Former teammate of Matthew Gaudreau reveals heartbreaking last conversation before his death

A former teammate revealed his final conversation with Matthew Gaudreau following the former NHL star's tragic death on Thursday night.

Matthew and his brother Johnny were hit by a car while cycling in New Jersey. The siblings died on the eve of their sister Katie's wedding.

After a 160-game professional career, Matthew went on to coach high school and junior hockey, and recently accepted a position as a technical coach for a junior team in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

The new job would have allowed him to spend more time with his wife Madeline and their first child, who is expected to be born on December 31. His former teammate Frankie DiChiara was also looking forward to being close to Gaudreau.

“Matty and I always stayed in touch. He was one of my best friends,” DiChiara said. “I attended his wedding and visited him on the New Jersey shore two summers ago.”

Matthew Gaudreau's former teammate revealed their heartbreaking final conversation

Frankie DiChiara shared a hotel room with Gaudreau when they played together in the ECHL

The two shared hotel rooms along the way as members of the Worcester Railers and Reading Royals in the ECHL, two leagues below the NHL.

DiChiara currently coaches the Long Island-based PAL Islanders, who play in the same league as the Wolves.

DiChiara also spoke with his former teammate a week before his tragic death to catch up and talk hockey.

He mentioned how excited they were to be reunited as coaches in the same league and raved about Gaudreau's growing family.

“He's been traveling a lot over the last few years to become a youth coach, and he was excited that this position would allow him to be closer to his wife and baby while on the road,” DiChiara said.

DiChiara remembered Gaudreau as a fierce competitor and great teammate, and claimed that his best days in hockey were still ahead of him, even though he was not on the ice.

Matthew and his brother Johnny were hit by a car while cycling in New Jersey

Matthew leaves behind his wife Madeline after his death on Thursday in New Jersey

A fundraiser to provide financial support to Madeline and the family has raised over $290,000

A graphic shows the accident in which Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau died on Thursday evening.

“Matty was a damn good hockey player, a lot like his brother on the ice; he was an excellent skater and could see the ice as well as anyone,” DiChiara said. “He averaged over a point per game in the ECHL; he could have kept playing.”

“He had one of the highest hockey IQs I've ever seen,” DiChiarra said. “He was a great coach.”

Gaudreau was the head coach of Gloucester Catholic High School in New Jersey and an assistant coach for the Philadelphia Rebels, a youth program that has produced NCAA and professional talent in recent years.