters winning his.
Speaker 8 (28:25):
Four sister her wedding day. Those are her two brothers, family.
It just it doesn't get.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
It, just Dan, I think, yeah, well, Dan, I appreciate that.
But also at the hands of an alleged drunk driver.
Speaker 9 (28:43):
I mean exactly.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
You look at Kobe Bryant, and I believe Kobe was
going with about with his daughter to a basketball game,
and they weren't They were concerned they were going to
get there. They took a helicopter. And you know how
fog bank can come in. If fog bank comes in
and you have a problem, you might say, well, you
should have been driving, but there was no This is
(29:05):
some guy who couldn't stop at two, couldn't stop at three,
couldn't stop at four or five beers and took these
two lives. This guy's going to have to live with
himself for the rest of us.
Speaker 8 (29:16):
Oh my god.
Speaker 10 (29:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (29:18):
And you know, and Kobe Bryant, though he was sort
of near the end or at the end of his
career by.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Then, I mean, he was still he was a superstar,
I know.
Speaker 8 (29:28):
But the thing is, John's still in his prime thirty
one years old. He's still had so many more years
to go.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
He would have had another at least five or six years.
Speaker 8 (29:38):
Oh, absolutely absolutely, And he's just like I say, Hockey East.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
You know, that's a great suggestion. And maybe Jerry York
is listening or someone bet there should be some sort
of a tribute. Absolutely, Dan, I got pack lines, so
I want to get as many in as I can.
But I thank you so much. That's a great story
to start us off. And it lightens to move just
a little bit to think that you're on him play
and your team you and age did be pulling out. Thanks,
(30:05):
thank you, my friend.
Speaker 8 (30:06):
Thanks much.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Let me go to Chris in Chumpstort, Massachusetts. Chris, you
were next one night, sag right ahead.
Speaker 5 (30:13):
We can therefore work. This morning, I heard this story
and I was like, I cannot believe it. I have
a brother who has played hockey for fifty years and
he would not do a thing like that, Thank god.
He his friends would not do a thing like that.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
Yeah, I mean it's seemcomprehensible, and just that moment in time,
you know, if they had gone out for the bike
ride five minutes later or five minutes earlier, it's just
the vagaries of life. Jerry root Yorke talked about it
that you wake up in the morning and say it
was another good day. You know, it's a nice day
in New England. But don't take it for granted, you
(30:50):
know exactly.
Speaker 5 (30:52):
I agree with that.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
You know, every day you get is a present. And
if you'd said, if you said to most of us yesterday, hey,
would you would you trade places if you had a
chance with you know, Johnny Goodrol and become a National
Hockey League player at the age of thirty one, I
think most people would say, yeah, that's a good deal.
Speaker 5 (31:15):
Well, you just never know exactly tell me about it,
and you.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Never know to tell you about the place. Chris, I
appreciate you, you my friend.
Speaker 5 (31:23):
Thank have a good weeknd all.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
Right you two. Let me go next to Paul in Ontario. Paul,
I'm you were up there in Canada. I would love
to know that has to be a nation in morning tonight.
Speaker 9 (31:38):
Absolutely, Johnny Goudreau was absolutely loved in Calgary specifically, but
right across Canada. Hockey Night in Canada, which is every Saturday,
always had a double header, so the Maple Leafs or
Canadians would be the first game, then a Western team
would be the second game, often the Calgary plane. So
(32:00):
Johnny Goodreau was seen almost every Saturday night or every
second Saturday night, and as I said, he was so
admired in the community. It just made my I was
just stone cold when I heard the news this morning.
I was just so shocked, and I just wanted to
extend my condolences to the to the family and the
(32:23):
fans and friends of both players. It's just such a
sad day, Paul.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
I appreciate hearing from you. Again. Our signal does get
into Canada. Uh And and I know that we love
all the sports down here in America, and we have
our pockets of you know, baseball is best, and football
is number one, and hot nothing's better than hockey and basketball.
But in Canada, even though you got you know, CFL football,
(32:53):
and you have an NBA team in Toronto, and you
of course have you know, you had a you know,
Major League Baseball team in Montreal for for a while,
you have you have an MLB team in Toronto as well.
Hockey is king in Canada.
Speaker 5 (33:06):
I mean, absolutely no.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
Sport that's even close. And when you get a superstar
like this young man who also happens to be a
good guy, I mean, you guys have had some great superstars,
you know, Wayne Gretzky, Bobby or all great you know
our own Ray bulk here who we've adopted. Uh, you
know Gordie How, the great Gordy How. For all those years,
the great Canadian teams. You've had really some wonderful hockey
(33:32):
heroes in Canada. But this, this young man was right
there with him, and I hope that they induct him
into the NHL Hall of Fame as soon as possible.
I don't know.
Speaker 9 (33:42):
I'm sure that will happen, and I'm sure they'll waive
the waiting period, which I believe is three years.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
So amazor League baseball it's five. I'm not sure what
it is in hockey, but yeah.
