Team USA has officially hit the ice in Milan, and if the first practice is any indication, this Olympic run is going to be as entertaining off the ice as it is on it.
Jack Eichel centered a top line featuring the Tkachuk brothers - Brady and Matthew - during Sunday’s opening skate. That trio brings a mix of skill, grit, and, let’s be honest, a lot of personality. After practice, Eichel couldn’t resist poking fun at the Tkachuks’ living situation in the Olympic Village, joking that if anyone crashes through a wall in the middle of the night, it’s probably those two.
“They probably push their beds together,” Eichel quipped. “If we hear someone go through a wall in the middle of the night, probably know where it came from.”
Classic Eichel - dry humor with a side of locker room truth. And honestly, with Brady and Matthew sharing a room, we might be one bunk-bed away from a full-blown Step Brothers sequel.
But jokes aside, there’s real chemistry brewing on that top line. These three have logged time together before, most recently during last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off.
While Matthew missed the final due to a lower-body injury that also ended his NHL season, he’s back and says he’s feeling healthy and ready to roll. That’s big news for the Florida Panthers - and even bigger for Team USA.
Brady, for his part, came up huge in that 4 Nations Final, scoring a crucial goal in a game that ended in overtime with Canada on top. He’s got a knack for rising to the moment, and skating alongside his brother and Eichel gives him the kind of runway to do just that again in Milan.
The other line that looked locked in during practice? Auston Matthews centering Jake Guentzel and Matt Boldy.
Matthews hasn’t quite looked like himself this season, but Guentzel and Boldy have been lighting it up for their respective NHL clubs. This could be the spark Matthews needs - a chance to reset, surrounded by elite talent, on international ice with the whole world watching.
Sometimes, that’s all it takes for a star to reignite.
As for logistics, Team USA is staying in the Olympic Village, even with a recent norovirus outbreak that delayed a women’s hockey game earlier in the week. It’s a tight-knit group, and that kind of shared experience - the good and the chaotic - often brings teams closer. That camaraderie could be a difference-maker when the tournament gets tight.
The Americans open preliminary play on Thursday against Latvia. On paper, it’s a favorable group with Denmark and Germany rounding out the pool.
The expectation is that Team USA advances comfortably - but this is Olympic hockey. Nothing comes easy, and every team brings their best.
Still, the real intrigue lies ahead. A potential rematch with Canada looms in the knockout rounds, and that would bring all the intensity and emotion of last year’s showdown back to the forefront.
That game had everything - drama, physicality, and a razor-thin overtime finish. If these two meet again, expect fireworks.
So here we go - Team USA is loaded with talent, personality, and just enough unpredictability to keep things interesting. Can they capture their third Olympic gold in men’s hockey?
That’s the question. But one thing’s for sure: this team won’t be boring.