FORT LAUDERDALE -- Matthew and Brady Tkachuk didn’t have to look up stats or scan the internet for old highlights to learn about their father’s epic journey to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Despite ranking seventh in points (1,065) and third in goals (538) among American-born skaters in the long and storied history of the NHL, Keith Tkachuk’s legacy has grown beyond the stats.
For his two sons, every city provides new insights into the legend of “Big Walt.”
“It's crazy,” Matthew said. “Every rink I go to, whether it's an away room guy, a security guy, a coach on another team, somebody that he played with that's working with the other team with TV, every single person has a Big Walt story. So, I think that's his legacy right there.”
When Keith is officially inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Toronto on Monday, many of those storytellers will be in attendance to share in the celebration.
Thanks to some serendipitous scheduling, Matthew and Brady will also be in the crowd as the Panthers have an off day prior to facing off with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
As much as the day will be about celebrating a career, it’ll also be about honoring a person.
“I’m really excited to see a bunch of people that have been a part of my dad's whole career, like going back to college and youth, friends and family, some of those teammates,” Matthew said. “It’s going to be really cool. I know he’s super excited. I know he's super stressed out and wants just everybody to have a great time. At the end of the day, it's a very special moment that we all get to share and celebrate him, which he doesn't necessarily want all the time and doesn't necessarily get all the time, but it's really cool for all of us.”
Not done yet, Keith’s legacy continues on through his sons.
Sharing the ice with the Florida Panthers, Matthew and Brady are carving their own unique paths.
In addition to helping the Panthers capture back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025, Matthew teamed up with Brady, who was traded to Florida in June, to help the United States end a 46-year drought and capture gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Both sons have also been NHL All-Stars.
“I think we're just so blessed to have him as a role model,” Brady said. “As Matthew said, there’s just so many stories that follow, you know, what a great person he was, also as a teammate and captain. For us to have that opportunity just to learn from him every single day and teach us kind of the right ways to go about things, I think we’re truly blessed.”
Not just training his sons to be power forwards, he also taught them to be great people.
Much their like dad, the Tkachuk brothers are already leaving their mark around the NHL.
Still early in their careers, they’re forging their own legacies.
“The most impressive thing that you would find with the family is how those two young men treat the people that they interact with on a daily basis,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said when asked about how Matthew and Brady compare to their soon-to-be enshrined father. “They are so incredibly well raised. They are so professional with the coaching staff. But when you talk about trainers and follow them around with autographs, the way they treat kids, how good they are with those people, that's truly where they're special.”
When asked about the biggest piece of advice they received from their father, Matthew and Brady agreed the core of their teachings growing up all started and ended with one thing.
First and foremost, be a good teammate.
“You have to be an amazing teammate,” Matthew said. “It doesn't matter how many years you play, you remember the great teammates, and you remember maybe some of the ones that weren't. That's just the way it is. Being a great teammate is so important to the legacy of you as a person, helping your team win, being on a successful team. He taught me that at an early age, and he taught me just how to treat everybody the right way with respect.”
A legendary player, teammate and father, Keith’s big day will certainly be one to remember.
For those looking to tune in, the induction ceremony will be at 8 p.m. ET on NHL Network.
“It's going to be really cool,” Matthew said. “I think, for him, it just solidifies his spot in hockey history. It’s taken a bunch of years for him to get in -- too long, I think -- but it's finally here and it's going to make the wait worth it for him and for all of us.”