Speaker 9 (33:52):
I believe it's three. I believe it's three.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Paul. I appreciate you calling. I believe you. I think
you've called before, have you not?
Speaker 9 (33:59):
YEA, Yes, I'm Paul and Burlington.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
If it has at Burlington, Ontario, I would have known
who it was. Paul, one of my most loyal listeners
in Canada. I so appreciate you.
Speaker 9 (34:10):
Taking the time and again my condolences and thanks for
having this topic on your show tonight. I think it's
really important.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
Couldn't ignore it, particularly with this young man's connection to Boston,
you know, New Jersey, a son of New Jersey, but
he's an adopted son of Boston College and of course Canada,
Calgary in the NHL, in Columbus, Ohio. I mean he
made an impact wherever he went. Paul, we'll talk soon.
Speaker 9 (34:38):
Okay, thanks buddy, Okay, you take care, Dan, Now take
a quick.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Break, come right back on Night's side. I got one
line at six one seven, two, five, four to ten
thirty and one line at six one seven, nine one
to ten thirty. If you're on the line, I promise
we'll get you in and we will change topics at
ten o'clock. And I'll remind you that we will do
our end of August snap poll tonight at eleven o'clock.
And there are only two candidates who could be elected president.
(35:05):
I think you know both of their names. This is
the first snap poll which will not include RFK, and
I'd love to see how this all goes tonight, beginning
at eleven o'clock. Back on Nightside right after this.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
Now back to Dan ray Li from the Window World
Nightside Studios.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
I' w b Z to news Radio back to the calls,
Eileen joins us. Eileen, thanks for calling in. I don't
know if you're a big hockey fan, but you certainly
must understand the impact of the deaths, of the unnecessary
deaths of these two young men.
Speaker 9 (35:37):
Hi, Eileen, Well, I.
Speaker 11 (35:42):
Just have to say that all day today, I've just
been feeling sick and I'm all alone, and I don't
have anybody around me. But and I just I'm so
glad that you're just bringing this out in the open
tonight because I think it's it's just such a terrible,
(36:03):
terrible thing. I mean, on their way to the sister's
wedding day. And I hope this drunk driver spends the
rest of his life in jail.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
Yeah, he probably won't, but he's going to have to
spend the rest of his life with the memory of
what he did. He may not remember it because he
might have been so drunk, but he's going to have
to realize. And I think that's going to be the
greatest punishment, that that's a life sentence in of itself.
Speaker 9 (36:32):
I lean trust me on.
Speaker 2 (36:34):
That one, and I share your sentiments.
Speaker 11 (36:37):
Thanks, Eileen, We'll talk later, yep, Okay, Thanks dam good night.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
Let me go to Eugene in the Philippines. Eugene, and
next on Nightsig and go right ahead, Eugene.
Speaker 4 (36:49):
Good morning. Then you're very appropriate in your discussion. In
my opinion, it's oh Labor Day in the US. How
many more drunk drivers are going to be traveling this weekend?
And how many more innocent people will have to die?
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Yeah? Well, maybe maybe as a result, and again you're
always trying to find something to grasp onto, maybe as
a result of this, there will be some individual who
would ordinarily over indulge and will remember this, and and
we'll say, look, in memory of the Goudreaux brothers, I'm
(37:32):
going to turn my life around here. Maybe maybe I'll
stop drinking, or maybe I will say I'm never going
to drink and drive again. You know, all of these
these stories we talk about fade in the back of
our memory bank. But this is one that should last
with a lot of people. I mean, I just kind
of imagine what this guy is thinking tonight, the guy
(37:54):
who allegedly killed both of these young men. As I
said to Eileen, he will probably see the light of
day at some point because for hekilh homicide. He's going
to get a tough sentence if it's proven, you know
that he was drunk, particularly beyond you know all the
elements of that crime. But even if he gets out
fifteen years from now or twenty years from now, he's
(38:17):
still got to live with the knowledge of what he did.
That's a tough sentence.
Speaker 4 (38:25):
Yeah, well, Dan, think about this one. How many others
that were not famous sports figures, overever and one known
and were killed every day in Massachusetts? All right, drunk
driver this last week?
Speaker 2 (38:42):
Well yeah, I mean you're right, Eugene, And every death
is a tragedy, but this one is this one because
of the circumstances, not only a famous athlete, a very
famous athlete, two professional athletes, brothers who were in their hometown.
This is like if they were killed in their hometown.
They tried the world with their their abilities from this sport.
(39:03):
But wow, I mean it gonna be they should have
been dancing at their sister's wedding tonight. And that's yeah, Eugene,
thank you for your sentiments. You wear your heart and
your sleeve and I can hear it in your voice.
Thank you, my friend.
Speaker 4 (39:22):
All right, then you have a good holiday weekend. They're okay,
and all.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
Of us should every day when we wake up, you know,
in the morning, say thank God for another day and
thank God that our children are safe. And I'm just
hoping that out of this some people are gonna kind
of say to themselves, you know what it could have
been me, I you know, I had five beers or
something way way over the top, you know.
