Tkachuk brothers lead the way as a new generation of USA Hockey makes its mark

Matthew and Brady Tkachuk (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

A month before he celebrated with his brother in the hot Florida streets last June, Brady Tkachuk had some business to take care of.

Tkachuk started the spring in the same position he had been in throughout his NHL career. To this day, he has yet to play in the NHL postseason. But the Ottawa Senators captain elected to do something different with the 4 Nations Face-Off looming. He hopped on a plane to Prague and represented the United States at the World Championship for the first time.

The Americans didn’t make it out of the quarterfinal, but Tkachuk was one of the tournament’s biggest stars. He finished second in the tournament, scoring with seven goals and 13 points, one behind linemate Matt Boldy.

On Thursday, to kick off the first best-on-best international tournament for either player, they both scored to make it a 2-1 game after 40 minutes. Tkachuk, though, was a human wrecking ball, as you’d expect. Besides scoring the opening goal, he also led the game with eight hits while being one of the best analytical players on the ice.

Tkachuk played with the storied development team from 2015-17, with the highlight being the gold medal at the 2017 U-17 World Championship. A captain back then as well, tying with future Senators teammate Josh Norris for thrid in team scoring with six assists and seven points. Then, he’d join the Americans again for the World Juniors in 2018, and while the United States only took home bronze, the then-undrafted center finished third in team scoring with nine points – his most impressive national team appearance to date.

But beyond his work on the scoresheet, Tkachuk has always brought that competitive nature to every shift. He isn’t afraid to lay the body on anyone, and he’s always the one trying to get the team going on the bench.

So what we saw against Finland on Thursday – a 6-1 victory in Montreal – was exactly what we’ve come to know from Tkachuk. We know all about the intensity and the skill, but he also had a tremendous two-goal night.

“We talk about American attitude, that swagger, he might personify that,” USA coach Mike Sullivan told reporters after the game.

Matthew and Brady Tkachuk became the first brothers to both score multiple goals the same game at an NHL International Tournament (#4Nations, 3 World Cups of Hockey and 5 Canada Cups).#NHLStats: https://t.co/8t9uqUolWE https://t.co/wjIkyyqn9l

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 14, 2025

But not to be outdone, Matthew Tkachuk is no stranger to big moments. His star status rocketed up the charts during his two Stanley Cup final appearances with the Florida Panthers, winning it all in 2024 with 22 points in 24 games. But what really cemented himself as a true warrior was his play in 2023 when he suffered a broken sternum.

Like his younger brother, Matthew was a star with the UNTDP. He won gold at both the 2013 U-17 World Hockey Challenge and the 2015 U-18 World Championship. He then capped off his junior career at the 2016 World Juniors, taking home bronze.

But unlike Brady, Matthew never skated in the World Championship. That means Matthew went nearly a full decade without representing his country. But a two-goal, three-point effort against Finland was as good of an opening effort you could ask for. Suddenly, the brothers became the story of the night.

When paired together – something hockey fans were clamoring for – they were unstoppable. With Jack Eichel between them, the brothers out-chanced Finland 8-1 through 5:58 of ice time, according to NHL Network analyst Mike Kelly. They even had an expected goals for percentage of 88.9 – absolutely wild. Their energy to kick off the third period was a big reason why USA ended up pulling away.

The Tkachuks combined for 13 shots, with Matthew leading the way with eight. They finished 1-2 on the night individually, for good measure.

The Americans don’t have a single player back from the World Cup of Hockey team that failed to win a single game in 2016. So Thursday’s best-on-best opener was uncharted territory for just about anyone, no matter the skill level.

But for the Tkachuks, they crave the spotlight, and there’s no better one then the one in Montreal right now. The United States doesn’t have its own Sidney Crosby – someone who has a storied international history at the highest level. But for both brothers, they’re as tough of competitors as you’ll find anywhere in the sport. With the spotlight on the American lineup on Thursday, they made their presence known.

Matthew Tkachuk has plenty of big-game experience – but his brother doesn’t. But if you ask him, he’s a keen learner.

“We’ve always joked, I think I’ve led the league in most playoff games watched without playing, so I’ve gotten a lot of experience from that,” Brady said, with a laugh.

Neither brother has had much international experience over the past decade. But after dominating the junior ranks, it was a matter of time before they showed their worth at an event this big. They’re locks for the USA Olympic team next year, for sure. They are also young enough to spend some significant time repping the red, white, and blue in major events.

And, hopefully for the United States, this is just the start of big things to come. Of the 23-man roster, 15 players are USNTDP alumni. And after winning gold at the past two World Juniors, there’s more on the way.

Looking back at stats from 10 years ago but might be irrelevant in judging current performance. But there’s something special about playing for your country – something those two took big pride in as teenagers. And while they had limited experience at the senior men’s level, they always had their sights on playing at a tournament filled with other star talent.

There’s an American revolution happening across the sport. They’re as deep and dangerous as they’ve ever been as a hockey nation. And Brady and Matthew Tkachuk are going to be there to lead the way.

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