Chantal Tkachuk on Raising NHL Sons Matthew and Brady

When Matthew Tkachuk and his youthful brother Brady Tkachuk helped spark three fights within the first 9 seconds of the long-anticipated return of the Canada vs. United States hockey rivalry this yr, maybe nobody was much less shocked than their mom, Chantal Tkachuk.

Chantal not too long ago spoke with PEOPLE about elevating her NHL sons Matthew, 27, and Brady, 25, who’ve each lengthy carried reputations as two of hockey’s hardest gamers.

“They were typical brothers – busy, competitive,” Chantal recollects, earlier than breaking out into amusing over how “competitive” they’d get with one another.

“It would usually end up in a tussle at some point,” the NHL mother says. “But then five minutes later, they’d be back playing together.”

Whether they had been combating within the stands throughout their dad Keith Tkachuk’s video games with the St. Louis Blues or down within the basement of the household’s suburban St. Louis house whereas they had been enjoying one another in stick hockey, Matthew and Brady’s relationship performed out like clockwork.

“No question they would get into it from time to time, but that was just part of how they played,” Chantal says, pausing to investigate her two boys. “I think it ended up contributing to them succeeding in what they’re doing now, because they pushed each other so much.”

For the primary time of their careers, each Matthew and Brady made the playoffs, which not too long ago concluded its first spherical. Matthew’s Florida Panthers superior, whereas Brady’s Ottawa Senators had been eradicated – however not earlier than clawing again from a 3-0 collection deficit towards the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Chantal and Keith, who married in 1997, had been at each considered one of Brady’s video games throughout his playoff debut, and say they are going to now journey to look at Matthew’s second-round collection towards Toronto in particular person.

Chantal says the Tkachuk household at all times seems in full assist for the boys, courting again to their youth hockey days when Keith’s mom Gerry Tkachuk and Chantal’s late mom Pat Oster — two of Matthew and Brady’s most passionate supporters — would sit alongside her within the stands.

Chantal and Keith additionally share daughter Taryn, a standout subject hockey participant on the University of Virginia, which made a deep run within the NCAA Tournament this previous November.

“The three of them were busy and active kids, very involved in tons of different sports,” Chantal says. “Growing up, Keith traveled a lot that they had been my full-time job, however I couldn’t have requested for something higher. I really feel so lucky that I received to be a part of all the things all through their lives.

“Now, it’s attending to the purpose the place Keith and I are beginning to have extra time to ourselves,” she says. “But it nonetheless will get loopy busy.”

Even although her youngsters’s sporting occasions nonetheless take up a hefty portion of her schedule, Chantal says she and Keith are carving out their very own time. Chantal not too long ago visited her father in Winnipeg, and after the Stanley Cup Playoffs are over, she plans to trip in France with Taryn to have fun her school commencement.

Next February, Chantal and Keith hope to journey Europe and cease in Italy to look at their sons play side-by-side as soon as once more for Team USA when NHL gamers return to the 2026 Winter Olympics.

“Keith and I are just beside ourselves being able to watch them play on the same team,” Chantal says.

Matthew beforehand instructed PEOPLE it was his dream to play on the identical group as his youthful brother, who he is confronted off towards plenty of instances in current NHL seasons — with mother Chantal watching anxiously from the stands.

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“When your kids support one another the way that they do, it makes me feel really proud no matter what,” Chantal tells PEOPLE. “Especially with the boys, as a result of they’re opponents on the ice and enjoying for various groups, however off the ice, they only need the most effective for each other and can assist one another it doesn’t matter what.”

Chantal provides: “Once the game’s over, they just go back to being brothers.”