If you spotted the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flying high over Fort Lauderdale Friday, Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk may just have been on board.

Tkachuk was a passenger in the backseat of a Thunderbirds F-16 Fighting Falcon on Friday during their warmup for the start of this weekend’s Fort Lauderdale Air Show.

the 2026 Olympic Gold medalist and two-time Stanley Cup champion was selected as part of the Air Force’s ‘Hometown Heroes’ program.

Tkachuk flew with Lt. Col. Tyler “Wrath” Keener and the Thunderbird 7.

“I felt like I did one of the harder workouts of my life,’’ Tkachuk said after touching back down at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Friday. “It’s no joke.”

On Thursday, Tkachuk was officially named to the United States team for the IIHF World Championship in Switzerland.

As expected, Tkachuk said he will not be there for the very beginning of group play on May 15, but will join Team USA a few days into the tournament.

Tkachuk headlines the Team USA roster as he tries to become the first American to join the exclusive Triple Gold Club of which there are only 30 members.

To join that club, one has to win the Stanley Cup, Olympic Gold, and the World Championship.

With the Panthers expecting to continue their legacy of long playoff runs next season, Tkachuk felt this might be his only chance to play in the World Championship and try and join the club.

On Thursday, Team USA general manager Brett Peterson (who is the Panthers’ assistant GM) announced the preliminary roster — one that could see some additions as more teams get eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Tkachuk is the only member of Team USA’s Olympic Gold winning team on this year’s roster.

Sasha Barkov and Anton Lundell are already in Europe and played their first warmup game before the World Championships on Thursday.

Finland lost to Switzerland 5-4 in a shootout.

ON DECK: FLORIDA PANTHERS OFFSEASON

IIHF World Championship, Switzerland: May 15-31

NHL Draft (9th in First Round, Seven Overall): June 26-27; KeyBank Center, Buffalo

NHL Free Agency: Opens July 1

Panthers Development Camp: Late June/Early July; IcePlex, Fort Lauderdale

Panthers Rookie Camp/Tournament: Late August/Early Sept.; Site TBA

Panthers Training Camp: Early/Mid September; Fort Lauderdale 

2026-27 NHL Season Opens: Late September; Site, Opponent TBA