Johnny Gaudreau to be honored by Canadiens forward Cole Caufield – who announces major change after death last Thursday

Montreal Canadiens star Cole Caufield wrote an emotional tribute to Johnny Gaudreau, the hockey player who was killed by a drunk driver last Thursday night.

Gaudreau, 31, who previously played nine seasons for Calgary, and his younger brother Matthew, 29, died last Thursday after being struck by a vehicle while cycling in New Jersey the night before their sister Katie’s wedding.

The driver, 43-year-old Sean M. Higgins of Woodstown, has been charged with two counts of motor vehicle manslaughter, without bail or bond, for allegedly being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.

Caufield posted a tribute to Gaudreau on Instagram, announcing he would change his jersey number from 22 to 13 in honor of Johnny.

“We all lost a wonderful person, both on and off the ice, in last week’s tragedy,” Caufield posted on his Instagram page.

Caufield described the late Gaudreau as his “hero” in an emotional tribute on social media

‘My deepest condolences go out to the entire Gaudreau family, and especially to Johnny’s wife and two children, whom I had the pleasure of meeting.

‘Nothing will ever be able to fill the void in their families and loved ones, but I hope there is some comfort in knowing how these two have positively impacted the lives of so many. They will be truly missed.

‘Playing with your hero is something most people only dream of. I was lucky enough to be Johnny’s teammate last summer and it didn’t take long for me to realise what a great person he was.

‘He was the most welcoming, genuine, and funniest man I’ve ever met. He was someone everyone was drawn to, and I took every chance I could to be with him.

“Not only was he a great hockey player and teammate, but he was also down to earth and truly cared about everyone he encountered.

‘The last few years as #22 have been some of the best years of my life. It’s truly a dream come true and I will cherish those memories and that song forever.

“I wore #13 at one point in my career because of Johnny and now I will wear it again to honour him. He paved the way for smaller players and proved that we had a future in this game at the highest level.

“I will be forever grateful to him for inspiring me and others. Rest in peace, Johnny Hockey.”

Sean M. Higgins, 43, admitted to police that he had consumed five to six drinks before getting behind the wheel and crashing into the Gaudreau brothers

The accident happened less than three miles from Matthew’s (left) and Johnny’s family’s home

Higgins collided with the two brothers after he swerved into the southbound lane to pass the vehicles in front of him

In documents seen by DailyMail.com, Alleged drunk driver Higgins admitted to police he had consumed “5-6 beers” before getting behind the wheel of his Jeep Grand Cherokee and crashing into the Gaudreau brothers.

The accident happened less than three miles from the Gaudreau family home, just hours before Katie was to marry her partner Devin Joyce.

Tributes poured in for the Gaudreau brothers throughout the weekend as the hockey world continues to grapple with the tragedy.

A GoFundMe has been set up for Matthew Gaudreau’s wife Madeline to support her and her growing child, Tripp.

The fund’s target of $30,000 has now been far exceeded, with more than $575,000 raised at the time of publication.

A number of athletes and hockey stars have donated. The Koepka family donated $10,000, along with funds from Artemi Panarin’s wife Alisa, Matt Duchene, Keith Yandle and Jared Spurgeon, among others.