Team USA hockey star Matthew Tkachuk is facing criticism for comments he made while announcing that his wife, Ellie, is expecting the couple’s first baby.
Tkachuk, 28, made the announcement on Thursday, March 12, during an interview with Sean Hannity on FOX News Media’s “Hang Out with Sean Hannity” podcast.
The two-time Stanley Cup champion with the NHL’s Florida Panthers said he and his wife — who got married in July 2025 — are taking the “old-school approach” and not finding out the baby’s sex.
Hannity, 64, pressed Tkachuk, insisting that he must be hoping for “the next generation of hockey player.”
Matthew’s brother, Brady, currently plays for the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, and their father, Keith, had a decorated 18-year NHL career.
“I mean, at some point, would definitely have to have a boy,” Matthew said. “I’ve been explaining to [my wife], because she has just a sister, no brothers. So I was trying to explain to my wife what youth hockey is like. I think I’m more excited for youth hockey one day than my current hockey right now.”
He continued, “Honest to God, I can’t wait for the road trips. I can’t wait for the family to come. I can’t wait for the parents to be in the hotel lobby bar at night talking about the day. Just the little things.”
Matthew said that if he does have a son, he plans on lacing up his hockey skates as soon as he can “stand up.”
“I’m going to carry him around the ice,” he added.
Matthew’s comments drew backlash for the insinuation that having a daughter wouldn’t possibly lead to the same experiences as a father, especially in the aftermath of Team USA’s women’s hockey team also winning gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
“You would think after all the s*** from the gold medal celebration he would try [to] be less blatantly sexist. and yet,” one viral social media post read.
Another wrote, “Not him saying this like girls can’t play hockey 💀.”
“If I were Matthew Tkachuk I simply would not follow up my bootlicking laughter at a misogynistic joke about the US women’s hockey team by insinuating that I need a son, rather than a daughter, so I can be a hockey dad,” an additional person argued.
After the Team USA men’s hockey team won gold at the 2026 Olympics, they received criticism for laughing when President Donald Trump said he would “probably be impeached” if he didn’t invite the women’s team to the White House.
Matthew and most of his teammates met with Trump, 79, at the White House days after Team USA’s victory.
The women’s hockey team declined an invitation to attend, citing scheduling issues.
