Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk knows hockey culture is steeped in tradition, but he’s not particularly concerned about ruffling some feathers.
Tkachuk, 27, who won a Stanley Cup with the Panthers last season, has enjoyed pushing boundaries both on the ice with his hard-nosed style of play and off the ice with his colorful disposition.
As the American-born player explains it, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I have the ability to be able to reach different pockets of people in the U.S. with hockey and with my personality, playing in south Florida, being born in Arizona and being from St. Louis,” Tkachuk exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of the NHL’s inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off, which begins February 12. “I’m very lucky in that sense. I just think, why not be myself? Why waste all this time having the time of my life and not act like myself? Why would I not show off my personality?”
He added, “That’s how I approach it. I guess some people like it, some people don’t like it. But I’ll never change being myself.”
Tkachuk, the son of 18-year NHL veteran Keith Tkachuk, said this generation’s players are feeling the freedom to step outside of the box more than ever.
“I think the mindset of guys has changed a little bit,” Matthew explained. “They’re able to express themselves more than they were 10, 15, 20 years ago. And I think that’s great. I think it’s great for personalities. I think it’s great for fans to relate to players more, being able to see more of them. I think that’s very important for growing the game.”
Matthew will help expand hockey’s reach even further when he represents the United States in the first-ever 4 Nations Face-Off, which pits the league’s best players from the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland in a best-on-best tournament. Joining Matthew on Team USA will be his younger brother, Ottawa Senators star Brady Tkachuk.
Competition aside, Matthew is looking forward to showcasing the beauty of the sport’s international appeal.
“One thing I really like about hockey is you have so many different guys from so many different places in the world,” Matthew said. “Hockey is the one thing that brings them all together. It doesn’t matter if you’re from Russia or Finland or Sweden, in a weird scheme of everything, you are pretty much the same the way you’ve been brought up in the game. It’s pretty cool.”
He added, “I love getting to know teammates from different backgrounds and different parts of the world. Some of my great friends in hockey are from places that are so different than where I am from.”
Along the way, Matthew will be looking fresh thanks to role as an off-ice ambassador for fashion and lifestyle brand Perry Ellis.
“I just love their stuff,” Matthew gushed. “I’m super excited to wear it not only to 4 Nations, but to wear it on just a normal day for myself. I think it looks awesome and for them to be with us at USA Hockey, I think everybody is going to really like it.”
The 4 Nations Face-Off will drop the puck on February 12, with games taking place in Montreal and Boston through the championship game on February 20. Tickets for all 4 Nations Face-Off games are available for purchase via Ticketmaster.com.
