What happens on the ice stays on the ice. Or does it? Brandon Hagel and Matthew Tkachuk dropped the gloves just two seconds into Team Canada and Team USA’s 4 Nations group stage clash, and the tensions between them haven’t decreased since. Quite the opposite, in fact, as both NHL players have engaged in a heated exchange of taunting statements.
After Team USA defeated Canada 3-1 in Montreal, Tkachuk issued a stern comment, stating the Americans were determined to send a message. He even admitted that he, his brother Brady Tkachuk, and J.T. Miller had a group chat where they planned to fight on the opening shift.
Team Canada took notice of Tkachuk’s and the rest of Team USA’s postgame comments, using them as fuel to defeat Finland and advance to the championship game in Boston, where Team USA awaited.
Now, both sides are back where it all began—it’s the USA vs. Canada, as it always is in the NHL. The eternal ‘us vs. them’ rivalry, the 49th parallel battle, will take place Thursday night at TD Garden. However, Hagel and Tkachuk have raised the stakes with candid messages to each other.
“I think we’re out there playing for the flag, not the cameras,” Hagel opened fire at Tkachuk and the rest of Team USA, via Sportsnet. “That’s a part of Canada that we have in there. We don’t need to initiate anything.
“We don’t have any group chats going on. We’re going out there playing our game and then giving it everything and doing it for our country. We don’t need to initiate everything. We’re just going to play as hard as we can and do it for the flag on the chest.”
Tkachuk fires back
Tkachuk has never been one to back down from a challenge. He doesn’t do it on the ice, and he won’t do it at the podium with a microphone and cameras around him. Tkachuk thrives on stirring the pot and getting under the skin of his opponents, and when Hagel poked the bear, the American star was quick to respond.
“Well, I mean maybe their team doesn’t like each other if they don’t have group chats,” Tkachuk stated with a smirk on his face. “I think that’s just a player enjoying his opportunity.
“I think that our team does not care about anything that they say, and there’s been a lot of chatter and talk from individuals, but we care about one thing in this room and we have millions of people that are watching us and supporting us around this country and we’re very prideful in playing for them and the guys in the room. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime for us.”
Tkachuk’s ready to go
Tkachuk sustained an injury during Team USA’s 3-1 victory over Canada, forcing him to exit the game in the third period and sit out his team’s 2-1 defeat to Sweden.
However, he’s healthy again and ready to hit the ground running against their northern rivals. If anything, Hagel’s comments have only added more fuel to Tkachuk’s fire. “I’m ready to go. It’s going to be an incredible game and I don’t want to miss it,” Tkachuk said.