Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson will enjoy the Breakfast of Champions on Monday morning.
The Ottawa Senators’ captain and the club’s top defenceman helped the United States of America pave the road to gold in a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory against Team Canada in the men’s hockey final of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan on Sunday.
Tkachuk and Sanderson, who were both part of the heartbreaking overtime loss to Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off held last February in Montreal and Boston, were both emotional as they embraced in the chaotic celebration after Jack Hughes scored the OT winner.
While this was a difficult moment for fans of the Senators and Team Canada to stomach, winning the title at the Olympics is something that Tkachuk and Sanderson will be able to carry with them, not only the rest of their careers, but also their lives.
Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk celebrate after Sunday’s win.
It’s the first time since the Miracle on Ice in 1980 in Lake Placid, N.Y., that Team USA has won the gold medal, and that’s why being part of this was so special for both players. Tkachuk and Sanderson played significant roles for the United States throughout the tourney.
What made this even more special for Tkachuk was sharing the title with his brother, Matthew, a winger with the Florida Panthers and a two-time Stanley Cup champion.
“This is the greatest feeling I’ve ever felt in my hockey career,” Brady told TSN’s Ryan Rishaug on Sunday. “Just to do it alongside (Matthew), just to hear the confidence he’s instilled in me. What a stretch of hockey he’s been playing with two Cups and a gold medal.
“To share it with my best friend, this is an incredible feeling.”
The Tkachuk brothers were following in the footsteps of their legendary father, Keith, who suited up for Team USA at four Winter Olympics from 1998 to 2006. The duo roomed together in the Athletes’ Village in Italy and were beside each other during post-game interviews.
Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk celebrate after Sunday’s win.
“The big boy here gets a championship, too,” Matthew said, patting Brady on the shoulder. “It’s awesome that we were able to do this together.”
Jack Hughes said that the Tkachuk brothers kept their door open at the Olympic Village throughout the time in Italy.
“Just to have all the guys there on the same floor was special,” Hughes said. “We’d always hang out in the cafeteria together and meet different athletes and whatnot. To me, spending time in the village with these guys was one of my favourite experiences of this whole thing.”
Tkachuk finished with three goals and five points with the Americans in six games in the tourney with a plus-seven rating. He played mostly on a line with centre Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights and Matthew.
In the final game against Canada, Tkachuk finished with 15 minutes and 56 seconds of ice time plus two shots on goal.
Jake Sanderson of Team USA celebrates after the overtime win on Sunday.
This was the 23-year-old Sanderson’s second trip to the Olympics. He was part of the American club in Beijing in 2022, but only suited up for one game because he suffered an injury.
Sanderson, the son of former NHL winger Geoff Sanderson, was born in Whitefish, Mont., and played for the U.S. Development Team program before going to school at the University of North Dakota.
He played only 11 minutes and 39 seconds in the final game, but helped stabilize the U.S. blueline throughout the Games. Sanderson finished with two assists in six games in the Olympics.
Gold medallists Kyle Connor, left, Jake Sanderson and Jack Hughes listen to the national anthem during the medal ceremony Sunday.
Sanderson is just a strong, steady defensive player, and that was the role he played for American coach Mike Sullivan and his staff, which included Ottawa video coach Mike King, throughout the tourney.
Donald Trump, president of the United States, was so thrilled with the win that he did a FaceTime with the players and staff while they were celebrating following the win in the dressing room.
Trump invited the American players to attend the annual State of the Union address in Washington on Tuesday night. Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews told reporters that there are logistical issues with travel, so it’s not known if the U.S. players will attend.
Tkachuk and Sanderson should enjoy the celebrations for the next 48 hours. Still, the reality is they have to get back to work with the rest of the Senators’ teammates on Thursday against Dylan Larkin and the Detroit Red Wings at the Canadian Tire Centre.
Defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo, who won a bronze medal with Finland on Saturday, will also return from the Games, along with top centre Tim Stutzle (Germany) and centre Lars Eller (Denmark). Minor-league goalie Mads Sogaard (Denmark) will return to Belleville.
The Senators have just 25 games left and are six points out of the final playoff spot in the East, which means the club has a lot of ground to make up. The National Hockey League’s roster freeze will be lifted at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, with the trade deadline set for March 6.
Related