Team USA hockey stars Matthew again Brady Tkachuk they are today’s Bash Brothers who helped turn the idea of American hockey on its head.
Matthew, the former Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, and his younger brother Brady, the captain of the Ottawa Senators, had never played together on the same team – except for the 2023 NHL All-Star Game – before representing their country in the first 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025. They reunited as members of the USA Olympic team on February 20.
“We talked about this time, we play together, ative. “And when it finally happened, it was amazing and we’re very grateful for it. We’re having a lot of fun.”
Matthew and Brady come from a hockey family, in the truest sense of the word. The two were born in Scottsdale, Arizona, and their father, Keithhe played for the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes.
Isaya Vazquez/Getty Images Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk knows hockey culture is steeped in tradition, but he’s not too worried about ruffling some feathers. Tkachuk, 27, who won a Stanley Cup with the Panthers last season, has enjoyed pushing boundaries on the ice with his hard-nosed style of play and off the ice. […]
The brothers cut their hockey teeth in St. Louis after their father was traded to the Blues in 2001, Matthew and Brady took separate journeys to the NHL.
Keep scrolling to delve deeper into the Tkachuk family story – including their mother, Chantal Tkachukand the sister of a field hockey star, Taryn:
Matthew Tkachuk
Matthew was only 3 years old when his father, Keith, was sold to St. Louis Blues. As such, he spent most of his formative childhood years on hockey fields.
“When you say you grew up in the rink, people think, ‘Oh, yeah, your dad played, but you didn’t really grow up there,'” Matthew said. Athletic in 2019. “No, I grew up on the rink. Even in St. Louis, I think my dad took me out of school some days to go to the rink.”
Courtesy of Odette Peters/Instagram Team USA hockey star Zach Werenski has experienced life’s ups and downs over the course of six months. Werenski, 27, will be in the headlines when the USA takes on Canada in the opening game of the 4 Nations Face-Off at Boston’s TD Garden on Thursday, February 20. […]
He added, “Looking back, I’m so thankful I did that. There’s a reason I wanted to play in the NHL since I was young. I was there a lot and I loved the lifestyle, the love, everything these guys showed me and the relationships I built.”
Matthew completed grades 6 through 9 at Chaminade Preparatory School – where he studied with the Boston Celtics star. Jayson Tatum – before joining the USA Hockey National Development Program.
After one season with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, Matthew was drafted 6th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft by the Calgary Flames.
Matthew played six seasons with the Flames before being traded to the Florida Panthers in July 2022, where he would go on to win the Stanley Cup in 2024 when Florida defeated the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the Finals.
His parents – Keith and Chantal – were both present at the moment, with Keith being shown on television crying over his son’s achievement. Despite an illustrious 18-year career in the NHL, Keith has never won a Stanley Cup.
Matthew got engaged to his bride, Ellie Connellin April 2024. The couple prefers to keep their relationship mostly private.
However, Ellie was there to see Matthew lift the Stanley Cup, taking pictures on the ice as the Panthers star lifted the iconic trophy above his head.
Brady Tkachuk
Like his older brother, Brady spent most of his childhood around the game of hockey.
Brady also followed in Matthew’s footsteps and played two seasons with the USA Hockey National Development Program, but their paths diverged when Brady decided to explore college hockey.
In 2017-2018, Brady spent one season with Boston University, appearing in 40 games and scoring 31 points. He was drafted 4th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2018 NHL Draft. Brady was named the tenth captain in franchise history in November 2021.
Brady also captained Team USA at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Off the ice, Brady married his wife, Emma Farinacciin July 2023. In September 2024, the couple welcomed their son, Ryder.
“Our whole world ❤️,” Farinacci wrote on Instagram announcing the birth of their son.
Matthew left two enthusiastic comments on the post, writing, “Ryder!! Little fairy!!!” and “Love Him!!!!”
In a special interview no Us Weekly in October 2025, Brady talked about living with Emma and Ryder.
“The hardest part for me, and for a lot of guys, is being away from their family,” Brady said. “Their wives, their children, they miss out on those fun times. Ryder is about to walk. Yes, I want to see him walk. But at the end of the day, it’s part of our business.”
He added, “That’s what’s fun about being on the road with the guys, because you’re not the only one going through that. It’s fun to be together. And when we’re at home, it’s all about the family. I think that’s what helps my performance. I already feel that, in the grand scheme of things. The most important thing in life is to have great games, I’m very happy, I’m healthy, I’m very happy with the family. There’s always the next game behind.”
Keith Tkachuk
One of the greatest American hockey players of all time, Matthew and Brady’s father, Keith, grew up in Medford, Massachusetts and completed one season of Boston University hockey, where Brady would later play.
Keith was drafted 19th overall in 1990 by the Winnipeg Jets and had an 18-year career in the NHL with the Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues and the Atlanta Thrashers.
When his sons were young, Keith remembers relying on the Coyotes’ equipment manager, Stan Wilsonto get help when Matthew and Brady came off the field.
Young Florida Panthers fans were able to mark the team’s historic victory in a very special way. After the Panthers won their first ever Stanley Cup in franchise history after defeating the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in Game 7 of the NHL Finals on Monday, June 24, the players celebrated at Amerant Bank Arena no. […]
“They terrorized the place when they could,” Keith said Athletic in 2019. “And they make trouble for Stan and the other guys, but you know Stan. You have to work hard to upset him.”
After Matthew won the Stanley Cup with the Panthers in 2024, Keith had no problem admitting that he was emotionally abused by the crowd.
“I was upstairs crying,” Keith told NHL.com. “Who wouldn’t? That’s my son down there. He just won the Stanley Cup.”
Keith added, “I’m proud of that kid.”
Chantal Tkachuk
Keith married his wife – and mother of Matthew and Brady – Chantal in February 1997 while playing for St. Louis Blues. At that time, he praised Chantal for her great success.
“I wouldn’t be the player I am if it wasn’t for him, I’ll tell you that much,” said Keith. Hockey News right after their wedding. “You focus more on hockey when you have someone at home, when you take care of yourself and take care of you.”
After Matthew and Brady were born, Chantal recalled using her husband’s workplace as a form of childcare.
“Right from the start, I put them in their lap seats when they were little kids,” he said. Athletic in 2019. “I remember sending Matthew and Brady in the lap chair. I remember Matthew coming in when he was little, too. I’d go to the side door of the rink, knock on the door, someone open the door, drop the diaper bag, drop the package and I’d run — fast.”
While Keith was in the spotlight, it was Chantal who ran the show at home when her children grew up and appreciate it even more in retrospect.
“It’s easy to trust her because she had a good job, but I think she’s my mom,” Brady said. Athletic in 2018. “He was there when my father was on a road trip. He was always there and dedicated.”
Taryn Tkachuk
Matthew and Brady’s younger sister, Taryn, is a successful athlete in her own right.
Taryn just finished her senior season as a field hockey star at the University of Virginia. Her parents, Keith and Chantal, were both there to celebrate the senior weekend in October 2024, Taryn showed off on Instagram.
Yes, he would help celebrate his brother Matthew winning the Stanley Cup in June 2024, watching Game 7 in the crowd with his parents.
In July 2024, Taryn posted a carousel of photos on Instagram from Matthew’s time with Cup, including a poolside get-together and a trip to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in St. Louis. ‘
Chantal wrote, “Cheers! Now it’s time to sleep💤💤.”
