Matthew Tkachuk: Magical Run with Florida Panthers Continues with Team USA

MIAMI — For Matthew Tkachuk, winning gold with Team USA at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic games has just been the continuation of a hockey fairy tale that started with a trade to the Florida Panthers almost four years ago.

On Monday, the American men’s hockey team arrived back in the U.S. after their championship run through Italy.

Keith Tkachuk, father to newly-minted gold medalists Matthew and Brady, walked into the concourse at MIA a few minutes before his sons cleared customs.

‘Big Walt,’ as he is known, was congratulated on the victory.

“Been a great three years,’’ he said, beaming.

Indeed it has.

For Keith Tkachuk, a gold medal with Team USA eluded him in a playing career that should certainly eventually land him in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Keith Tkachuk also never got to hoist the Stanley Cup during his playing days but one of the first things Matthew did when he won it with the Panthers in 2024 was to make sure his dad got to lift it up.

Yeah, it has been quite the three years.

“It has been a whirlwind. Amazing,” Matthew Tkachuk said on Monday after clearing customs.

What does it mean to be an Olympic champion?

“A dream of ours,” he continued. “Such an amazing way to unite the country. We felt the support from across the Atlantic. Now we’re back on home soil, we felt it the minute the wheels hit the ground. Excited to be back in the greatest country in the world, and excited to celebrate.”

Matthew Tkachuk knew his life was going to change when he decided to leave the Calgary Flames in 2022 and move on to a new team.

The Panthers, an up-and-coming team that had just won the Presidents’ Trophy, was a team Tkachuk had interest in playing for.

When he told the Flames he would only sign a long term deal in three places — his hometown St. Louis Blues, Carolina, and the Panthers — Florida general manager Bill Zito made certain Calgary could not say no to his offer.

Tkachuk helped transform the Panthers into an NHL supergroup, and he was a sparkplug for Team USA as well.

The Panthers went to the Stanley Cup Final for just the second time in the franchise’s history during Tkachuk’s first season in South Florida.

Tkachuk and the Panthers became Stanley Cup champions both in 2024 and 2025.

Now, Tkachuk is walking through Miami International Airport with a gold medal slung around his neck, his celebration parties at E11ven now an annual event.

Tkachuk has really only known winning when it comes to hockey they past few years.

Sunday, he became the first Panthers player to ever win gold at the Olympics while playing for the team. Roberto Luongo is a two-time gold-medal winner, but was playing for Vancouver at the time.

For Tkachuk, the winning certainly does not seem to get old.

“I don’t think so,’’ Tkachuk said Monday. “Like winning the Cup, it doesn’t really set in for weeks or months as time goes by.

“Now that we’re back on U.S. soil and seeing the reaction from everyone, we just did something that only 30-plus Americans have ever done. We’ve kind of changed history. I’m very honored, very happy to be allowed to celebrate.’’

FLORIDA PANTHERS

2026 MILAN CORTINA OLYMPIC GAMES

• United States (6-0-0, Gold Medal): F Matthew Tkachuk (6 GP, 0-6, 6 points); D Seth Jones (injured), Bill Zito (assistant GM), Teddy Richards (equipment manager)
• Canada (5-0-1, Silver Medal): F Sam Reinhart (6 GP; 1-1, 2); F Brad Marchand (4 GP, 0-1, 1); C Sam Bennett (5 GP; 0-1, 1)
• Finland (4-2-0; Bronze Medal): C Sasha Barkov (injured), F Eetu Luostarinen (6 GP; 0-4, 4); D Niko Mikkola (6 GP, 0-3, 3); C Anton Lundell (5 GP; 1-1, 2); Tuomo Ruutu (assistant coach)
• Sweden (3-1-1): D Gus Forsling (5 GP; 1-1, 2); Myles Fee (video coach)
• Germany (2-3-0): Jamie Kompon (assistant coach)
• Latvia (1-3-0): D Uvis Balinskis (4 GP; 0-1, 1); F Sandis Vilmanis (4 GP; 0-0, 0)

ON DECK: GAME No. 58

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS at FLORIDA PANTHERS

• When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FTL); WPTV 5/WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
• Streaming: Panthers+; ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Season Series (Leafs Lead 2-0) — At Florida: Leafs 4, Panthers 1 (Dec. 2); Feb . 26. At Toronto: Leafs 4, Panthers 1 (Jan. 6); April 11
• Last Regular Season: Panthers Won 3-1
• All-time Regular Season Series: Toronto leads 53-40-7, 7 ties
• Last Postseason: Florida d. Toronto 4-3
• All-time Postseason (Panthers Lead 2-0): Panthers d. Toronto 4-1 (2023 ECS); Panthers d. Toronto 4-3 (2025 ECS)
• Up Next: Friday vs. Buffalo Sabres, 7