Brady Tkachuk Chasing Olympic Gold with Team USA - And He’s Bringing the Family Firepower
Brady Tkachuk is trading in his familiar Senators No. 7 for red, white, and blue. The Ottawa captain has officially joined Team USA for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, and he’s not going it alone-his older brother, Matthew, is right beside him, ready to represent their country on hockey’s biggest international stage.
For Brady, this moment has been circled on the calendar all season. While his focus over the past five months has been on trying to steer the Senators back into playoff contention, the chance to wear the Team USA sweater and chase Olympic gold is something he’s been dreaming about for years. And it’s more than just a personal milestone-it’s a family tradition.
Their father, Keith Tkachuk, was a staple on Team USA for nearly a decade, suiting up in four Olympic Games between 1998 and 2006. For Brady and Matthew, the memories of those tournaments are still vivid-especially 2006 in Turin, Italy, when they got a behind-the-scenes look at Olympic life most kids could only imagine.
“I remember my dad taking us through Olympic Village,” Brady recalled before heading out on Ottawa’s recent road trip. “Now looking back, there’s really no family or kids allowed. I don’t know how he did that or got the permission, but it was really cool.”
The Tkachuk brothers weren’t just tagging along-they were soaking it all in. Brady still remembers seeing stars like Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin in the cafeteria, decked out in their Russian gear. “Just going to his games, watching him, having our faces painted-it was a lot of fun,” he said.
Now, 20 years later, Brady and Matthew are the ones living the Olympic dream. They arrived in Milan on Sunday and immediately settled into the Olympic Village-despite being offered the option to stay in a hotel by the NHL Players’ Association.
“We want the full experience,” Brady said. And that’s exactly what they’re getting. The brothers are roommates in the village, and their room has already been dubbed “Club Tkachuk” by their Team USA teammates.
On the ice, Brady is skating on a line with Matthew and Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel-a trio that brings a mix of grit, skill, and high hockey IQ. With just four days to prepare before their opening game against Latvia on Thursday, Team USA is wasting no time building chemistry.
The Americans will follow that up with games against Denmark on Saturday-where Brady will face off against Ottawa teammate Lars Eller-and Germany on Sunday, which means a showdown with another familiar face: Tim Stützle.
This isn’t just a fun family reunion or a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Team USA is here to compete, and they’re hoping to ride the momentum from their strong showing at last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal and Boston. That tournament gave the group a taste of what they’re capable of when they click, and now the stakes are even higher.
Brady Tkachuk is all in. He’s not just representing his country-he’s carrying on a legacy, sharing the ice with his brother, and chasing the kind of gold medal moment that could define a career. And if the energy inside “Club Tkachuk” is any indication, Team USA is bringing more than just talent to Italy-they’re bringing belief.