Matthew Tkachuk facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Matthew Tkachuk
Tkachuk with the Calgary Flames in October 2021
Born	(1997-12-11) December 11, 1997 (age 27) Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position	Winger
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Florida Panthers Calgary Flames
NHL Draft	6th overall, 2016 Calgary Flames
Playing career	2016–present

Matthew Brendan Tkachuk (born December 11, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey player. He plays as a forward and alternate captain for the Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Before joining the Panthers, he played for the Calgary Flames. The Flames picked him as the sixth player overall in the 2016 NHL entry draft.

Matthew is the son of Keith Tkachuk, who was also an NHL player. Matthew was born in Scottsdale, Arizona, and grew up in Creve Coeur, Missouri. He trained with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. He also played one season of major junior hockey for the London Knights. With the Knights, he scored the winning goal in overtime to help his team win the 2016 Memorial Cup.

Matthew has played for the United States in several international tournaments. These include a U17 World Hockey Challenge and a U18 World Championship. He also played in the 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where his team won a bronze medal. In the 2021–22 and 2022–23 NHL seasons, Tkachuk was one of the top ten point-scorers. He earned 104 and 109 points in those seasons. In 2023, he was a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy, which is given to the league's most valuable player. Tkachuk won the Stanley Cup with the Panthers in 2024.

Early Life and Family

Matthew Tkachuk was born in Scottsdale, Arizona. His parents are Keith and Chantal Tkachuk. His father, Keith, played in the National Hockey League for 18 years. Keith is also a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. Matthew's younger brother, Brady, is the captain of the Ottawa Senators. His younger sister, Taryn, plays field hockey at the University of Virginia.

Matthew spent a lot of his childhood at hockey rinks. He often watched his father practice from the players' bench. He once said, "I literally grew up in the rink." When he was three, his family moved to Creve Coeur, Missouri, near St. Louis. This was after his dad joined the St. Louis Blues.

Matthew and his brother often went with their dad to practices. They also traveled to watch him play in NHL All-Star games. Other NHL players sometimes lived with the Tkachuk family. Matthew played minor ice hockey with a youth team linked to the St. Louis Blues. He played with future NHL players like Clayton Keller. He left St. Louis after ninth grade to join the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. This program is in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Playing Career Highlights

Junior Hockey Years

The London Knights picked Tkachuk in the 2013 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft. He played two seasons with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. In his second season, he scored 96 points, with 38 goals and 58 assists. During this time, he played on a line with Auston Matthews.

Tkachuk playing for the London Knights in April 2016

Before the 2015-16 season, Tkachuk decided to join the London Knights. This meant he gave up his chance to play college hockey. Playing with Mitch Marner and Christian Dvorak, Tkachuk scored 107 points in the 2015-16 season. He had 30 goals and 77 assists. He was named an OHL First Team All-Star. He also scored the winning goal in overtime for the Knights in the 2016 Memorial Cup final.

Professional Career (2016–present)

Calgary Flames (2016–2022)

Before the 2016 NHL entry draft, Tkachuk was seen as a future star. The Calgary Flames chose him sixth overall. He signed a three-year contract with the Flames on July 7, 2016.

Tkachuk scored his first NHL goal in a 4–3 overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres. In March 2017, he missed two games for a hit on a player. Later, he fought that player to settle things. Tkachuk finished seventh in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy. This award goes to the best rookie in the NHL.

In his second year, Tkachuk missed a game due to a fight. He also missed another game for spearing a player. He became the second youngest player in Flames history to play 100 games. This happened on November 30, 2017. Tkachuk was injured in March 2018 and missed the rest of the season. Even with the injury, he had a career-high 49 points.

Before the 2018–19 season, Tkachuk became an alternate captain for the Flames. He set a new career high for points that season. He also scored his first NHL hat-trick against the Vegas Golden Knights. On March 15, 2019, Tkachuk got his 100th career assist. He was the first player from his draft class to reach this.

Tkachuk signed a new three-year contract on September 25, 2019. On April 19, 2022, Tkachuk got his 99th point. This passed his father's personal record. Two days later, he scored his 100th point and 40th goal. He was the second player from the 2016 draft to score 100 points in a season.

The 2021–22 season was very successful for the Flames. Tkachuk played on a strong line with Elias Lindholm and Johnny Gaudreau. All three players scored at least 40 goals. This was a rare achievement in the NHL. Tkachuk finished the season with 42 goals and 62 assists. The Flames won their division title.

In the playoffs, the Flames played the Dallas Stars. Tkachuk scored the only goal in Game 1, helping his team win. The Flames won the series in seven games. Next, they played the Edmonton Oilers. This was a big rivalry game. The Flames lost to the Oilers in five games.

After the season, Gaudreau left the Flames. Tkachuk's future with the team was also unclear. The Flames decided to trade him instead of losing him for free later.

Florida Panthers (2022–present)

On July 22, 2022, Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers. The trade included other players and a draft pick. Tkachuk signed an eight-year contract with the Panthers. In the NHL 2023 All-Star Game, Tkachuk was named the MVP. He scored 4 goals and 3 assists, for 7 points.

In his first season with the Florida Panthers, Tkachuk had a career-high 109 points. He was a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy. This award goes to the league's most valuable player. Tkachuk helped lead the Panthers to the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals. They lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.

In the 2023–24 season, Tkachuk became an alternate captain for the Panthers. On January 9, 2024, he scored his fifth hat-trick. This helped the Panthers win their eighth straight game. He helped lead the Panthers back to the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals for the second year in a row. This time, they defeated the Edmonton Oilers in seven games. This gave Tkachuk his first Stanley Cup championship.

International Play

Medal record
Representing  United States
Men's ice hockey
IIHF World U18 Championship
Gold	2015 Switzerland
IIHF World U20 Championship
Bronze	2016 Finland

Tkachuk helped the United States win a gold medal at the 2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge. He also played in the 2015 IIHF World U18 Championships. In that tournament, he had ten assists, which was the most in the tournament. This helped the U.S. under-18 team win a gold medal.

At the 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, Tkachuk and Auston Matthews each scored 11 points. They led the American team in scoring. After losing in the semi-finals, the U.S. team beat Sweden. This earned them the bronze medal.

Personal Life and Connections

Matthew Tkachuk has Ukrainian family roots on both sides of his family. The name "Tkachuk" means weaver in Ukrainian. He also has Irish family roots.

The Tkachuk family is part of a "giant hockey family tree." Matthew is related to several other current and former NHL players. His relatives include Tom Fitzgerald, who is a General Manager for the New Jersey Devils. He is also a cousin of NHL players Kevin Hayes and the late Jimmy Hayes. Matthew's uncle, Craig Oster, is an NHL player agent. He represents many NHL players, including Matthew and his brother.

When Matthew was in high school, he became friends with future NBA star Jayson Tatum. They were in the same physical education class. In 2024, both Matthew and Jayson won their league championships within a week of each other.

Career Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2014	United States	U17			6	4	3	7	2
2015	United States	U18			7	2	10	12	4
2016	United States	WJC			7	4	7	11	6
Junior totals					20	10	20	30	12

Awards and Honors