When Meredith Gaudreau stood at a podium in September 2024 to deliver a eulogy for her husband, NHL star Johnny Gaudreau, the world was already mourning. But then she dropped a detail that stopped everyone's heart. She was nine weeks pregnant. It was a surprise. A "total surprise," as she put it. This news changed the narrative from one of pure tragedy to one of a bittersweet, enduring legacy. Naturally, the internet went into overdrive wondering about the Meredith Gaudreau due date and when this final piece of Johnny’s heart would arrive.
Honestly, the timeline was pretty tight. If you do the math from that September announcement, you'd land right in early April. And that is exactly how it played out.
When Was the Meredith Gaudreau Due Date?
Meredith officially welcomed her third child, a baby boy named Carter Michael Gaudreau, on April 1, 2025.
While some might have guessed an April arrival based on her "nine weeks" comment during the September 9 memorial, seeing the confirmation on social media was a heavy moment for the hockey community. It’s wild how life works sometimes. April Fool’s Day is usually about jokes, but for the Gaudreau family, it became the day they met their "special boy."
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The Significance of the Timing
Carter arrived roughly seven months after the tragic passing of Johnny and his brother, Matthew. It’s hard to wrap your head around that kind of emotional whiplash. One minute the family is grieving an unimaginable loss, and the next, they are welcoming a new life that looks—by all accounts—exactly like the father he never got to meet.
- Birth Date: April 1, 2025
- Weight: 8 lbs, 3 oz
- Length: 20.5 inches
Here’s the kicker: those measurements are identical to Johnny’s when he was born. Meredith shared that specific detail on Instagram, and it feels like one of those "meant to be" things that you just can't make up.
A Family of Five
During her eulogy, Meredith famously said, "We’re actually a family of five." At the time, she was already a mom to Noa (who wasn't even two yet) and little Johnny (who was only about 11 months old). Adding a third baby in under three years of marriage is a lot for anyone. Doing it as a widow is a level of strength most people can't even fathom.
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The Meredith Gaudreau due date wasn't just a mark on a calendar; it was a countdown to a new chapter of healing.
The Support System in Columbus
Life didn't stop during those nine months. Meredith spent much of her pregnancy surrounded by what she calls her "Blue Jackets family." In February 2025, just a couple of months before her actual due date, she had a joint baby shower.
It wasn't some quiet, somber affair. She celebrated alongside other NHL wives like Kelly Labanc and Aleksandra Merzlikins. They gathered at the Cambridge Tea House in Columbus. It's kinda beautiful to see how the hockey world stayed glued to her side. They weren't just there for the funeral; they were there for the diapers and the cravings and the late-night nursery decorating.
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How She Shared the News
Meredith has been incredibly open on Instagram. She didn't hide away. When Carter was born, she posted a 14-photo carousel. You saw the delivery room. You saw the siblings meeting their new brother. It was raw and real.
She wrote about how she’s going to give him the "best life." She also thanked Johnny for the family they built. It’s a lot to process, seeing a newborn who shares the same middle name—Michael—as the dad the sports world called "Johnny Hockey."
What We Can Learn from This Journey
Following the timeline from the first mention of the Meredith Gaudreau due date to the actual birth of Carter Michael offers a bit of a roadmap for anyone navigating grief and new beginnings simultaneously.
- Community is everything. Whether it's the Columbus Blue Jackets or your own neighbors, leaning on people isn't a sign of weakness.
- Legacy isn't just about the past. It's about the small things, like a baby having the exact same birth weight as his father.
- It's okay to find joy. Having a baby shower and celebrating a new life doesn't diminish the loss of a loved one. It just makes the room a little bigger.
If you’re looking to support the family or stay updated, following the official Columbus Blue Jackets updates or Meredith's own social media is the best way to see how Carter, Noa, and Johnny Jr. are growing up. They are a living testament to a guy who loved the game but loved his family way more.
Moving forward, the focus shifts from the anticipation of a due date to the reality of raising three kids under three. It's a marathon, not a sprint, and the hockey world is clearly along for the ride.