USA’s gritty Brady Tkachuk brings unique combination of will and skill in Olympic men’s ice hockey

The younger Tkachuk used his gritty and intense style to refocus himself and his teammates, with an added bonus if he got under his opponents’ skin. 

“I feel like a part of my game is just being physical and make an impact that way. So I thought that could spark the other side of things. But at the end of the day, it’s just kind of do whatever it takes to help the team win,” he said. 

His efforts don’t go unnoticed. 

“He’s an elite player. His hockey sense is underrated and flies under the radar because when people think of Brady Tkachuk, they think of his brute and brawn,  U.S. head coach Mike Sullivan said of Brady on Saturday.

“He certainly brings those elements, but I don’t think he gets the credit for how intelligent he is as a hockey player.”