Tkachuk Brothers: Olympic Rivalry, New CBA, and NHL Success

The Tkachuk Brothers on the Cover of EA Sports NHL 26 and Their Reflections on the Future of Hockey

Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk and his brother Brady Tkachuk, captain of the Ottawa Senators, have been selected alongside their father, Keith Tkachuk, for the cover of the Deluxe edition of EA Sports NHL 26. Alofoke Deportes had the opportunity to speak with the brothers about their video game careers, the Panthers’ recent season, Brady’s future in Ottawa, Matthew’s health, and their opinions on the new NHL collective bargaining agreement.

“We grew up dreaming of playing like our father,” commented Brady Tkachuk. “His influence on the way we play and prepare continues to be enormous. It’s an honor to be on the cover and having him by our side makes everything even better.”

Brady Tkachuk

The celebration of Matthew’s second consecutive Stanley Cup championship included his father and brother, a memorable moment for the Tkachuk family. Keith, smoking cigars, and Brady, avoiding touching the trophy out of superstition, shared the joy on the ice. In addition to their success in the NHL, both players were named to the United States men’s ice hockey team for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Alofoke Deportes asked them about the possibility of winning Olympic gold in Italy. Matthew Tkachuk: «I don’t see it as a rematch, but it’s been a long time since the United States has been on top. Canada has dominated the Olympics and world championships. Winning gold would not only fulfill our dreams, but also bring satisfaction to those who paved the way for us.» Brady Tkachuk: «Playing for your country and for the next generation of children is something very special. We were inspired by the ‘Miracle on Ice’ of 1980, and now we have the opportunity to inspire the next generation in the United States.»

Regarding their fondness for video games, Matthew and Brady reminisced about their games together. “We played a lot, especially during the pandemic,” said Matthew. “Brady is better than me, so I didn’t play against him much. We used to put prison rules in NHL, it was a lot of fun.” Brady added: “After school, if the weather was nice, we played roller hockey, then we had dinner and played NHL. We tried to play a best-of-seven series if it was early, but it was a lot of fun. We played together or, most of the time, we played against each other, and it was a lot of fun.”

Regarding the ratings in the game, Matthew commented: «We don’t talk much about that. Hockey players are proud. You want to have a good rating.» Brady added: «I like to see my rating in the game to see how good my player is. This version is exciting because it is more individualized. You can see within the game how I am in real life, and that’s really cool and unique.»

Matthew was also recently appointed to the Presidential Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. Although he couldn’t provide details, he promised to answer questions in the coming weeks. Regarding the Panthers’ free agency, Matthew expressed his surprise at Bill Zito’s ability to retain Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, and Brad Marchand. “I was surprised that everyone could stay. Bill did a great job of making that happen. You want your best friends to be rewarded for how well they’ve played.”

Regarding Brad Marchand’s situation, Matthew commented: “With time, and with success, you can start to connect the dots. People don’t want to leave Florida when they arrive. I think that’s the case with them and with everyone who has been there.” Brady Tkachuk spoke about the expectations in Ottawa, highlighting the importance of reaching the playoffs. “We needed to make the playoffs to show that we are a team capable of achieving it, but also of doing more than just reaching the playoffs. Now that we’ve made it, we all want a little more and we want to fulfill all our childhood dreams.” Brady also shared his thoughts on Trevor Zegras’ move to the Flyers: “He’s a great guy, and I think it will be great for him to have a fresh start in Philadelphia. They have a great culture there, and I think he’ll do a good job fitting in.”

Finally, Matthew talked about his injuries and the possibility of surgery. “I’m still hoping to get on the ice as soon as possible. If I have surgery, it will definitely be the first two, maybe three months [of the season] if that’s the case. But it hasn’t been decided yet.” The brothers also commented on the new NHL collective bargaining agreement. Brady praised the work of Marty Walsh and Ron Hainsey, highlighting the importance of the four-year agreement and the exciting changes. Matthew expressed his satisfaction with the reduction in the preseason. “I mainly like that. I’ve never liked the preseason. It’s too long and there are too many games.”