Matthew Tkachuk on the Panthers in the playoffs, family & finishing the job 🙌 | The Pat McAfee Show

Florida Panthers Winger Matthew Tkachuk joins The Pat McAfee Show to discuss:

0:00 Playing through injuries in the playoffs
2:30 The Tkachuk brothers
7:00 Versatility in sports
10:00 Panthers first-round win vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning
15:30 Finishing the job
20:00 Mental toughness in hockey and story time!

#espn #nhl #patmcafee #panthers

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last year we saw him literally with a broken sternum we think broken spine we think broken femur we think broken hand we think broken shoulders we think fractured skull we think get taped up pads put on them lifted onto the ice and pushed out and say go play hockey and he wanted to that is why hockey is awesome that’s why hockey is different from the kachuck family from the Florida Panthers just beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the NHL playoffs they will now see if the Boston Bruins can put the Maple Leafs away for the next round ladies and gentlemen Matthew kachuck brother what’s up hey uh quick question so the way we talk about what you did last year at the end of the season uh broken sternum spine leg both shoulders and even a fractured skull I know that isn’t necessarily medically accurate but whenever they were lift you up and just like kind of scooting you on the ice to play is it just the hockey mindset like I got to be out there for the boys because any other sport your ass would have been out for two to three weeks why do you think you guys are built different and why do you think hockey is the way it is yeah I mean I was given medical clearance to play by the doctors um they did everything they could to get me out there and ultimately it was my decision um if I could handle the pain and I barely could so I was uh I was willing to go out there and help the team with whatever they needed but um it was a battle for sure to to just get even dressed I couldn’t dress myself I had to have our our equipment staff dress me and uh but at this point in Stanley Cup playoffs all bets are off and you do whatever you can to play yeah that’s why hockey’s awesome you can turn that thing up uh straight up and down if you want for us might help us and you yeah perfect whatever yep perfect4 I probably should be able to figure this out by now yeah but you’re in the NHL and you guys never do interviews so probably you know this probably the F uh how big Walt feel about everything that you’ve been cooking you and you and Brady I assume your family pretty competitive growing up H we playing knee hockey we playing uh in the in the garage how did how did the kachuck family become so dominant in hockey well he’s fired up right now with me being in playoffs and being able to come to the games and uh he’s actually overseas uh scouting right now um he’s with the the blues um on a scout watching I think u18 so um he’s over there working pretty hard right now and um he’s going to be coming back here for round two so he was fired up to see us beat Tampa the other day and I think growing up just having him as a voice as a role model like my brother and I at an early age we’re not forced to play hockey but we had everything around us that allowed us to grow and into it and love the game so um we had him around every day just to ask about anything to help coach us teach us whatever but I’d say the biggest thing that allowed my brother and I to make it to this level was each other and we’re very close in age and we’re able to do everything together and um ultimately I think that’s the main reason why we are where we are is because of each other and having that unbelievably close relationship and each other’s best friends and each other’s biggest supporters and biggest competitors as well where were you where were you born uh Scott still let’s go so obviously the American hawk Powerhouse continues to grow I often wondered if America will continue to pump out hockey players because of the amount of dedication it takes from such a young age right I mean you I assume you I think I heard you went up to Michigan for that USA team you leave High School is that all accurate for your story to be chase this hockey dream yeah I left after ninth grade left you know OB all your friends growing up and your whole life kind of pack up and leave and I went to Ann Arbor to play for the US team which was was like a slam dunk no-brainer I had to at that time if I wanted to make the NHL and um yeah moved there for two years in my life where I actually did three years of school and two and I’m no Brainiac but that was pretty tough um and then we went uh and then I had a year where I was either going to Notre Dame or going to London for my draft season um decided ultimately to go to to London in the ol and then got drafted to Calgary and somehow made the team at 18 so all those years went super fast but from ninth grade going until uh I made the NHL it was it was a blur but it was so much fun yeah but even before that too we’re up at like 5:00 a.m. on the ice right I mean like the commitment to become a professional hockey player and I assume it’s like this everywhere it is very much like uh what you hear about Olympians in like Russia or like China