Matthew Tkachuk Honors 101-Year-Old Army Veteran with Flag and Game Puck in Patriotic Tribute

Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers winger, was part of the US men’s hockey team that won gold after 46 years.

Matthew Tkachuk Honors 101-Year-Old Army Veteran with Flag and Game Puck in Patriotic Tribute

Matthew Tkachuk (Image via MassLive)

In Short
  • Matthew Tkachuk honored 101-year-old WWII veteran Jim Sileno with a flag and game puck during a patriotic tribute.
  • The Florida Panthers secured a 5-1 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Tkachuk's return to the NHL.
  • Tkachuk praised Connor McDavid as the best player in the world following their Olympic clash.

The Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk returned to the National Hockey League yesterday after a successful campaign at the Winter Olympics 2026. In his return, Tkachuk delivered a jarring performance with a 5-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs before a patriotic tribute during puck drop.

The 28-year-old, who’s facing a lot of heat after the White House visit, grabbed the puck following the ceremonial puck drop and a Star and Stripes, skating to a 101-year-old U.S. Army Air Corps veteran, Jim Sileno.

I really think our team really showed what it’s like to be true Americans and the pride we played with and how we would do every single thing for our country. So, the support we’ve gotten is incredible.

Matthew Tkachuk said

There were a lot of USA chants as he delivered the puck, a moment that the winger thought the roof would fall off with the noise. The support for the veteran does add some points to recover the goodwill that the men’s team has lost from the locker room call with Donald Trump.

Ahead of the game, the Panthers honored the seven Olympic medalists, including Tkachuk. Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart won silver for Team Canada, while Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen, and Niko Mikkola were part of the bronze-medal-winning Finnish team.

As for the game, the Panthers ended up with a goal galore against the Maple Leafs in their return game after the two weeks of the Olympic stretch. Brad Marchand scored twice, while Tkachuk, Evan Rodrigues, and Carter Verhaeghe scored once each for the Panthers. The Maple Leafs had a conciliatory goal, courtesy of John Tavares, thanks to an assist from Auston Matthews and Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

The win has propelled the Panthers from the bottom position in the Atlantic Division, jumping over the Maple Leafs. The Panthers, who won back-to-back Stanley Cups, and the Maple Leafs both have 63 points, positioned seventh and eighth in their division. The latter has been one of the most consistent teams in the last decade, making the postseason every year since 2016.

In the last decade, the Leafs have made it to the second round of the postseason twice, and were beaten by the Florida Panthers on both counts.

Matthew Tkachuk was all-praise for Team Canada rival Connor McDavid

Team USA forward Matthew Tkachuk spoke glowingly about Team Canada captain Connor McDavid following their high-stakes clash at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Tkachuk and McDavid have faced each other multiple times in the past, including the last two Stanley Cups, and the Olympic final.

Connor McDavid (Image via Getty Images)
Connor McDavid (Image via Getty Images)

Tkachuk’s admiration was rooted in a defining sequence from the Olympic gold medal game. With Canada trailing 1–0 and veteran leader Sidney Crosby sidelined due to injury, the spotlight shifted to McDavid. When the Oilers captain broke free on a breakaway, it felt like a potential changing-of-the-guard moment for Canadian hockey until it wasn’t.

It was kind of like it could’ve been a changing of the guard in Canada, with Crosby being out and him coming down on the breakaway. If he scores that goal, he’s the Canadian hero who gets them back in it, and they ultimately have a good chance at that point.

Tkachuk said

The breakaway was ultimately stopped by American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.

Helly just outwits him. Confident, calm, just chill in the crease, and makes an incredible breakaway save that gave us so much mental momentum.

Tkachuk added

Speaking on the podcast Wingmen with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, the American star, however, didn’t hold back on his praise for the Edmonton Oilers captain. He said that he believed Connor McDavid was the best player in the world, adding that there was no one like him and that there had probably never been anyone like him in the history of the sport.

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