Keith Tkachuk, an emblematic figure with an 18-season career in the NHL, although without the Stanley Cup in his trophy case, has experienced glory through his children. Recently, in Sunrise, Matthew Tkachuk handed him the coveted trophy after the Florida Panthers’ second consecutive championship. Brady Tkachuk, star of the Ottawa Senators, was also present, sharing the family joy.
Months earlier, Keith witnessed the impact of his children at the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off, where they starred in three fights in nine seconds, marking the beginning of the confrontation between the United States and Canada.
Matthew and Brady’s celebrity status continues to grow, they are now the cover athletes for EA NHL 26, sharing the cover of the Deluxe edition with their father. The new game will include player tracking data and NHL EDGE pucks, as well as a revamped “Be A Player” mode.
The Tkachuks are also making their mark on television. Brady was the first player revealed for the second season of “Faceoff: Inside the NHL”, the Amazon Prime documentary series.
“My wife and I are living the dream. There’s nothing better than seeing your children do what they love most,” declared Keith Tkachuk.
Keith Tkachuk
Tkachuk highlights the character of his children off the ice as something even more valuable than their achievements in the NHL.
“They behave well off the ice. They do the things we teach them. They respect the people around them. They are always very cordial,” he stated. “They are great sons, great role models, and great brothers.”
Keith Tkachuk
In an interview, Keith Tkachuk discussed his sons’ careers, celebrations with the Panthers, the 2026 Winter Olympics, and his opinion on not being in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Were video games important in the Tkachuk household when they were kids?
Tkachuk: With Brady more than with Matthew. We kept our kids busy, but they played the video games they had when they had time. Now, when I go to visit Brady in Ottawa, after putting his son to bed, he goes back to playing video games with his friends. And when Matthew played in Calgary, I remember getting up to go to the bathroom at 2 in the morning and seeing his door closed with the lights flashing underneath. The next day I asked him what he was doing and he told me he was playing video games. I told him: “You have to rest, kid.”
Both of them are still kids, in my opinion. It’s phenomenal that they have the opportunity to do this cover. They have worked very hard to get here.
Apparently, you are an EA cover athlete, in the deluxe version of the game.
Tkachuk: Hopefully my grades are better than Brady and Matthew’s.Brady, Matthew, and Keith Tkachuk appear on the cover of the Deluxe Edition of EA NHL 26.
You were on the ice with Matthew and Brady when the Panthers repeated as champions. How was that moment?
Tkachuk: Two years ago, we went crazy. I know this will sound bad, but this time it felt like a routine. But being able to celebrate it with Matthew, and obviously Brady was on the ice and my wife, my daughter and the whole family, and seeing what he and his teammates have gone through in the last three years… they are different. They really are. It was a lot of fun. And the next five days were a lot more fun too. They are very good on the ice, but they are even better off it.
As a former player, how impressed are you by how hard the Panthers fight after winning?
Tkachuk: You feel a little envious, just because of how close they are as a team. It seemed like it lasted for weeks.
Florida’s general manager, Bill Zito, told me several times that the style, attitude, and the way they behave as a franchise come directly from Matthew’s acquisition in some way. How much pride does he feel knowing the difference Matthew made for that team?
Tkachuk: You have to give credit to Bill Zito. It took a lot of courage to make a move like that, and with the owners allowing that to happen, they also have to be given credit. But I’m very happy for Matthew. He chose Florida. That was his destiny, and they were able to close a deal. Paul Maurice is a phenomenal coach, and he and Matthew almost have the same personality. Everyone gets along. Everyone has a goal in mind, and that is to win.
Matthew has two rings. He has reached the final three years in a row. Brady finally makes the playoffs with Ottawa last season. It was an interesting year for him with the Senators. What did he think of that moment when his owner spoke out against teams that were “softly manipulating” Brady and declared that he wouldn’t leave despite those who feel he might want to leave?
