The Tkachuks: Stanley Cup Celebration and EA Sports NHL 26 Cover
Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk celebrated his second consecutive Stanley Cup championship, sharing the moment with his father, Keith Tkachuk, and his brother, Brady Tkachuk, captain of the Ottawa Senators. Keith, smoking cigars, and Brady, avoiding touching the cup out of superstition, experienced this memorable celebration together. This month, the Tkachuk trio was honored by appearing on the cover of the Deluxe Edition of EA Sports NHL 26. Brady Tkachuk expressed his admiration for his father and the importance of his influence on his game.Alofoke Deportes had the opportunity to talk with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk about their career in video games, the Panthers’ offseason, Brady’s future in Ottawa, Matthew’s health, and the new NHL collective bargaining agreement. In addition, they were asked about their participation in the United States ice hockey team for the 2026 Olympic Games.“We grew up dreaming of playing like our father. Even now, his influence on how we play and prepare remains huge. It’s an honor to be part of this cover. Having him by our side makes everything even better”.
Brady Tkachuk
The Olympic Gold in the Eyes of the Tkachuk
Both players, selected for the 2026 United States Olympic ice hockey team, discussed the quest for gold. Matthew Tkachuk believes that winning gold at the 2026 Winter Games in Italy would be a significant achievement for American hockey.Brady Tkachuk, playing in a Canadian city while seeking Olympic gold for the United States, highlighted the motivation of playing for his country and the next generation of players. The following is an image of the Tkachuk brothers:“It’s not so much a revenge, but to show how far US hockey has come. We’ve had incredible players and national teams that we’ve admired all our lives, but haven’t achieved the goal. Winning gold would not only fulfill our dreams, but also bring a lot of satisfaction to those who paved the way for us.”
Matthew Tkachuk
The Tkachuk’s Gaming Experience
In addition to their achievements on the ice, the Tkachuks share a fondness for video games. Matthew and Brady reminisced about their gaming marathons, especially during the pandemic. Brady highlighted that NHL is one of his favorite games.Currently, NHL players care about their ratings in EA Sports. Brady admitted that he closely follows his own ratings, hoping for a mid-season increase to reflect his performance.“After school, if the weather was nice, we would play roller hockey, then we would have dinner and play NHL. We would try to play a best of seven if it was early enough, 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”.
Brady Tkachuk
The Future of the Panthers and the Senators
Matthew Tkachuk was recently appointed to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. Regarding the recent offseason of the Florida Panthers, Matthew expressed his relief that Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, and Brad Marchand remained on the team. He highlighted the importance of his teammates being happy and the desire to continue playing together. Brady Tkachuk addressed speculation about his possible departure from Ottawa, highlighting the importance of reaching the playoffs and the team’s desire to achieve more. He also shared his impressions of Trevor Zegras’s move to the Flyers.
