Team USA Star Brady Tkachuk Fueled By Extra Motivation To Beat Canada In Gold Medal Game
It all comes down to Team USA and Team Canada.
There’s a lot that’s going to motivate members of Team Canada and Team USA to win tomorrow’s gold medal men’s hockey game. But Brady Tkachuk has some extra fire that will be raging in his mind before the puck drops on Sunday.
In about 24 hours, the matchup every hockey fan wants will take place when the two North American rivals play for gold at the Winter Olympics. McDavid vs. Matthews. Makar vs. (Quinn) Hughes. Binnington vs. Hellebuyck. You can’t ask for a more star-studded and anticipated matchup.
MILAN - Brady Tkachuk of Team United States before the Men's Semifinals Playoff match between the United States and Slovakia at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 20, 2026. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Tkachuk has been one of the best skaters for the Americans in the tournament, recording three goals and two assists to go with a +7 rating in five games. But he knows that if he can get only a silver medal tomorrow, it will be more costly than just losing bragging rights to Canada.
Tkachuk’s father, Ketih, lost a gold medal game to Canada at the 2002 Olympics. Even 24 years later, the elder Tkachuk and his teammates are haunted by that result. He has used that to warn his sons (Brady’s older brother, Matthew, is also on the team) and motivate them to win the matchup.
"I definitely haven’t heard the ins and outs (of the games) too much…Basically all I’ve heard is that there’s just a lot of regret if you don’t win," Tkachuk said.
Great losses tend to hit harder than great wins, and a defeat tomorrow (regardless of score) would indeed be something that haunts these men forever.
But if any team can slay the Canadian giant, it's this group. They have the talent at all levels to match what our northern neighbors have brought to Milan. It’s all going to come down to who wants it more.
And the Americans definitely want that gold medal.