'I'M THE PROUDEST DAD IN THE WORLD'

CHICAGO - Hockey has always been a central tenant of Keith Tkachuk's life.
From his high school years, racking up the points with Malden Catholic High in the United States High School Prep league, to his season in the NCAA with Boston University, to his United-States-Hall-Of-Fame NHL career, hockey has been a constant presence in his life.
In respect to his role as a father, he's spent plenty of time tying skates and attending practices, helping lead his sons Matthew and Brady to becoming first-round draft picks. His youngest, daughter Taryn, is also an accomplished athlete in her own right, playing high-level field hockey.
But he's experiencing an entirely new facet of the game this week, embarking on his first Dads Trip with Matthew and the Flames.

He'll join other fathers, brothers and uncles on a two-game spin through Chicago and Columbus, getting a different look at the game as he joins Matthew in pre-game meals, practices, and pre-game meetings.
"It's pretty cool," Keith told CalgaryFlames.com following a team dinner in Chicago on Saturday night. "I've never had this opportunity with my dad. It's pretty special to do this with all the other dads. I'm looking forward to it.
"I'm lucky - I got to live my dream and now get to have fun watching these guys live their dream. Brady's in Ottawa so I've got him on the east coast and I've got (Matthew) on the west coast, so we're watching hockey pretty much seven days a week. It's been a lot of fun. I can't believe it's happening and I'm the proudest dad in the world right now."

It's also a totally new experience for Matthew. While he, Brady, and Taryn obviously grew up around the game and spent countless hours at the rink, being able to have Keith involved in this particular fashion means a great deal to the 20-year-old, since he doesn't get to see his dad as often as he would like over the course of the season.
"It's exciting. I remember going to games on the road with him some times when he played but this is different," Matthew explained. "It's been however many years he's been removed from the game and to have him here with all the other dads, I think that's what makes it special - having everybody else involved, too.
"I know he's going to have a great time and hopefully we get a couple wins out of this but spending quality time with him? That's the best part."
Keith's first Dads Trip comes in the midst of what looks to be a career year for Matthew.
The winger has established himself as a key cog in the organization, providing plenty of offence while facing off against the top lines in the league on a nightly basis. He's tied for the team lead in scoring with 12 goals and 29 points, his 57.16 five-on-five Corsi-For percentage ranks second among all Flames with 20+ games played, he's fourth on team in hits with 27, and he's tied for team lead in penalties drawn with 12.
"He's really taken a step this year," Keith said. "All the hard work is paying off. He's playing in the gritty areas, he's playing hard, and that's what I like to see and he's getting rewarded for it.
"And, at the end of the day, his team's in first place and that's all he cares about - winning."