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Brandon Hagel reveals Tkachuk comments that started fight to begin Team Canada vs USA

Originally posted on Oilers Daily | By Liam McCormick | Last updated Feb 15, 2025 10:38 PM ET

Team Canada and Team USA's game tonight began with an electric start, and Canadian forward Brandon Hagel revealed that Matthew Tkachuk initiated their conflict.

Matthew Tkachuk has been a longtime rival of the Edmonton Oilers, and now he's continuing those efforts playing his pest role with Team USA.

Matthew Tkachuk singled out Brandon Hagel to initiate fight to begin 4 Nations Faceoff game

Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel have an existing rivalry on their respective NHL teams, the Panthers and Lightning, and they continued that same rivalry in the opening period between Team USA and Canada.

In an intermission interview, Hagel revealed that Tkachuk challenged him in warmups.

Yeah, I Think I blacked out. I think, just trying to get something energy in the building. He asked, and I'm not backing down from him.
- Brandon Hagel

The Sportsnet broadcast also showed footage of Matthew Tkachuck skating near Hagel in warmups and chirping the Canadian team. Along with his brother Brady, it was a coordinated effort to begin the game with fireworks.

The game's extreme physicality to begin with came off the backs of some debate surrounding the booing of Team USA's national anthem. Matthew Tkachuk was one of the players who called out the booing, adding a personal element to the beginning.

Oilers reporter Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Athletic felt differently about the entire situation however, saying that the Tkachuks created a sideshow out of the marquee event.

Electric start to Team Canada and USA shows need for more international hockey

Any international games have been sorely missed in the NHL, adding even higher stakes to Team Canada and USA's first matchup since 2016. Connor McDavid was one of many NHLers to lobby for continued international games.

I've been saying, we've been missing best on best, and that's obviously why. That's as high-end a game as you're going to find. Fast, skilled, great players doing great things. That's what we've been missing for a decade now. Something the fans enjoy, something the players enjoy a lot.
- Connor McDavid

Based off the explosive start to tonight's game and the fan's incredible reaction to it, it seems like international hockey is here to stay. After such high stakes hockey, it'll be tough for fans to even watch the all star game next year.

This article first appeared on Oilers Daily and was syndicated with permission.

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