Brady Tkachuk reps Team USA at the American Century Championship in a unique way

Stateline, NV – Brady Tkachuk is still riding the high of helping Team USA defeat Canada 2-1 in overtime during the final game to win the gold medal at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics this past February. At the 2026 American Century Championship, Tkachuk was rocking his gold medal during tournament play.

When I caught the Florida Panthers wing at the 18th hole at the Edgewood Tahoe Resort, I asked Tkachuk whether or not he’d make this a tradition at the American Century Championship.

It sounds like it could be.

“I hope so. I mean, hopefully, I have the opportunity to come back next year, but for now, this is an amazing experience. I’ve had so much fun,” Tkachuk told me.

Brady Tkachuk enjoyed triumph and sweet revenge at the ACC

Tkachuk made it clear ahead of the Canada game how much it meant to him to lose the previous year during the 2025 4 Nations Faceoff. Team USA had not defeated Canada in a best-on-best competition since the 1996 World Cup of Hockey until this year.

Last year, Tkachuk and his teammates experienced severe heartbreak from losing to Équipe Canada.

"I mean, we were one shot away last year, and sometimes you got to go through that adversity, that sadness, those tough times for the good times to feel even better," Tkachuk said. "It was definitely a tough couple days, couple weeks, months after that game. And I know I don't want to feel like that ever again."

Having waited so long to not only get over that heartbreak but to avenge it, Tkachuk has every reason to celebrate it with a display of national pride.

It’s called the American Century Championship, after all.