Keith Tkachuk on Matthew, Brady, Olympic gold and his Hall of Fame snub

Keith Tkachuk never won the Stanley Cup during his 18 seasons NHL career, but he raised it several times.

More recently, it was on the ice at sunrise, when his son Matthew gave him the chalice after the second consecutive championship of the Florida Panthers. He stood near the central ice as a proud hockey dad: Matthew raising the cup in victory with his brother, the star of the Senators of Ottawa, Brady Tkachuk, a few meters away.

A few months earlier, Keith watched his sons transcend hockey during the NHL 4 Nations confrontation, when they were the catalysts of the three fights in nine seconds which led the first force of strength in the United States against Canada.

Their celebrity status continues to grow: Matthew and Brady Tkachuk are the cover athletes for EA NHL 26. They appear on the cover of Deluxe Edition with their father. The most recent NHL game presents the incorporation of monitoring data and players from the NHL Edge and the “BE A Player” mode.

The Tkachuks also make their mark on television: after Matthew was a focal point of season 1, Brady Tkachuk was the first player revealed for season 2 of “Faceroff: Inside The NHL”, the Docuseries on Amazon Prime.

“My wife and I are living the dream right now. There is nothing better than seeing your children do what they like to do best,” said Keith Tkachuk recently.

As much as he is proud of their achievements in the NHL, Tkachuk said that it was what people did not see of his sons which mean even more for him.

“They are doing well out of the ice. They do the things we taught them by growing up. They respect people around the ice. They are still very cordial,” he said.

“Now I can see why people want to hit them in the face on the ice, but they are big children. They are great models. They are big brothers. And they are big sons.”

We spoke with Keith Tkachuk of his NHL star offspring, partying with the Panthers, the 2026 winter Olympic Games, and what he thinks of his “snob” during hockey hockey.

Matthew and Brady are the 2026 cover athletes for the EA Sports NHL series. Were video games important in the Tkachuk house when they grew?

Tkachuk: With Brady more than Matthew. We occupied our children a lot, but they played all the video games they had when they had time. Now when I visit Brady in Ottawa, once he has put his son in bed, he is back down to video games with his friends.

And when Matthew played Calgary, I remember that I got up to go to the toilet at 2 am and see his door closed with the flashing lights below. The next day, I asked him what he was doing and he said he was playing video games. I say to myself: “You have to rest, kid.”

They are both still children, in my mind. It is just phenomenal that they have the opportunity to make this cover. They worked their tail to get here.

Apparently, you are an EA cover athlete, on their luxury version of the game.

Tkachuk: I hope my notes are better than those of Brady and Matthew.

You were on the ice with Matthew and with Brady when the panthers repeated as champions. What did this moment look like?

Tkachuk: Two years ago, we became crazy. I know that it goes very horrible, but it was like a routine this time. But to be able to celebrate it with Matthew – and obviously Brady was on the ice and my wife, my daughter and the whole family – and see what he and his teammates have gone through in the past three years … They are just different there. They really are.

It was very fun. And the following five days were also much more fun. They are so good on the ice, but they are even better on the ice.

As a former player, how impressed are you impressed by the difficulty of the panthers after winning?

Tkachuk: You are a little jealous, just because of their proximity to the team. I felt like I had to go for weeks.

Florida director general, Bill Zito, told me on several occasions that the boastful, the attitude, the way in which they worked as a franchise come directly from their acquisition of Matthew in one way or another. What is the pride to know the difference that Matthew made for this team?

Tkachuk: You must give credit to Bill Zito. It took a lot of guts to make it move like that – and with the property allowing this to happen, you must also give them credit.

But I’m happy enough for Matthew. He chose Florida. It was his destination, and they were able to conclude an agreement. Paul Maurice is a phenomenal coach, and he and Matthew have almost the same personality. They all get along. They all have a goal in mind, and it’s to win.

