Matthew Tkachuk

 ( 1997 Births ) 

Before the 2015-16 season, Tkachuk opted to join the London Knights roster, forfeiting his NCAA eligibility and de-committing from the University of Notre Dame. Playing on a line with Mitch Marner and Christian Dvorak, Tkachuk scored 107 points during the 2015-16 season (30 goals, 77 assists), placing him fifth overall in OHL scoring. He was named an OHL First Team All-Star and scored the game-winning goal in overtime for the Knights in the 2016 Memorial Cup final.

Tkachuk scored his first NHL goal in a 4–3 overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres. On March 20, 2017, he was suspended two games for an elbow to the face of Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty. Tkachuk finished seventh in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy, an award awarded annually to the top rookie in the NHL.

During his sophomore year, on November 17, 2017, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Tkachuk was suspended one game for his part in a line brawl that took place in a game against the Detroit Red Wings on November 15. He was suspended again on December 7, for spearing Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matt Martin. Tkachuk became the second youngest teenager in Flames history to reach 100 games, the first being Dan Quinn in 1985, when he played against the Arizona Coyotes on November 30. Tkachuk was injured in a game against the New York Islanders on March 11, 2018, and missed the rest of the season. Despite the injury, he finished the season with a career-high 49 points.

Before the 2018–19 season, Tkachuk was named an alternate captain for the Flames, along with Mikael Backlund and Sean Monahan. Tkachuk set a new career high for points during the season, and recorded his first career NHL hat-trick in a 6–3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on March 10, 2019. On March 15, in a 5–1 victor over the New York Rangers, Tkachuk recorded his 100th career assist and became the first player from his draft class to reach that milestone.

After being absent from the Flames' training camp due to an unsigned contract, Tkachuk signed a three-year, $21 million extension on September 25, 2019.

On April 19, 2022, Tkachuk recorded his 99th point (an assist) in a 3–2 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators, surpassing his father's previous personal record (98 in 1995–96). Two days later, Tkachuk scored his 100th point (and 40 goals) in a 4–2 win against the Dallas Stars, becoming the second player, along with Auston Matthews from the 2016 draft class to score 100 points in a single season. The 2021–22 season was one of the most successful regular seasons in Flames history, with Tkachuk at the center of its success. Tkachuk would spend most of the season playing on the right wing with centreman Elias Lindholm and left winger Johnny Gaudreau. The trio formed one of the most dominant forward lines in the NHL, and all three members hit numerous personal and collective milestones throughout the season. All three scored at least 40 goals in the course of the season, the first time in 28 years that linemates had all achieved this, and only the fourth time in that span that a team had three 40-goal scorers. Tkachuk finished the regular season with 42 goals and 62 assists, while the Flames won the Pacific Division title. The Flames drew the Dallas Stars in the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, a rematch of the bubble playoffs two years prior, and a matchup in which the Flames were considered the favourites. Tkachuk scored the lone goal of Game 1, giving his team the victory. The series proved a greater challenge than anticipated, largely due to Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger, but the Flames eventually won in seven games, with Tkachuk managing another goal in the series-clinching game. The Flames drew the Edmonton Oilers in the second round, the first playoff "Battle of Alberta" in 31 years. The Flames were defeated by the Oilers in five games, bringing the playoff run to an end.

After the conclusion of the season, Gaudreau opted to leave the Flames in free agency to sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Tkachuk's own future with the team had been subject to speculation for some time, with many believing he intended to leave the Flames when he reached unrestricted free agency. Days after news of Gaudreau's departure, the Flames announced that they had filed for club arbitration on Tkachuk's next contract, having heretofore failed to come to terms on an extension. This was widely interpreted as being a preliminary measure in a move to trade him to another team, and thereby avoid losing Tkachuk in free agency for no compensation. On July 20, The Athletic reported that Tkachuk had told the Flames that he would not re-sign with the team for a long-term contract.

Tkachuk was named an alternate captain for the 2023–24 season. On January 9, 2024, against the St. Louis Blues, Tkachuk scored his fifth hat-trick and led the Panthers to their eighth straight win. He helped lead the Panthers back to the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year, where they defeated the Edmonton Oilers in seven games, giving Tkachuk his first career Stanley Cup championship. In the following season, the Panthers returned to the Stanley Cup Final for a third straight year, defeating the Edmonton Oilers for a second straight year in six games.

Tkachuk was limited to 52 games in the 2024–25 regular season after sustaining a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia on the same side while representing the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. Tkachuk missed the final nine weeks of the regular season but returned for the start of the playoffs on April 22, appearing in all 23 postseason games and tying Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe for the team lead with 23 points (8 goals, 15 assists) as the Panthers won their second consecutive Stanley Cup. After the playoffs Tkachuk revealed his adductor had been torn from the bone. In September 2025, Panthers general manager Bill Zito announced Tkachuk would miss the start of the following season with a lower-body injury and was likely to be sidelined until December 2025.

At the 2016 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, held in Helsinki, Tkachuk and Auston Matthews each scored 11 points to lead the American team in scoring. After losing in the semi-finals, the U.S. defeated Sweden to claim the bronze medal.