Tkachuk: I wouldn’t believe everything you hear. I think after what happened with Matthew in Calgary, everyone assumes that’s going to happen with Brady [in Ottawa]. But Brady loves being there. Brady has really established himself in the community. They are a team on the rise. They have a great group of young players. They are key players. The fans and the city itself treat him very well. He wants to be a big part of that in the future. So I don’t think he’s going anywhere.
Obviously, Matthew and Brady gave us a great show at the 4 Nations Face-Off for Team USA. What would it mean to you if they could win the first Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey for the Americans since 1980 when they play in the 2026 Winter Games?
Tkachuk: It would mean everything. It really would. I mean, just the fact that they were both named in the top six picks is incredible. But it’s more about them playing together at such a high level, in the most watched probably in all sports, the Winter Olympics. I know they enjoyed playing together a lot in the 4 Nations. I mean, it was something to see. It really was. They had a lot of fun. The worst part of it all was when they went to their training camp for the 4 Nations and left me out. They knew I had FOMO. They knew it was Matthew. He wouldn’t let Brady answer my calls. They left me out for four days until I finally went to Montreal to see them.
I wanted to ask you about the big change we’ve seen in the eligibility rules for college hockey recently. Brady chose Boston University, where you also played. Matthew chose to play for the London Knights. What are your thoughts on those two paths now that young stars like Gavin McKenna can go from playing in the Canadian junior leagues to a school like Penn State?
Tkachuk: Both are great paths to get to the NHL. It all depends on the player. Back then, before the new rules, you had to make a decision. Matthew was turning a year older at the end of the year. He wanted to play for the London Knights of Dale and Mark Hunter. Being able to play with Christian Dvorak and Mitch Marner was a big advantage. Matthew wanted that experience of playing a schedule of more than 80 games, including playoffs, and he went out and won a Memorial Cup. Brady probably wasn’t as developed at that time as Matthew. Brady wanted that college feeling, that ability to get stronger and grow. It’s a shorter schedule, but he felt that was the right path and it was. Now, with the changes in the rules, I think it’s great. Gavin McKenna had phenomenal years in Medicine Hat. He’s one of the best players I’ve seen in a long time. Now he can play a schedule where he can rely on getting stronger, growing, playing against older players. I think it’s a good opportunity for these kids to have the chance to play for Boston University or Michigan State or Penn State, wherever they go. You have to do what’s best for you. And NIL money is crazy.
Would he have agreed to an additional $700,000 in his pocket during his NCAA days?
Tkachuk: I would have settled for a few dollars a week.After playing at Boston University in 1990-91, he embarked on a career that many people believe should be honored by the Hockey Hall of Fame. There have been 48 NHL players who have scored 500 goals, and you are one of only four retired players who have not yet been inducted. What does it mean to you when you see fans, the media, hockey people, whoever, joining the cause and saying that Keith Tkachuk should be in the Hall of Fame?
Tkachuk: I mean, there’s nothing I can do. I appreciate the support. I really do. If it happens, great. If it doesn’t happen, life goes on. But my kids are my Hall of Fame. I enjoy watching them. I work for the Blues, but I can also watch my kids play and watch them grow. It was an honor to play in the NHL. The game has changed my life. If it happens, I know my mother will be very happy. I think she’s the one who feels it the most.
We have to take her in front of the selection committee. Speaking of family: Do you feel that Matthew and Brady’s achievements may have raised your own profile with respect to the Hall of Fame? Do you think that the fact that people talk about you when they talk about them could help your chances of getting in?
Tkachuk: Well, it certainly doesn’t hurt them. Life goes on when you retire, whether you’ve had a great career, an average career, or whatever. I think the success of the boys, with the 4 Nations, and obviously Matthew doing well and Brady playing in the Canadian market, definitely gives you a little extra boost. But I don’t see it that way. I just see him as their father. I love watching my children play. I just wanted to be around them. And this has been an incredible journey, though.