where like hey yeah we’re we’re actually hitting them with like act to Sharp up their shins like we are that is what it’s like for hockey is it not I mean it’s like full commitment full everything even as a young child or am I misreading it no you you’ve got it right um but that’s one thing that I’m super thankful that my parents did and my mom deserved so much credit cuz she was mainly the one that was getting up at 5:00 a.m. and taking us to those 6 a.m. practices when my dad was on the road or working or whatever so she deserves all the credit in the world but my parents and I’m super thankful looking back um at a young age like we were never allowed to play hockey 247 365 days a week like some of these kids do now and it’s almost like these kids are all like child hockey prodigies just all in all the time and I think that as a kid my parents like they were all about playing every single sport you can so in the fall you’re playing the fall Sports in the winter we were playing hockey obviously into the spring we’re playing hockey too and then the summer like put the hockey bag the sticks away go play golf go play baseball go play whatever you can just to get away from it and I think ultimately that’s what didn’t allow me to get burnt out and my love for the game just kept growing growing and growing more and when it came hockey time for hockey season I was just so fired up to play again so I think that all parents should kind of take that mindset and because I think that helped me and my brother a lot hey that’s every sport every person that plays it says hey you need to play different sports because I assume some false Sports have helped you in hockey and I assume it also helped you grow your love of sport in the NFL you hear every person that played in the NFL like need to play other sports but then you hear these younger youth coaches and are like nah you need to be all in all the time it’s like there’s a Mis messaging going on and hopefully that narrative can change especially with you talking about it is that now how all hockey players feel in the NHL or is there a lot of diversity and sports played growing up I assume a lot of soccer right cuz you guys do that juggling [ __ ] before every single game pretty much yeah I don’t I’m not that good at it but I played soccer when I was younger um I think that I think it depends where like you come from the world I think a lot of Americans play a lot of different sports growing up um I know a lot of Europeans are you know I would say more heavily into soccer and hockey but it’s amazing though in hockey like every single sport out there like it translates to hockey some way like you know picking up a puck in your feet or batting it in out of midair like using baseball skills hand eye like it’s amazing how much each sport like there’s a little bit of each sport in hockey so um I think it’s important to do that and yeah I’d say probably Americans mainly are more well round that’s that’s I’m GNA get in trouble for saying that now say USA USA USA us yeah let’s thank you back to Ann Arbor brother um last question for me before the boys have some questions you have a dieh hard Panthers fan here on the set he loves the hockey uh he can’t wait to chat with you uh my question for you is when did you guys learn how to cheat like you did against Tampa Bay with the goalie interference when uh do you guys have full practices for that or how does that work no no uh I don’t know don’t touch Bob that’s my that’s myn away there won’t be any problems did you guys hear all the noise and chatter about this obviously you end up winning by three goals and it six1 it doesn’t matter but did you hear the chatter afterwards mostly from you know me and others trying to draw up a little drama about how this goalie interference Ru is so [ __ ] I I mean it’s it’s ticky tacky you can’t do anything like did you hear the chatter how does the team feel about getting a nice first round win and moving forward now waiting on Toronto and Boston um to answer the first part I did not hear the chatter I was celebrating the win uh and I don’t know like we at that weird little spot right now where like the series that we’re playing the winner of like you know is obviously going um another few days and um we’re just like we we are really excited to get a few days of rest and get rejuvenated here but it’s playoffs like you just want to be out there playing but some of the best part of playoffs is like hanging out with the boys and the lounges on the road and um like watching other games throughout the league so I don’t know I think we’re going to take this uh take these few days off um they’re very important for us and use them wisely and watch some games and watch some hockey see who we’re playing it’s always nice to hang with the lads especially whenever you know the light at the end of tunnel is near every this could be your last couple games with the boys this particular team and that kind of heightens the appreciation of the moments that you have I couldn’t even imagine that Florida Panthers team in the loues looking around now Die Hard Florida Panthers fan Darius Butler has a question for you oh yeah F first of all I Just Want to Thank You Chuck for bring greatness down in South Florida uh called Chuck last Chucky is what I called