Red Wings Legends Who Got Their NHL Starts Elsewhere: Part 2
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Can Matthew and Brady Tkachuk become hockey's answer to the Kelce brothers? ‘Maybe one day'
It's been a few months since the Tkachuk brothers last faced any physical microphones, but they've already sat for three interviews on this August afternoon when they join their final Zoom call of the day. Brady, 25, appears to be at a computer in a home office, while Matthew, 27, holds a phone from a living room couch. As the conversation begins, the elder Tkachuk cautions that neither are in peak media shape. Advertisement 'We're rusty, we haven't done it in a few months,' Matthew says. 'So, (we) could only handle four today.' The brothers soon find their gear. They are laid-back, yet still excited about the mini-junket's pretext: Matthew, a back-to-back Stanley Cup champion with the Florida Panthers, has landed on the standard cover of 'EA Sports NHL 26,' the newest release of the most famous hockey video game ever. Joining him in a family photo on the front of an early-access 'Deluxe Edition' are both Brady, the Ottawa Senators' captain, and their father, former NHLer Keith Tkachuk. 'I think our 10-year-old selves would be losing their minds seeing that we're on a cover of the NHL game that we loved playing growing up,' Brady says. In a sport that sometimes shies away from promoting individual personalities, Matthew and Brady are quickly cementing themselves as two of hockey's preeminent showmen. The 'NHL 26' covers are only the latest examples. In 2023, they play-fought in a car backseat — in full hockey gear, no less — for a Hyundai commercial. Last year, Matthew starred on the first season of Prime Video's 'Faceoff: Inside the NHL,' offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse of life with the Tkachuk family. This fall, Brady will join him for a second season of the show that, in part, covers Team USA's round-robin matchup against Canada at February's 4 Nations Face-Off, during which both Tkachuks now-famously dropped their gloves as three fights broke out in the first nine seconds. Despite losing to Canada in the championship game, the brothers capitalized on the post-tournament buzz with several major media hits. Matthew joined 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,' and Brady appeared on podcasts like 'Spittin' Chiclets' and 'Pardon My Take.' The duo then served as co-guests on the wildly popular 'New Heights' podcast hosted by NFL brothers Travis and Jason Kelce, whose YouTube simulcasts have accumulated nearly 1 billion views. Advertisement As the Tkachuks establish a more mainstream presence, it's natural to draw comparisons to the media-savvy Kelce brothers. Matthew revealed that he and Brady have even been presented with 'opportunities where we could've had our own' podcast together, leading him to ask Travis and Jason about the production process. 'I've gotten a little bit of advice via the podcast route,' Matthew says. '(But) it's way too early to know if we're going to do it or not. … It's different for them now because one of them isn't playing anymore. Compared to Brady and I would do it with (us) both playing. So, there's a lot of stuff to juggle around there. 'But maybe one day.' Of course, the Tkachuks won't win over everyone. Whether it's Brady slamming defensemen into the end boards for an on-the-rise Senators team, or Matthew mucking around the net front as the Panthers build a potential dynasty, both possess on-ice styles that rub opposing players and fan bases alike the wrong way. And their international notoriety will surely grow at next year's Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, with NHL players set to participate for the first time since 2014. Not all of their off-ice opportunities will earn universal acclaim, either: Recently Matthew was named to President Donald Trump's 'Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition' alongside NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky, among others. Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley declined an invitation despite being initially listed in a White House release, while Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has also expressed confusion at his inclusion. Matthew, for his part, says it's 'a little too early' to confirm his participation on the council, declining further comment to The Athletic. Regardless, the Tkachuks' willingness to put themselves out there and desire to reach wider audiences are noteworthy for hockey players — particularly in the U.S., where the NFL and NBA rule. Advertisement 'I'm not going to tell a player that's not comfortable doing (more media),' Matthew said. 'If they just treat it as a job, like a clock-in and clock-out and just want to worry about that, hey, all to you. If that helps you play. Some guys are like that. Every team has guys like that. 'I think that if more guys could do (more), I think the better.' The Tkachuks also see their recent surge in appearances as an opportunity to grow the game and be 'good role models' for 'the next generation of kids,' Brady says. 'I think any exposure you get that can grow the game is very important to us,' Matthew adds. 'We want to be guys that leave the game in a way better place than it was when we started. Just the way the world's kind of trending, the opportunities for players are pretty seamless and easy for Brady and I. Whereas maybe other guys, they're not as comfortable as we are in it. 'We enjoy it. We think it's important to do. Hockey is not a job to us. It's never felt like a job for us. It's fun, it's life, it's what we've grown up in.' A legacy on full Brady, and Keith Tkachuk grace the #NHL26 Deluxe Edition to get 7-day early access. — EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) August 6, 2025 No matter where the Tkachuks go from here, on the ice and off, their paths are forever linked. It has been that way since they were kids and had way more free time to play the 'EA Sports NHL' video games. They used to spend hours competing on Xbox at home in the St. Louis area, with Brady often getting the better of his older brother. 'We loved playing when we turned penalties off,' Matthew says. 'It was so fun.' Now, when young gamers look at the newest version, they will see an image of Matthew hoisting his second straight Stanley Cup with the Panthers in June — or, in the case of the early-access edition, one of him flanked by Brady and Keith. Advertisement 'For me, it kind of just captures everything that I wanted in my NHL career, in two covers,' Matthew says. 'I have the standard cover where it shows my dream coming true with the Stanley Cup, and the picture is just, everything about it, is so special to me. I still pinch myself. I can't believe it. 'But then I look at the deluxe cover, and that might be more important to me, being in the middle of my brother and my dad.' (Top photo of Matthew and Brady Tkachuk: AP Photo / Charles Krupa) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
