A 6-3 victory over Denmark isn't terribly impressive, but it's a hell of a lot better than a loss — and Tkachuk was the catalyst.

The viral hot-mic moment from the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, where Matthew Tkachuk was caught trolling Leon Draisaitl, has garnered plenty of attention.

A week and a half from now, Senators stars Brady Tkachuk, Jake Sanderson and Tim Stutzle will all be back together in Ottawa, working hard to lead their NHL team back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a second year in a row.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk and his brother, Matthew, a winger for the Florida Panthers, had a nice meet-up with Elmo, a furry Muppet from Sesame Street, during a break in the Games in Italy before Team USA closed out the preliminary round this weekend.

The Panthers alternate captain prioritizes winning and team unity in Milan, repairing rivalries and embodying the grit that fuels the U.S. Olympic bid.

The Athletic ($): Amid USA’s victory over Germany, a hot mic caught an all-time chirp from Matthew Tkachuk to Leon Draisaitl. The layers of the smack talk by Tkachuk go crazy. Play Freebird 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