him but uh last three postseasons we won the most Series so far with five but you guys are dominating the postseason speaking the moments too with families got a chance to bring my dad to his first hockey game uh last year when you guys think Eastern Conference Finals against the canes so great job obviously but um I just want to ask you how hard are those closeout games when it comes to closing out these series because obviously the Boston Bruins struggling a little bit over there more than I thought they would how hard are those close out games in the NHL playoffs the fourth game in a playoff series is always the hardest to win because you know no matter what you are in the series whether you’re up three Z 3-1 3-2 it’s game seven like the other team’s so desperate playing for their lives and you have to find a way to match that or exceed that and um it is challenging to win that one especially when you’re up three- Z or 31 like we were um this past series but um you know it’s it’s so rewarding when you’re out there and you know that you play your game and you play well and you live to fight another few weeks so um that was kind of our mindset last game and you know there was no I’d say at the beginning of the game we were playing not to our standards playing a little tight um but towards the end of the game like we were flying we were making plays we were so comfortable and confident in that moment and I don’t know I feel like we definitely matched their desperation um against Tampa last game and I think that’s going to go well for us if we continue that speed you obviously you got to be skilled in the play speed feels like one of the most important factors a team can have on whether or not they’re going to win Stanley Cup or not your guys’ team is explosive obviously always has been speed matters right like for instance I’m a DieHard Pittsburgh Penguins fan okay you’re lucky you’re hey you and the Panthers are lucky okay especially with caps somehow get in there and just get swept the hell out but the Penguins we seemingly got a little older and we got slower it’s you watch the regular season games it’s like we’re not as fast as the other teams that’s going to be problematic you find in a playoff speed is a big time weapon and is that an accurate read on playoff hockey yeah that’s accurate I feel like speed a lot of Team Speed is very important like being close together and moving as like fiveman unit but to me the biggest thing in playoffs is physicality size competitiveness um willing to do absolutely whatever it takes like you don’t don’t have to Sky to make a huge impact in playoffs and um I’d say you know staying healthy and being healthy is probably the most important um and then the rest follows after that Conor’s got a question for you yeah Matt as a Massachusetts middle sex County guy let me just say it’s an honor to be talking to the bloodline of the pride of Melrose um we were talking to John Butcher and I think PK suban also mentioned this home ice in the playoffs they say isn’t really a thing and the game tonight actually Stars Vegas no one has won a home game in either uh for either of those teams Is that real is that something that the you know the players you guys think about like hey even though we are in you know Tampa or you know Boston or Toronto it’s kind of the same game it doesn’t really affect you guys as much or is that something that is more of a reality of the NHL playoffs Ah that’s a tough question um that’s tough question cuz last year hey welcome to journalism what we do here welcome to journalism that’s tough because last year in playoffs our team was lights out on the road and it didn’t matter where we would have played like we would have you know found a way to most likely win on the road like we were just feeling it like that but I mean I when playing in Florida like we have such great fans and the building so loud that I I think home ice is super important for us having that extra game um ultimately that potential game seven at home and you always want to have that at home so I don’t know I think our fans are so loud and we’ve made this this rink here in Florida tough place to play so I think home ice is important for our team um and it’s just an extra um you know layer that you can add to the series and having that extra momentum for your side but um I don’t know I think we got great fans so I think it’s important for us yeah it’s different down there he can hear you in your death yeah it’s definit down there is it yeah all the rats getting out there and get Ry wait South Florida you wouldn’t expect that but it’s too hot for hockey though shouldn’t be lot nice and cool in there it’s way too hot for penguin just be walking around down where is it Sunrise that’s Sunrise Florida where’s that at down Fort lale brow County in between Palm Beach and Miami Hollywood is a little close more south closer to Miami got it yep you guys all live in that oh never mind don’t tell us where you live that’s a weird question I live in uh most of the guys lived here in Fort Lauder Hill so you guys got an elbow sa the Elbow Room for the off season save the room for yeah yeah everybody okay everybody it’s been y love the place there’s no El room playoffs until uh till hopefully we win it all one day we’re going to celebrate