Matthew Tkachuk’s Cup-to-Gold run makes NHL history as the ninth player ever
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Bruce Raymond
Feb 22, 2026 (4:01 PM)
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Photo credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images
Matthew Tkachuk just grabbed Olympic gold with Team USA, and it caps a Florida Panthers Stanley Cup run that’s getting hard to wrap your head around.
The U.S. finally finished the job Sunday, beating Canada 2-1 in overtime in Milan.
Tkachuk did not need a “golden goal” moment to stamp the tournament. He drove play, lived in the greasy areas, and made life miserable on the forecheck.
Stat line first: six games, 0-6-6, plus-5, and 12 PIM. That is classic Tkachuk impact without the pretty boxscore pop.
He opened the tournament with two assists in a 5-1 win, setting the tone for how the U.S. would attack off puck pressure and fast support.
The broader context matters because the Panthers just went back-to-back, winning the Stanley Cup in 2024 and 2025.
That means Tkachuk entered Milano Cortina chasing a rare follow-up feat, Cup one season, Olympic gold in the next NHL season.
Matthew Tkachuk keeps Florida Panthers standards brutally high
Panthers fans are going to feel equal parts proud and exhausted, because this guy never stops turning big games into personal missions.
NHL research has tracked it for years, only nine players have ever pulled off the Cup-then-gold sequence. Tkachuk is now officially in that nine-man club.
In the gold medal game, the U.S. survived waves, got huge saves from Connor Hellebuyck, and watched Jack Hughes end it in overtime.
Tkachuk’s value showed up in the ugly shifts, the stops, the clears, and the quick touches that kept the Americans out of long defensive shifts.
It also reinforces what the Panthers already know between the pipes and on the blue line, their core plays better when games get mean and tight.
Now the only question is how his legs respond when the NHL schedule resumes, because deep runs in June and another grind in February add real mileage.
If you are Florida, you take that trade every time, banners, rings, and now a gold medal glow heading into the next Panthers game.
Also read on Sunrise Hockey Insider :
Matthew Tkachuk taunts Canadians after his victory against Canada
Matthew Tkachuk taunts Canadians after his victory against Canada
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 22|73 ANSWERS Matthew Tkachuk’s Cup-to-Gold run makes NHL history as the ninth player ever Should Matthew Tkachuk’s Olympic gold change how you view his legacy? | ||
| Yes | 26 | 35.6 % |
| No | 47 | 64.4 % |
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