The hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics wrapped up on Sunday with a thrilling gold medal match between the United States and Canada.
Unsurprisingly, the game was decided in overtime, when Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils beat St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington between the legs to give Team USA their first gold medal in 46 years.
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Not since the Miracle On Ice in 1980 had the United States claimed Olympic gold.
That also means Florida Panthers star forward Matthew Tkachuk, along with GM Bill Zito and Head Equipment Manager Teddy Richards, will be bringing home a shiny new gold medal to go along with his two Stanley Cup rings.
It’s been quite a run for Tkachuk over the past few years.
Since being acquired by the Panthers during the summer of 2022, Tkachuk has played in each of the past three Stanley Cup Finals, winning the most recent two, while also winning gold at the Olympics and, oh yeah, was named the MVP of the NHL All-Star Game that took place in South Florida during his first season with the team.
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Apparently, it’s Chucky’s world and we’re all just living in it.
On the flip side of the coin (the silver side, apparently), the three Panthers players on Team Canada will be coming back to South Florida with silver medals.
Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett were all used somewhat sparingly during their time in Milan, a decision made by Canadian Head Coach Jon Cooper.
Up until the 1:41 mark of overtime on Sunday, it seemed like Cooper had been pushing all the right buttons.
Just as they had through much of the Olympics hockey tournament, Canada was rolling on Sunday, seeming to build more and more momentum as the game went on.
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Ultimately, a Jim Craig-esque performance in goal by U.S. netminder Connor Hellebuyck kept the Americans in the fight long enough for Hughes to end things during the 3-on-3 overtime.
In total, seven Panthers players out of the 10 who participated at the Olympics finished on the podium.
Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Niko Mikkola helped Finland defeat Slovakia 6-1 on Saturday in the bronze medal game.
Now unlike after winning the Stanley Cup, there won’t be much time for the players to reflect on their experiences in Milan.
The Panthers resume their season on Thursday when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs in a matchup of two non-playoff teams desperate for every point they can earn. It’s the first of a back-to-back for Florida.
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The following night, the Buffalo Sabres will be in town, and Buffalo is currently holding the top Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Florida will hold a pair of practices this week before the back-to-back set.
As Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said Saturday, the expectation is that all players, including those returning from the Olympics, are healthy and eligible for Thursday, outside of Tomas Nosek, Dmitry Kulikov and Jonah Gadjovich, all of whom could play sometime during Florida’s upcoming road trip.
Maurice said Sunday that defenseman Seth Jones, who skated with Sasha Barkov before Florida’s practice on Saturday, could join group practices sometime next week.
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Barkov remains a ways away from returning, as he continues building the strength back up in his surgically repaired knee.
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Photo caption: Feb 22, 2026; Milan, Italy; Matthew Tkachuk (19) of the United States celebrates after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. (Amber Searls-Imagn Images)