big there but yeah no playoffs at Al room yet that’s where the family goes every game so big Walt walking his ass in the Elbow Room love everything about let’s talk about last year and this year Pacman’s got a question for you yeah I told DB but you know y’all had a great series last last year unbelievable um but what can you take from that series um to get y’all to The Cup this year we learned a lot like we basically I mean we made it all the way to the finals so we know what it takes to get there but I think for us to ultimately finish the job um staying healthy is super important um and and just we playing a really really really tough Vegas team last year in the finals they were big they were strong they were so good defensively so I think we can take that part of it and learn from it but um you know we’ve learned in the last year and almost two years exactly what it takes to to win it all so each year you pick up more things and I think that our team this year we have like 13 or 14 returning guys from last year so a lot of experience in this room in those high pressure situations which for us aren’t high pressure so I think that’s very important um having any experience and going through it once and I don’t know I I I really really really like our team so hopefully we can uh have another great run this year the lads got a lot of chemistry going into round two will it be against the Bruins or Maple Le and probably Bruins I saw a bear doing something fake bear doing something Ty’s got a question for you kachuck yeah Matthew you mentioned you know having a couple days off and how you guys are pretty Juiced about that right now just curious um in terms of like fatigue like have you noticed you know because they always talk about in basketball like hey LeBron’s either went to a conference Championship or a finals like 18 years in a row he just plays so much more than anyone else coming off a run deep into the Stanley Cup finals last year like did you notice the season being long this year because you guys turn around and start the next season so quick and you obviously didn’t have very much time in between like has that come into play now at all or once the playoffs start is it kind of just like you get a new lease on life and you’re ready to go yeah so last year we were playing playoff hockey in like January because of where we were in the standing so we didn’t have that luxury that we had this year of knowing we’re going to be in playoffs and we weren’t resting down the stretch but we were like kind of fine-tuning our game where as opposed to last year you know it was game seven every single game until we got to playoffs so we were you know playing play playing playoff hockey before we got there so I think this year to answer your question it really just feels like one really long year um but once you get to playoffs and you know we knew we were G to be in playoffs this year just fine-tuning our game before kind of when you get to playoffs you feel so fresh it’s like a whole new season so fatigue hasn’t played a factor in us at all even though we went for a really long run last year um and winning the first series in five always helps gives you a few extra days but we we know we have a really good plan here great staff that gives us everything we need to to be ready to go come game time so um I think we feel really fresh right now and now after a few days we’re trying about the bit to get back playing again you hockey players are psychos though like you know like actual psychos CU other sports we do take a break yeah you know now guys some guys stay in shape throughout the entire break but I think I’ve watched some of your off Seasons not yours directly but hockey player you guys are like have to remain in shape right because of how demanding the sport is as a whole I’ve seen some of these leg exercises that you guys do and some of the conditioning [ __ ] that you guys do in the off season you’re You’re Mad Men you you’re absolute Mad Men and that’s a compliment in the biggest fashion do you feel like the hockey players are the most conditioned athlete out of profession Sports I I don’t want to speak cuz I me I don’t know what what other sports do but we train super hard I mean we have to um 82 games plus playoffs with travel and everything you have to be pretty dialed in and be in great shape to be able to maintain um that throughout the whole season but I don’t know hockey players still have a little bit of fun in the summer too so we’re not complet yeah but I heard you guys are booze bags while doing all which makes you guys like superhumans I can’t speak for everybody there but there’s hockey players there’re a lot of fun guys well I’ve heard some Tales mhm you know i’ I’ve heard you know you get some of the Russians over there yeah nice weather year round in Florida what what are they supposed to not have a good time what do you want there’s a beach right there yeah elbow rooms wide open he golf course yeah well we know you’ve been going to every single one of them all you do you a golfer yeah yeah just played the other day so I like to I like to play on my off days here in Florida hockey players normally pretty good golfers right you’re you’re a stick uh I mean I’m I’m all right I’ve I’ve been a lot better since I’ve got traded down to