Playing alongside each other in the Olympics is something Brady and Matthew have dreamed about since childhood. Their father Keith Tkachuk, also a forward, was a four-time U.S. Olympian (1992, 1998, 2002, 2006) and won a silver medal at the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics.
This is the first time NHL players will participate in the Olympics since 2014 in Sochi, Russia.
“You never really expect it to be a dream come true,” Brady said. “Of course, that’s always something that you’ve wanted to do is play at any level with your brother and create memories that way. But the fact that we’re going to be able to do it on the top level at the Olympics and both being Olympians, it’s more than a dream. Just can’t believe that it’s soon to be real life.
“All the credit goes to our parents and my sister and all of our family and friends, coaches that helped us both get to where we’re at. It’s not a one-man show to become an Olympian.”
Brady, who has 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 32 games this season, has been focused on helping the Senators as their captain, but the 26-year-old also has been counting the days until the Olympics since he and Matthew were among the first six players named to Team USA’s roster on June 16. They feel they have unfinished business after losing 3-2 in overtime to Team Canada in the 4 Nations championship game.
The U.S. is looking for its first Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey since the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980.
“Throughout this whole year, you’re like, ‘Oh, February, the Olympics are kind of going to be a long ways away,’” Brady said. “But now that we’re a week away — a week and a half, two weeks. — it’s starting to get really exciting. … It’s hard not to get excited to go compete with the best players in this country and see some of the best athletes in the world go head-to-head and compete for the gold medal.”