Brady and Matthew Tkachuk: Leading Team USA’s Olympic Quest
MILAN – For many fans traveling to Italy to support the U.S. men’s national hockey team, the decision to attend the Olympic Games was easy. But for Frank Vereline, a New York Islanders devotee, choosing which jersey to buy presented a dilemma. He ultimately hesitated to purchase a jersey of Matthew Tkachuk, despite the forward being one of Team USA’s brightest stars. “I hate the guy,” Vereline admitted. “He’s on our team. I’ll root for him in this game. As soon as the Olympics are over, that’s it. I’m done.”
Matthew Tkachuk, 28, of the Florida Panthers, and his younger brother, Brady Tkachuk, 26, captain of the Ottawa Senators, are undeniably talented players who have earned their positions as key starters for the U.S. Olympic team. However, back home, they are often polarizing figures, drawing criticism for their assertive play, on-ice banter, and even their political views. But here in Italy, those sentiments are temporarily set aside as the Tkachuk brothers are central to Team USA’s ambition to secure its first Olympic gold medal in men’s ice hockey since 1980.
From NHL Stars to Olympic Hopefuls
“They are winners,” stated Dan Blanda, a New York Rangers fan who traveled to Milan to cheer on the team. “Whatever you think about them personally, they are the best of the best when it comes to that playoff style of hockey.” The Tkachuks missed the opportunity to compete in the 2022 Winter Olympics when the NHL and its players’ union agreed to forgo participation. However, they both were selected for the 2023 NHL All-Star Game, showcasing their elite skills.
The Tkachuk brothers are renowned for their ability to unsettle opponents. They engage in trash talk, deliver impactful hits, and aren’t afraid to drop the gloves. As former Olympian and NHL All-Star T.J. Oshie put it, they are “very annoying sometimes.” Oshie added, “They bring a blue-collar, rugged game to the ice, just like their dad did. He was a phenomenal chirper and trash talker.”
A Legacy of Tenacity
The brothers’ competitive spirit is deeply rooted in their upbringing. Oshie, who played alongside Keith Tkachuk in St. Louis and later against his sons, noted their elite net-front presence and willingness to endure physical play. “Teammates that go to those hard areas and are willing to put their body on the line to score goals – that motivates their teammates to follow along,” he explained. “So they drag people into the fight with them, in that sense, and also on the physical side.”
This tenacity was on full display at the Olympics when a live microphone captured Matthew Tkachuk playfully taunting Germany’s Leon Draisaitl, a star player for the Edmonton Oilers, who have lost to Matthew’s Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final for two consecutive years. “Always the bridesmaid, never the bride,” Tkachuk quipped.
Embracing the Villain Role
On their podcast, Wingmen, the brothers openly acknowledged the negative perceptions surrounding them. “What’s better than being booed?” Brady asked with a smile. Matthew responded, “There’s nothing better than being booed and scoring and winning. In a tight game, you score, the team wins, and you’re getting booed going off the ice – there’s no better feeling.”
Their competitive fire began early, according to their parents, Keith and Chantal Tkachuk. “They were best friends, but they had their bouts for sure,” Chantal said. “Best friends, enemies. We had it all,” Keith added. While Matthew has accumulated more accolades, including being a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2023 and leading the Panthers to Stanley Cup victories in 2024 and 2025, Brady is physically larger. However, their mother describes Brady as the more gentle-natured of the two, experiencing a “Jekyll and Hyde” transformation when he steps onto the ice.
Following in Their Father’s Footsteps
Keith Tkachuk represented Team USA in four Olympic Games, with his last appearance in 2006. Matthew was 8, and Brady was just 6 at the time. “Missing two weeks of school was awesome,” Brady recalled. Matthew added, “We had the face paint going, decked out in all the USA stuff. We were old enough to recognize the importance of the tournament and the importance of our dad being there, and super thrilled that we could experience that.”
Since then, the younger Tkachuks have steadily progressed through development camps, junior international tournaments, and NHL success, all in pursuit of following in their father’s Olympic footsteps.
The 4 Nations Face-Off and Rising Tensions
The brothers’ fame reached new heights in 2024 during the 4 Nations Face-Off, a best-on-best tournament between the U.S. and Canada. Amidst heightened political tensions between the two countries, Matthew Tkachuk publicly expressed his gratitude to President Trump after the Florida Panthers visited the White House. This gesture sparked intense reactions from Canadian fans during the initial match in Montreal, with boos directed at the U.S. national anthem and a series of fights erupting shortly after the puck drop.
Keith and Chantal Tkachuk, present in the stands, observed their sons’ pre-game intensity. “He called it actually,” Chantal laughed, referring to Keith’s prediction of a fight. The U.S. ultimately won that game 3-1, with Matthew declaring, “We had to send a message. The message we wanted to send is, ‘It’s our time.’”
Olympic Ambitions and a Pursuit of Gold
Through three games, Brady has scored two goals, and Matthew has five assists. They will face Sweden in a quarterfinal game. Matthew emphasized that the political climate didn’t influence their aggressive play. “There could have been nothing else going on, and still – the results and the animosity, the hatred between countries in those games – you were still going to see that.”
With the Panthers’ recent Stanley Cup victories, Matthew has experienced the joy of championship celebrations and aims to replicate that success on the Olympic stage. “We want to win it and have lifelong memories,” Matthew said. “This has the makings to be an opportunity of an absolute lifetime for us, and we’re going enjoy every single second of it.”
