Kevin Hayes reacts heartbreakingly to Johnny Gaudreau's death

Former Ranger Kevin Hayes posted a heartbreaking tribute to Johnny Gaudreau after the Blue Jackets star tragically passed away Thursday night.

Hayes posted a photo of Gaudreau with his nephew Beau on his Instagram story with the caption, “Love you John! Say hi to Beau's dad for me.”

In the picture, it looks like Gaudreau Beau is extending his arm for a high-five.

Beau's father is Jimmy Hayes – Kevin's older brother – who died in August 2021, one day after Beau's second birthday.

A toxicology report later found cocaine and fentanyl in his system, his family told the Boston Globe.

Kevin Hayes and Gaudreau have also been close since their time at Boston College. On Friday, a video went viral showing Gaudreau dancing on the shoulders of fellow superstar Brady Tkachuk at Hayes' wedding.

Hayes, who now plays for the Penguins, wrote an article for The Players' Tribune last year in memory of his brother.

“Jimmy was my biggest fan,” Kevin Hayes wrote. “In his eyes, I could do no wrong. He believed I was an All-Star every year. I miss those FaceTime calls with him on the way home from games more than anything in the world.”

“…It still feels unreal. Some days it hurts so much I can barely stand it. That's just the truth. It sucks. It sucks to talk about it. It sucks to remember it. It sucks to know I'll never be able to hear any of his stories again. It just fucking sucks.”

Jimmy's widow, Kristen Hayes, also mourned the tragic deaths of the Gaudreau brothers in an Instagram story on Friday.

“Unimaginable news this morning. Heartbroken. There are no words,” she wrote, adding a broken heart emoji.

The deaths of Gaudreau and his brother Matthew on Thursday night, who were struck by a suspected drunk driver while riding their bikes in Oldmans Township, sparked a similar outpouring of support across the NHL.

In Columbus, where Gaudreau played for the Blue Jackets for the last two seasons, fans honored him with an impromptu memorial service in front of Nationwide Arena, leaving flowers, hats and hockey sticks in remembrance.