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
National team	United States
NHL Draft	6th overall, 2016 Calgary Flames
Playing career	2016–present

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

Matthew comes from a hockey family; his dad, Keith Tkachuk, was also an NHL player. Matthew grew up in Creve Coeur, Missouri, near St. Louis. He was part of 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 hockey tournaments. These include the U17 World Hockey Challenge and the 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 in the league. He earned 104 and 109 points in those seasons. In 2023, he was a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy, given to the league's most valuable player. Tkachuk won two Stanley Cup championships with the Panthers in 2024 and 2025. He scored the goal that won the Stanley Cup in the final game of the 2025 series.

Growing Up with Hockey

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

Matthew spent his childhood around hockey rinks. He often watched his father practice from the players' bench. When he was a baby, his mom would drop him off at the Coyotes' arena during his dad's practices. The team's equipment managers would even help babysit him. Matthew has said he "literally grew up in the rink."

When Matthew was three, his family moved to Creve Coeur, Missouri, near St. Louis. This happened after his dad joined the St. Louis Blues. Matthew and Brady often went to practices with their dad. They also traveled to watch him play in NHL All-Star games. Other NHL players, like David Backes and Lee Stempniak, even lived with the Tkachuk family.

Matthew played minor ice hockey with a youth team connected to the St. Louis Blues. His teammates included future NHL players Clayton Keller, Logan Brown, and Luke Kunin. Their team played in the 2010 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. After ninth grade, Matthew left St. Louis to join the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Matthew's Hockey Journey

Junior Hockey Success

The London Knights picked Matthew 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 and Jack Roslovic.

Tkachuk playing for the London Knights in April 2016

Before the 2015-16 season, Tkachuk decided to play for the London Knights. This meant he gave up his chance to play college hockey. He played on a line with Mitch Marner and Christian Dvorak. Tkachuk scored 107 points that season, with 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.

Starting in the NHL with Calgary

Experts thought Tkachuk would be a big star in the NHL. The Calgary Flames chose him sixth overall in the 2016 NHL entry draft. 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. He finished seventh in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy, which is given to the best rookie in the NHL.

In his second year, Tkachuk played his 100th NHL game on November 30. He was the second youngest player in Flames history to reach this milestone. He finished the season with a career-high 49 points, even though he missed some games due to an injury.

Before the 2018–19 season, Tkachuk was named an alternate captain for the Flames. He set a new personal best for points that season. He also scored his first NHL hat-trick (three goals in one game) on March 10, 2019. On March 15, he got his 100th career assist. He was the first player from his draft class to reach that many assists.

On April 19, 2022, Tkachuk got his 99th point, passing his father's best season record. Two days later, he scored his 100th point and 40th goal in a game against the Dallas Stars. He became only the second player from the 2016 draft class to score 100 points in a single 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, which was a rare achievement. Tkachuk finished the season with 42 goals and 62 assists. The Flames won the Pacific Division title.

In the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Flames played the Dallas Stars. Tkachuk scored a goal in the first game, helping his team win. The Flames won the series in seven games. Next, they faced the Edmonton Oilers in the "Battle of Alberta" playoffs. The Oilers won the series in five games.

After the season, there was talk about Tkachuk's future with the Flames. On July 20, 2022, it was reported that Tkachuk told the Flames he would not sign a long-term contract with them.

Joining the Florida Panthers

On July 22, 2022, Matthew Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers. The Panthers sent Jonathan Huberdeau, Cole Schwindt, MacKenzie Weegar, and a draft pick to the Flames. Before the trade, Tkachuk signed an eight-year contract with the Panthers.

In the NHL 2023 All-Star Game, Tkachuk was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP). He scored four goals and had three assists, totaling seven points. In his first season with the Florida Panthers, Tkachuk had his best year yet. He finished with 109 points. He was a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy, given to the league's most valuable player.

Tkachuk helped lead the Panthers to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. He scored four goals, including three game-winners, against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference finals. The Panthers lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final.

In the 2023–24 season, Tkachuk was again named an alternate captain for the Panthers. On January 9, 2024, he scored his fifth hat-trick against the St. Louis Blues. This helped the Panthers win their eighth straight game. He helped lead the Panthers back to the Stanley Cup Final for the second year in a row. They defeated the Edmonton Oilers in seven games, and Tkachuk won his first Stanley Cup championship. In the following season, the Panthers returned to the Stanley Cup Final for a third straight year. They defeated the Edmonton Oilers again in six games, giving Tkachuk his second Stanley Cup.

Playing for Team USA

Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing  United States
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. He helped the U.S. under-18 team win a gold medal.

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

Matthew's Family and Friends

Matthew Tkachuk has Ukrainian roots on both his mom's and dad's sides of the family. The name "Tkachuk" means "weaver" in Ukrainian. He also has Irish family history from his dad's side.

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

When Matthew was in high school at Chaminade College Preparatory School, he became friends with future NBA superstar Jayson Tatum. Tatum plays for the Boston Celtics. They were in the same physical education class. In 2024, both Tkachuk and Tatum won their championships within a week of each other. Matthew won the 2024 Stanley Cup Final and Jayson won the 2024 NBA Finals.

Matthew got married in 2025.

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