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Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Brady Tkachuk (7) celebrates scoring against Team Canada during the first period during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Tkachuk Brothers Poised to Lead Team USA at Olympics

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Seth Dowdle | Last updated Feb 4, 2026 11:50 AM ET

The Tkachuk family is hockey royalty.

Keith Tkachuk, the patriarch of the family, accomplished a great deal during his 18-year professional career, including four trips to the Olympics. His two goals in five games during the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City helped the United States earn a silver medal, the highest placement the team had achieved since the 1980 Miracle on Ice. That run cemented the Tkachuk name on the international stage. It’s that type of success the Tkachuk brothers hope to emulate from their father heading into the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan.

Of course, a silver medal isn’t the expectation for the U.S. After falling to Canada in last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, the Americans are ready to get their revenge — with the Tkachuk brothers leading the charge.

“I think experiencing what we did in 4 Nations, it just created that much more fire to win gold,” Brady Tkachuk said.

Since entering the league in 2018, Brady has been a consistent force to be reckoned with. Through 36 games this season, he has scored 14 goals and notched 22 assists. And while his Ottawa Senators haven’t been playing as well as they would have hoped, he is still poised to be one of the key pieces, alongside his brother, for the United States’ run at the gold medal.

The U.S. hasn’t won a gold medal in Olympic hockey since 1980, a streak the Tkachuk brothers — along with the rest of their American teammates — hope ends very soon.

“We’re going there, and all 12 nations want that gold medal,” Tkachuk said. “So that’s something that it’s been a childhood dream of — not just mine, but every Olympian — that they want to come out with gold. I really believe in our team. I really believe in the build, the makeup.”

A Dynamic Brotherly Duo for Team USA

Watching Brady and Matthew Tkachuk play together at last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off was a treat for the hockey world. It was clear from the jump the two share a deep love for the game and for their country, and it translated perfectly to the ice. The pair were fantastic, too. Brady scored three goals, while Matthew recorded two goals and one assist.

But just like in 4 Nations, Matthew's health is a question. He exited the event early due to an ailment that eventually required surgeries that kept him out for an extended period heading into this season. While he is fully recovered, he has played just eight games so far, though he has racked up two goals and four assists in that span. Still, his brother is confident Matthew can deliver when the lights of Milan are at their brightest.

“I have no doubt about him, and I don’t think anybody should have any doubts about him because of the way he plays,” Brady said. “Those big moments, he always shows up.”

He continued, saying it is pointless to be anxious about Matthew’s on-ice performance because he knows “wholeheartedly he’s going to give everything that he has and he’s going to show up in a big moment for us.”

The U.S. will need both brothers to step up in those big moments. The competition at this year’s Olympics is stiff. The Canadians are stout with their superstar forward group. The Finns are loaded with elite talent as well. And don’t count out the Swedes, Czechs and Swiss — all three nations have what it takes to win a medal, too.

All in all, it will take a complete effort from the U.S. — led by the Tkachuk brothers — to find a spot on the podium. But the Americans are counting on the brotherly duo to rise on the sport’s grandest international stage. If all goes to plan, that faith will be rewarded.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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