After Team USA's gold medal win, Dylan Larkin jokingly suggested that his late teammate Johnny Gaudreau may have had a hand in their victory. Larkin noted that somehow "the puck not going in our net" during the 2-1 triumph over Canada, calling it ironic since Johnny, a forward, would never have been on defense.
Larkin brought Johnny's two young children onto the ice to celebrate the win, which marked the U.S.'s first Olympic hockey gold since 1980. The team honored Johnny and his brother Matthew, who died in August 2024, throughout the Games as Johnny was expected to make the Olympic roster.