Somewhere way up in the sky, Johnny Gaudreau’s watching with pride, and yes, it looks like he sprinkled a little magic on Team USA. After 92 long years without a gold at the IIHF World Championship, the boys finally brought it home, and guess who was right in the middle of all that glory? None other than Zach Werenski. He wasn’t even planning to play at first, but something about that jersey, that red-white-and-blue heartbeat, tugged at him, and man, was he glad it did. From lockdown defense to clutch plays, Werenski was that guy; calm, collected, and cool as ever, guiding the youngest squad in the tournament like a big brother on a mission.

Then came that OT win against Switzerland, thanks to Tage Thompson’s game-winner, but let’s be real, none of it hits quite the same without the heart Werenski poured in from the first puck drop. He didn’t just show up; he showed out, landing on the All-Star squad and making sure Johnny’s spirit, and his late brother Matthew’s memory, were honored in full. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any sweeter, Johnny Gaudreau’s wife? Yeah, she’s out here with tears in her eyes and a heart full of joy, because her wish for Team USA and for Werenski just came true in the most storybook way possible.

Johnny Gaudreau’s wife, Meredith Gaudreau, had her soft little proud moment on Instagram, and honestly? It was the cutest thing ever. She reposted USA Hockey’s post of Zach Werenski rocking the Johnny beanie, and her caption hit right in the feels: “Just yesterday I was texting that I hope would get the next Johnny beanie.” Like, talk about speaking it into the universe! And then the next slide? Meredith drops a screenshot of her group chat receipts where someone said, “Shane Pinto and Jeremy Swayman got the beanie,” and without skipping a beat, she responded, “Zach next I hope!” That manifestation energy? So real.

But she didn’t stop there. She went and posted even more stories showing love for Johnny Gaudreau’s former teammate as he absolutely lit up the rink with his calm confidence and gold-medal glow. One of her stories was: “Every day u to amaze me. Every day im so proud of you and your impact. You are so loved. No one loves you more than me. Simply impossible.”

It was a moment straight out of a movie. Meredith took to her stories and dropped pure gold: clips of the whole U.S. squad going wild with Johnny’s jersey right there with them in the locker room party. And just when emotions were already sky-high, she shared a reel of Zach skating off the rink right after the win to grab Johnny’s No. 13 jersey from the dressing room. Then he skated right back in, holding it like it was part of the team. Because honestly? It was. And if you thought that was it; nah. During the trophy presentation, Werenski didn’t just show up with Johnny’s jersey… he placed it right on top of the World Championship Trophy.

Class act, every bit of it. When asked about the tribute, Zach didn’t hold back: “Yeah, it was pretty emotional,” he shared. “I think he leads the U.S. in points here, he always came to this tournament with a smile on his face and I learned a lot from him, so I feel like he deserves this gold medal more than anyone, and he was with us the whole time.” And guess what? Johnny Gaudreau has been honored before too, and his wife has always made sure to acknowledge it.

Johnny Gaudreau’s wife pens an emotional note!

The Gaudreau family has been wrapped in love, and the NHL world’s been showing up big time. From baby Johnny Jr’s birthday bash right in the middle of a game to fans and teammates rocking Johnny’s signature style and walk-in fits. The Columbus Blue Jackets have been locked in on keeping that bond tight, making sure Meredith and the kids feel every bit of that hockey heart. After the Jackets pulled off that win over the Red Wings back in March, Meredith Gaudreau poured her heart out, and the message was just pure.

Shared by the team’s official page, she wrote, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the NHL, Detroit Red Wings and especially the Columbus Blue Jackets for honoring John in so many ways during the Stadium Series this weekend. The management, players, wives, and fans from both organizations made my family feel so loved and supported.” Coach Dean Evason even got emotional and said, “All of the stuff with Johnny made it even extra special,” which just hit home for the family. Meredith followed up with, “I know John truly appreciates it as much as I do.”

But the real tearjerker? Noa and baby Johnny Jr, repping that No. 13 with pride like little champs. They walked into that stadium as part of the moment, not just watching from the sidelines. And Meredith felt that big time, posting, “Thank you most of all for including our children by making them a big part of all the events throughout the weekend. It was Johnny’s legacy that was highlighted throughout the weekend.” Honestly, it was all love, all weekend; for Johnny, for the family, for the legacy that’ll never fade.