Florida playing more so Oshi in uh in pavelski and Tahoe are always top five on the ooshi was out till 6:00 a.m. tea time 7:15 a.m. and somehow with his wife I I think like his wife was even powering through and I’m like I’m the softest guy of all time I have no idea how you hocke you hockey players are machines that is no joke speaking of hockey Nikki skates has a question for you in the back Matthew you obviously acquired a lot of things uh from your father your good looks your legendary play on the ice D big Walt was a big handsome for your Dad should be in the Hall of Fame by the way but I just want to ask you there’s a couple Infamous stories about guys getting traded to the team he was on coming in the locker room and big Walt would be there to greet him with a robe on and he would say hey there’s two rules on my team pass big Walt the puck and don’t ever effing forget rule number one have you adopted any of that stuff have you taken that in your game in terms of either the robe or the rules that big Walt played by I like the rules um I don’t go with the robe but I do like the rules but um I don’t know I’m not as uh I’m not as uh maybe firm with my my meeting guys and saying that being the first thing I say to him but he had no problem with that so maybe when I get a little bit older but had two rules for us it was just compete be a good teammate so um with me and my brother was pretty simple but I guess with those teammates he was a little bit firmer with I’ll say a good teammate though especially if you give him the puck yeah it feels like that’s a kachuck thing we appreciate you joining us brother enjoy the sun enjoy who uh you’re watching the games obviously between Toronto and Boston paying attention the whole picture or what are you focused in on yeah we’ll be we’ll be watching the games tonight they don’t play tonight but they play tomorrow so we’ll be tuning into that and seeing who we play but I got a question for you guys I can’t be honest without uh without asking you guys I know you guys are a lot of NFL background there so who am I taking in fantasy for a rookie quarterback this year Drake May that’s the easiest question I’ve ever heard in my entire life that’s Patriots fan J oh so you’re taking a rookie quarterback in fantasy well like if if you if you’re gonna take a rookie quarterback this gu guy sucks at Fantasy don’t take a there’s there’s like uh what are they Keepers so like you take somebody after like the seventh or eighth round and young quarter to keep him or something so I’m just trying to build a good team here for the future guys he’ll run for another 7800 yards Jaden Daniels Washington commanders be probably is fantasy big in the NHL like do all the teams have fantasy leagues yeah you guys football fans oh we’re huge sports fans but yeah NFL fans and um there’s some there’s some really good fantasy I’m sure every single team has a fantasy football league so it’s it’s a big thing in the NL are you good or you you get you get ragd doll in it you get dummy in it obviously I’m not that good if I’m looking for some ins no it’s not bad he might be better than everybody you’re looking for insight I’m not the right guy to go to I think all these rookies are going to suck for the first year I don’t know how they’re going to do it like CJ strad what he did is just like everybody an anomaly it’s so hard to be a quarterback in the NFL as a fifth year person let alone first year like Anthony Richardson is he count as a rookie because he didn’t he only played like five games last year that’s the one yeah I had him so hoping he can damn yeah we did too he was really good I had him he hopefully he stays healthy he’s awesome to watch yeah K Chuck we need maybe you to work out with them a little bit no we’ve had the Dolphins on the uh on the drum pregame too down there we had Jaden Wadd wad was on the L on the drum last time Ramsey Jaylen Ramsey so uh no yet I told myself last game if I was scoring I was going to do the waddle cuz he was there but oh you can still do it I me that would be sweet you are you a big celebrator you we do a lot of dancing no but I would have done it for him he’s my favorite football player so I would have done if he was well he was there I would have done if I would scored for sure W needs to go to another game yeah what the hell let’s get him on the drum won a year he do he’ll see it if you do it he’ll see it well as you should ladies and gentlemen a man who is on a hunt for a Stanley Cup former sixth overall pick to Calgary as an 18-year-old after playing in London I did not expect that London London Ontario Oh I thought the other London oh England the whole time yeah yeah me too I go to England to play hockey they play hockey massive hockey community in London London England no London where he played kada sucks man that place blows brother we’ve been learn a lot about Canada over the last couple days on the internet that’s just some bad tweets all right everybody you can’t pile everybody in the same pot all right ladies and gentlemen uh legend for the Florida Panthers and a man who’s going to do the waddle next goal he scores which is probably or potentially going to be against Patty maroon in a Boston brew can only hope ladies and gentlemen Matthew K chock cheers dude [Applause] [Music] [Music]