Matthew has the two rings. He has gone to the last three consecutive years. Brady finally made the playoffs with Ottawa last season. It was an interesting year for him with the senators. What did you do with this moment when their owner spoke out against the “slowly falsified” teams with Brady and declaring that he was going nowhere despite those who think he might want to go out?

Tkachuk: I wouldn’t believe everything you hear. I think that after what happened with Matthew in Calgary, everyone just assumes that it will happen with Brady [in Ottawa].

But Brady loves it there. Brady has really cemented in the community. They are an increasing team. They obtained a large bunch of young players. They are main players. The fans and the city itself treat it so well. He wants to be a large part of this transition to the future. So I don’t think he’s going anywhere.

Obviously, Matthew and Brady gave us a whole show during the confrontation of the 4 nations for Team USA. What would that mean for you if they could win the first Olympic gold medal in male hockey for Americans since 1980 when they play the 2026 winter games?

Tkachuk: It would mean everything. It would really do it. I mean, just so that they are both appointed among the first six selected is incredible.

But it is more about playing together at such a high level, in the most watched thing probably in all sports, the Winter Olympic Games. I know they really liked to play together in 4 nations. I mean, it was something to see. It was really. They had so much fun.

The worst of all this was when they went to their training camp for the 4 nations and they frozen me. They knew I had fomo. I knew it was Matthew. He would not let Brady answer my phone calls. They frozen me for four days until I finally go to Montreal to see them.

I wanted to ask you questions about the huge change we have seen in the admissibility rules for university hockey recently. Brady chose the University of Boston, where you have also played. Matthew chose to play for the London Knights. What do you think of these two paths now that young stars like Gavin McKenna are allowed to go from Canadian juniors to a school like Penn State?

Tkachuk: These are both high ways to get to the NHL. It all depends on the player. At the time, before the new rules, you had to make a choice. Matthew was a late birthday. He wanted to go and play for the London Knights for [Dale and Mark] Hunter. Being able to play with Christian Dvorak and Mitch Marner was a huge plus. Matthew wanted this experience to play a size more than 80 games, including qualifying series, released and won a commemorative cup.

Brady was probably not as developed at the time as Matthew. Brady wanted this college feeling – this ability for him to get stronger and get fat. It is a lower calendar, but he estimated that it was the right path and it was.

Now, with the rule changes, I think it’s great. Gavin McKenna had phenomenal years at Medicine Hat. He is one of the best players I have seen for a long time. Now he plays a calendar where he can count on becoming stronger, to become bigger, to play against older players. I think it’s a good opportunity for these children to have a chance to go and play for the University of Boston or the Michigan State or Penn State, wherever they go. You have to do what suits you best. And the zero money is crazy.

Would you have agreed with an additional $ 700,000 in your pocket in your NCAA days?

Tkachuk: I would have been contained for a few dollars a week.

After playing at the University of Boston in 1990-1991, you have undertaken a career which, according to many people, should be honored by hockey Hall of Fame. There were 48 NHL players to score 500 goals, and you are one of the four retirees not to be inducted yet. What does this mean for you when you see fans, media, hockey people, anyone, rallying to the cause and saying that Keith Tkachuk should be in the temple of fame?

Tkachuk: I mean, I can’t do anything. I appreciate support. I really do it. If this happens, great. If not, life continues. But my children are my fame of fame. I like to look at them. I work for blues, but I can also see my children play and see them grow.

It was an honor to play in the NHL. The game has changed my life. If this happens, I know that my mother will be extremely happy. I think she is the one who takes it the hardest.

We must put it before the selection committee. Speaking of the family: do you think that the achievements of Matthew and Brady may have noted your own profile with regard to the renowned temple? Do you think that people talk about you when they talk about it could help your induction chances?

Tkachuk: Well, that certainly does not hurt them. Life continues to retire, whether you have had a great career, an average career or something else. I think that the success of boys – with the 4 nations, and obviously Matthew is doing well and Brady playing on the Canadian market – it certainly gives you an additional little boost.

But I don’t look at it this way. I just look at him as I am their father. I love watching my children play. I just wanted to be with them. And it was a hell of a journey, however.