Matthew Tkachuk has received back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Florida Panthers, however he nonetheless has one other lifelong dream to perform. Tkachuk shall be tasked with main Group USA within the 2026 Olympics because the nation hunts its first gold medal since 1980.
Final season, Tkachuk and the People got here near dethroning Canada on the 4 Nations Face-Off. Group USA received the spherical robin matchup however misplaced the championship recreation in additional time when Connor McDavid discovered the again of the online for the Canadians.
In an interview with ESPN, Tkachuk mentioned he would not view the Olympics as a chance for “revenge.” He sees it as the possibility to realize one thing that USA Hockey has been constructing towards for fairly a while now. Canada simply occurs to be in the way in which.
“I do not even know in case you take a look at it as revenge, but it surely’s been a very long time coming since USA Hockey’s been on the prime of the mountain,” Tkachuk mentioned. “Canada’s owned the Olympics or World Cups and even the world championships, though we received that again slightly bit this 12 months. They have been the chief in all of that and the crew that we have all been attempting to knock off.”
Tkachuk’s father, Keith, was a member of the 2002 USA Hockey crew that fell simply wanting a gold medal in Salt Lake Metropolis. That crew, like a number of others, got here up quick towards Canada within the last.
“We have had some unimaginable gamers and nationwide groups that we have seemed as much as our entire lives however that have not gotten the job completed,” Tkachuk mentioned. “So, not solely would profitable [gold] accomplish desires for us, however hopefully it might carry a whole lot of satisfaction for these guys that paved the way in which for us.”
Shut calls and a disturbing development
American hockey followers are all too acquainted with heartbreak this century. In 2002, the People ran by way of a lot of the match solely to be outclassed by Canada within the gold medal recreation.
In 2010, Group USA defeated Canada in spherical robin play, and that arrange one of many best Olympic hockey video games ever. Within the gold medal recreation, Zach Parise tied the sport for the People with simply seconds left in regulation, just for Sidney Crosby to attain his now iconic “Golden Aim” in additional time.
Then, after all, there was the 4 Nations Face-Off. Group USA had its greatest roster, maybe ever, and it nonetheless could not recover from the red-and-white hump.
The 2026 Olympic crew must be simply as loaded, if no more so, than the 4 Nations roster. Will probably be the People’ greatest shot at a gold medal since they received it in 1980, however as a way to do this, they will must buck a regarding development.
Group USA has carried out fairly poorly on the Olympics outdoors of North American soil. The final time they medaled abroad on the Olympics was in 1972, after they received silver in Sapporo.
The 2026 Olympics will happen in Italy, which means the People should shake off no matter has been ailing them away from North America if they’re going to carry gold residence for the primary time in 46 years.
