Did Matthew Tkachuk's selfishness cost team USA?

[Thirty Seven]

I think leaving McDavid open in the slot cost them the game but that's just me

 

[FinlandPanther]

Barkov doesn’t always make the right play, and gets beat plenty often too. Acting like he doesn’t is so disingenuous

He’s makes it 99/100. Let’s be serious here. Matthews is not even close to the defensive player Barkov is lol

 

[Barsky]

No .. and this is a troll post imo

Not cool man

The plain truth is trolling??

 

[conFABulator]

He’s makes it 99/100. Let’s be serious here. Matthews is not even close to the defensive player Barkov is lol

That might be true, I don't see enough of Barkov to be definitive on this. It is also true that Matthews is one of the top five defensive forwards in the game.

What would Barkov had done if his defenceman made the wrong play and chased the puck carrier behind the net?

 

[LeafChief]

I'm sure he's pleased with his staged fight and the fact that he had a group chat. A complete non-factor in the tournament.

Celebrated like they won the whole thing after a round robin game. Happy for him!

 

[le_sean]

It was a pathetic decision to dress him and Kreider and play them a total of just under 13 mins while Kyle Connor is forced to sit. Really stupid coaching.

 

[conFABulator]

It didn’t hurt my feelings at all. I’m just sad at your inability to see the game clearly. You really think Matthews did the right thing there? He wasn’t even guarding anyone. Lmao

It's hard to say Matthews did the RIGHT thing there. The pick ended up in the net. However, if his team mates did the right thing it wouldn't have left Matthews in a no win situation. Why not blame Hellebuyck? If he played more like Binnington in OT and makes a save on McDavid we are not talking about Matthews. If Fox makes the right play there we are not talking about Matthews or Hellebuyck. It's a team game and that goal was a team breakdown.

The US might learn from this and pick a team instead of a fantasy pool roster in 2026. How about C's and F's that can defend so you can put lines other than Eichel and Matthews on the ice in OT? How about D men that can defend? What role did Fox actually have on this team and it would have been even less if Quinn were there. Slavin was a beast, maybe another defensive D man or two? Also, maybe show Tkachuk the schedule and let him know the golf medal was going to be awarded in Saturday night and to not act like he won something until he actually did.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

I just love watching the Tkachuk's take Ls
Matt got the McDavid and Oilers last year...but McDavid got him in 2022 and both in 2025

 

[Barsky]

Hey man .. enjoy yourself

Canada doesnt get many Ws so Id be squeezing this one hard as well

Canada doesn't get many W's? I guess you're not talking about hockey then?

 

[Divine]

Hey man .. enjoy yourself

Canada doesnt get many Ws so Id be squeezing this one hard as well

Says the team that finished the tournament .500?

 

[GreatSaveEssensa]

he should have sat out of the game so someone healthy could play

Especially when your replacement is Kyle Connor. It’s not like some 4th line plug was going to be going in for him. Horrible team management. I’ve seen Kyle Connor enough yo know that he may have come in handy in OT

 

[FinlandPanther]

That might be true, I don't see enough of Barkov to be definitive on this. It is also true that Matthews is one of the top five defensive forwards in the game.

What would Barkov had done if his defenceman made the wrong play and chased the puck carrier behind the net?

This narrative needs to end. He doesn’t have the IQ, effort, or ability for this to be true. Barkov wouldn’t have guarded the air. He would’ve picked a lane or stuck on Mcdavid. Marner was not as much of a threat on the wall.

Tkachuk sisters did nothing in both games against Canada, one or two big hits, the WWE preplanned fights at the start of game one and then complete ghosts.

They talk a big game, like their Daddy Trump, but at the end of the day they are the same as him. Losers.

Tkachuk has a cup.

 

[GMR]

He shouldn't have been dressed for this game.

This isn't the NHL where some 4th line hacks are a healthy scratch. They had a great player scratched in Tkachuk's place. With Kreider being benched all game they were basically playing with 10 forwards.

 

[ShootIt]

I really didn't follow every second of the 4 nations off the ice.

