Rusty Weiss
Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk paid tribute to a 101-year-old U.S. Army Air Corps veteran during a pre-game ceremony on Thursday night, capping off celebrations for the U.S. men’s hockey team’s recent Olympic gold medal win.
The moment unfolded before the Panthers’ first game following the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics—a matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Tkachuk, a key member of the gold-medal-winning U.S. squad that defeated Canada in the final, participated in a ceremonial face-off alongside U.S. Olympic captain Auston Matthews, who also captains the Maple Leafs.
As part of the tribute, Tkachuk skated down the ice carrying an American flag, retrieved the game puck, and personally presented it to Jim Sileno, the 101-year-old veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps.
The Panthers honor Team USA gold medalists Matthew Tkachuk, Bill Zito, Teddy Richards & Auston Matthews pregame vs. Toronto.
— Katie Engleson (@KatieEngleson) February 27, 2026
Tkachuk then skated over to 101-year-old WWII veteran Jim Sileno. Pure class. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/GSajkbm58x
Matthew Tkachuk Presents Game Puck to 101-Year-Old WWII Veteran Jim Sileno in Heartfelt Panthers Ceremony
This is a guy who the media wants to chastise because he loves America and happened to not be a total asshat to the current President of the United States.
What a class act.
The gesture drew roaring “U-S-A!” chants from the crowd during the national anthem and an electric ovation when the puck was handed over. Tkachuk, with his gold medal still dangling from his neck, spoke afterward about the overwhelming support the team had received.
“I really think our team really showed what it’s like to be true Americans and the pride we played with and how we would do every single thing for our country,” Tkachuk said. “So, the support we’ve gotten is incredible.”
Completely ignoring the very tiny outrage machine in the media. Smart.
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The ceremony was part of a broader Olympic celebration for the Panthers, who boasted seven medalists from the Games: Tkachuk with gold for the U.S., three players—Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart, and Sam Bennett—with silver for Canada, and three others—Anton Lundell, Niko Mikkola, and Eetu Luostarinen—with bronze for Finland. Panthers general manager Bill Zito and equipment manager Teddy Richards, both part of the U.S. Olympic staff, also joined in the pre-game honors.
The Panthers went on to defeat the Maple Leafs 3-0, sending the home crowd home happy after an already memorable night.
Tkachuk’s whirlwind post-Olympic schedule has included celebrations in Italy and Miami, a White House visit for the State of the Union, and now this touching gesture—underscoring his role not just as a star player, but as a representative of American pride on and off the ice.