Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel‘s fisticuffs party just seconds into the USA vs Canada match last night proved why it was projected as the most action-packed game of the 4 Nations Face-Off. And yet, despite starting the tournament off on a high, the older Tkachuk brother didn’t play a significant portion of the third period last game. Naturally, injury scares started doing the rounds among fans.

The USA is the only team that has secured its spot in the 4 Nations final, which is slated to take place at TD Gaden next Thursday. On the other hand, Canada, Sweden, and Finland will have another chance each, to book their berth in the last match of the tournament. Naturally, the USA wants to be in full force before the final rumble, and their fans would want to know where one of their star players stands in terms of fitness. But when Coach Sullivan was asked about Matthew Tkachuk’s status, he didn’t go into much detail.

In an X post from February 16, broadcaster Elliott Friedman shared updates on Matthews’s health condition and highlighted how the head coach of the team wanted to keep things hush-hush on the matter. “Mike Sullivan says Matthew Tkachuk “is continuing to be evaluated,” and can’t give us more than that,” the social media update shared. The post shared more encouraging news to assure the fans that the US will have its full roster for the final, “Tkachuk missed the last half of the third period last night, but said he had no concerns about the injury.”

While it’s not clear when and how Matthew Tkachuk sustained the injury, he did get pinned down on the ice by Canada’s Brandon Hagel during their fight that started within seconds of the puck drop. He left the ice with more than 12 minutes left in the third period and was spotted telling Sullivan and assistant coach John Tortorella that he wouldn’t be able to step back in. Hockey insider Frank Seravalli later noted that Tkachuk “left Bell Centre with noticeable limp.”

Although Tkachuk said he had “no concern at all,” he could be rested on Monday now that the USA has sealed themselves a spot in the finals. However, if he is absent from the final, it could be a huge blow for his team considering how he ripped apart Finland and leads the tournament in high-danger shots on goal. And while Tkachuk’s injury will definitely make fans nervous, the forward isn’t the only one who has been at the center of injury woes and speculations in the ongoing tournament. 

Matthew Tkachuk’s miseries aren’t nearly as grave as his colleague’s

Michigan alum Quinn Hughes has been one of the top defensemen in the NHL since he was drafted by the Canucks in 2018. Moreover, with 14 goals and 45 assists this season, Quinn’s offensive skills were also projected as something Team USA would benefit from immensely at the international hockey tournament. However, Hughes missed several games after Vancouver’s loss to Dallas last month. And that, was when fans feared the worst. It was later revealed that the 2024 Norris Trophy winner was suffering from an “undisclosed injury” and would need to watch the 4 Nations action from the sidelines.

Under the circumstances, 22-year-old Jake Sanderson was roped in by the USA as the backup defenseman for the “Landmark International Tournament”. We can thank our stars that Matthew Tkachuk isn’t quite on the same boat as Hughes! While the Americans had to deal with injuries before the 4 Nations, their neighbors across the border also had to handle their share of the same as well.

During Canada’s match against Sweden last Wednesday, defenseman Shea Theodore sustained an upper-body injury, which ruled him out of the roster for the rest of the tournament. While his emergency replacement Thomas Harley created quite confusion among the fans because of his birthplace, Team Canada breathed a sigh of relief knowing its blueline wouldn’t have a gaping hole in it.

Moreover, just days before the 4 Nations kicked off, two-time Stanley Cup-winning defenseman Alex Pietrangelo pulled out of the tournament. The 35-year-old revealed that he was “dealing with an ailment and will instead prepare for the remainder of the regular season,” which resulted in the incredible Drew Doughty replacing the Golden Knights’ star in the Canadian roster. A long line of limping bodies indeed! Are you also done with seeing injuries getting the better of athletes? Are you thankful to see Matthew Tkachuk not suffering the same fate as many of his peers? Tell us who you want him and the boys facing off against at the championship game in a comment!