Did Matt force his way on the bench or did the coaches dress him cause they thought he could play?

If former, sure, selfish. If latter, then no.

Players want to play, so if the docs cleared him and the coaches picked him to suit up then I don't get the premise.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInTampa]

Injuries did USA in. We win with Quinn and McAvoy on the ice and Matty Takchuk ready to play. Adam Fox simply proved again that he is a fraud


Also Sullivan's usage of Kreider is on him not Tkachuk

 

[Fatass]

a bunch of these guys won't be on the Olympic team. They can start with Hughes and Nelson and Kreider.

Nelson and Kreider won’t be but all three Hughes brothers will be on the USA Olympic team in 2026. As will both Tkatchuk brothers. Cole Caufield will be too.

Injuries did USA in. We win with Quinn and McAvoy on the ice and Matty Takchuk ready to play. Adam Fox simply proved again that he is a fraud


Also Sullivan's usage of Kreider is on him not Tkachuk

A Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy pair would dominate.

 

[dirtydanglez]

Injuries did USA in. We win with Quinn and McAvoy on the ice and Matty Takchuk ready to play. Adam Fox simply proved again that he is a fraud


Also Sullivan's usage of Kreider is on him not Tkachuk

a healthy team canada beats that team too

 

[MrHeiskanen]

Injuries did USA in. We win with Quinn and McAvoy on the ice and Matty Takchuk ready to play. Adam Fox simply proved again that he is a fraud


Also Sullivan's usage of Kreider is on him not Tkachuk

Yeah Quinn would make such a difference, did you not see his brother getting bodied and owned all game? It was like a man vs. a 10 year old child.

 

[Barsky]

Injuries did USA in. We win with Quinn and McAvoy on the ice and Matty Takchuk ready to play. Adam Fox simply proved again that he is a fraud


Also Sullivan's usage of Kreider is on him not Tkachuk

And what about the fact half of Canada's best D weren't playing? Winners win, losers complain about injuries

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Yeah Quinn would make such a difference, did you not see his brother getting bodied and owned all game? It was like a man vs. a 10 year old child.

It's crazy, but they might actually be different people.

 

[Grifter3511]

The bigger problem was that the f***in dinosaurs who run USA Hockey (just like the ones who came before them and are now retired) left some of the good players completely off the team. So you would have seen him replaced with some guy who didn’t really matter.


I read some crap about how Kreider was put in there because they like his speed lol. Is Kreider actually fast in 2025?

It felt like Sullivan was trying to get acquainted with some of his future players for next year after the Rangers hire him.

Choosing to start 4 players from a team that's not even in a wildcard position is definitely a choice.

 

[Divine]

Injuries did USA in. We win with Quinn and McAvoy on the ice and Matty Takchuk ready to play. Adam Fox simply proved again that he is a fraud


Also Sullivan's usage of Kreider is on him not Tkachuk

Canada's D wasn't healthy either. They literally lost Shea Theodore in Game 1. Pietrangelo is injured. Makar missed the first game against the USA and they were still gloating. Morrissey missed the championship game with illness. They'll get the same courtesy they gave back.

 

[Crashsunday]

It was a pathetic decision to dress him and Kreider and play them a total of just under 13 mins while Kyle Connor is forced to sit. Really stupid coaching.

Mike Sullivan, John Hynes, David Quinn - No way US was winning.

Matthew was selfish, though. I even thought it while watching. He should have sat himself out if he was not 100%.

 

[Peasy]

And what about the fact half of Canada's best D weren't playing? Winners win, losers complain about injuries

Or the fact we have like 3 better goaltending options but still went with binnington and still won.

Any excuse the USA can muster, Canada can say something similar.

At the end of the day excuses are for losers. You're never going to have the perfect team, and even if you did and still lost people would just find another excuse to harp on.

 

[le_sean]

Sullivan, Hynes, Quinn - No way US was winning.

Matthew was selfish, though. I even thought it while watching. He should have sat himself out if he was not 100%.

He did the same in the 2023 Cup finals. He was horrendous, a complete liability because he was so hurt.