Speaker 4 (39:46):
Anyway, you know one person, it's worth it.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
Yeah, not worth the loss, but but during the hour
might be worth it. Thanks you, Geene, appreciate it. Let
me get two more in here before the break. At least,
let me go to Daryl in New Brunswick, Second Canadian
College tonight. Daryl, I know that you're a hockey fan
up there, and from our previous conversations has to be
a tough.
Speaker 9 (40:10):
Yes, I am, and I appreciate the topic also led
Eileen and Eugene. No good conversation. I Leen, you're not
alone because you're on Dan Ray. But listening to Edmonton
and Calgary radio today, people actually mentioned as well about
the Boston connection with the boys, right yep. And with
(40:32):
that they're actually the Calgary flame. They're actually lighting that tonight.
And respect to John and his brother.
Speaker 2 (40:41):
Thank you, and this was a kid. He's thirty one
years old, and when you think about it, he had
an impact here at Boston College. He had an impact
I'm sure in New Jersey where he grew up, had
an impact here in New England at Boston College, because
BC really is a regional college. It's named Boston College,
but it's it's, you know, a major hockey institution. He
had a major impact in Calgary in Western Canada, and
(41:03):
then he had a major impact playing for the Columbus
Blue Jackets, uh in in in Middle America in Ohio.
You don't get any more Middle American than than Columbus Ohio.
Speaker 9 (41:14):
Right, so been there as well? Yeah, right, to let
you guys know that people are respecting this family so
much that even young kids are saying, I grew up
with this guy. But they're also dropping up Skittles and
great daid raid and the Calgary Sattle.
Speaker 2 (41:35):
Yes, yep. Well, my understanding that he was a big
Skittles fan and didn't have the greatest diet. You know,
we talk about the Tom Brady's of the world that
have the perfect diets. Avocado this and avocato that. I
guess Johnny was still a great athlete, and his diet
probably looked a lot more like yours and mine. Kind
of just a regular guy.
Speaker 9 (41:55):
Darryl minus turkey bacon club.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
So I mean, hey, I admit to that as well.
Speaker 9 (42:01):
Thanks Derek, good night, Great long weekend guys, you too,
my friend.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
Okay, John and Draca Johnny going to wrap the hour
for us here, go right ahead.
Speaker 10 (42:10):
Hey, Dan, I'll tell you I saw this story. It
just threw me for a loop. Man. I went to
school with Joe Sacho from BU and Boston Bruins, this
assistant coach, and I watched hockey my whole life. And
this kid here. I watched this kid and the Hollydell
Arena down in South Jersey. Your friend was telling me
(42:30):
he used to show up and the kids would go
absolutely crazy. He said, John, do you think he's a
national hero? I said, you know, Sean said to me,
I think this kid is to those kids, to those
kids who he went and saw all the time at
that arena. Was just an amazing kid that just went
out and saw these young kids skate. He showed up
(42:52):
and showed his respect to the sport. And I am
just absolutely devastated from this. This is just Oh, sad
him with his brother, just minded her own business.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
Riding bikes, eight thirty at night and knuckle some knucklehead,
who's who's in the who's half in the bag? Way
out of control? He's going to drive recklessly and try
to pass a truck on the right.
Speaker 3 (43:16):
Yeah, he's passing on the right.
Speaker 10 (43:18):
I mean they're doing freaking thirty forty fifty sixty miles
an hour.
Speaker 3 (43:21):
They stand the chairs.
Speaker 4 (43:23):
He mowed them down.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
Yeah, they were hit, as my I misread it. They
were hit from behind. They didn't even see it coming.
Speaker 10 (43:30):
Oh god, they just heard this acceleration. Who knows if
they even looked.
Speaker 2 (43:36):
No, they never they Yeah. I misread it in terms
of initially so they were hit from behind. They never
heard it, probably until it was too late.
Speaker 10 (43:46):
I was telling my girlfriend Karena this morning. She was like, what, Yeah,
I couldn't believe it. She was absolutely stunned. When I
told him the news, I said, this is something that
you won't miss this afternoon when you go into the dial.
This is just absolutely devastating for the hockey world, for Canadians,
for anybody who wears that uniform, anybody who is the
(44:07):
biggest fan of the world in.
Speaker 2 (44:08):
That and anybody who who would look at that family
and realize that of all the I mean the tragedy
of the men's proportions on the worst day possible, John,
I hate to do this to Your emotions are clear,
and I think they represent the feelings of a lot
of my listeners tonight.
Speaker 10 (44:24):
Thank you, thanks so much for doing this. See you lead.
Speaker 2 (44:28):
You're welcome. It's not a fun hour to do. We're
going to talk next hour about a problem with teenagers
in Somerville, Massachusetts, and I have a solution. We'll be
back on Nightside right after the tent
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Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.