The Tkachuks: Stanley Cup Celebration and NHL 26 Cover
Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk celebrated his second consecutive Stanley Cup championship, surrounded by key figures in his life: his father, Keith Tkachuk, with a distinguished 18-season NHL career, and his brother, Brady Tkachuk, captain of the Ottawa Senators. The on-ice celebration was a memorable moment for the Tkachuks, which was repeated this month with a new distinction: the trio stars on the cover of the Deluxe edition of NHL 26 by EA Sports.In an exclusive interview, Matthew and Brady Tkachuk shared their experiences in the world of video games, the Panthers’ hectic offseason, Brady’s future in Ottawa, Matthew’s health status, and their reflections on the NHL’s new collective bargaining agreement. But first, they addressed their participation in the United States men’s ice hockey team for the 2026 Olympic Games.“As children, Matthew and I dreamed of playing like our father. Even now, his influence on how we play and prepare is still huge. It’s an honor to be on the cover. Having him by our side makes everything even better,” commented Brady Tkachuk.
Brady Tkachuk
The Olympic Dream and the Rivalry with Canada
Following their outstanding performance at the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Tkachuk brothers solidified their status as legends of American hockey. Although the tournament didn’t end as they hoped, the goal is clear: to conquer Olympic gold at the 2026 Winter Games in Italy. Matthew Tkachuk sees this opportunity as a way to demonstrate the progress of American hockey and honor previous generations.Brady, who plays in a Canadian city, highlighted the particular dynamic of representing the United States in search of Olympic gold. He emphasized that the team is not only playing for themselves, but for their country and for future generations of players.“It’s not so much about revenge, but about showing how much hockey has advanced in the United States. We’ve had incredible players and national teams that we’ve admired our whole lives, but who haven’t achieved the goal. Winning gold would not only make our dreams come true, but it would also bring a lot of satisfaction to those who paved the way for us”, declared Matthew.
Matthew Tkachuk
The Passion for Video Games and NHL 26 Evaluations
The Tkachuk brothers also shared their video game story. Matthew recalled that they played frequently during the pandemic, mainly NHL. Brady, for his part, admitted that ice hockey is one of his favorite games.Both players admitted that in-game evaluations are a topic of interest, although they don’t openly discuss it. Brady revealed that he usually plays with the Senators to see his player’s rating and expects an improvement mid-season.“After school, if the weather was nice, we played roller hockey, then we had dinner and then we played NHL. We would try to play a best of seven if it was early, but it was a lot of fun. Or we would play together or, most of the time, we would play against each other and it was a lot of fun,” related Brady.
Brady Tkachuk
The Presidential Council and the Permanence of Key Players in Florida
Matthew Tkachuk was included in the Presidential Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, along with figures like Wayne Gretzky and Mariano Rivera. However, he preferred not to comment on it until it is official. Regarding the permanence of Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, and Brad Marchand in the Florida Panthers, Matthew expressed his surprise and joy. He highlighted the importance of his teammates being happy with their decisions and the desire of these players to stay in Florida.“Of all of them, I was most confident that Ekblad would stay. Simply because he’s been a Panther for life. I just think it was going to be impossible for him to leave. And then the other guys… I mean, this was an opportunity for them to cash in. You just didn’t know if it was going to be with us or not,” Matthew stated.
Matthew Tkachuk
