Leon Draisaitl found himself on the receiving end of Matthew Tkachuk’s sharp tongue during a lopsided loss that has left Germany’s medal hopes hanging by a thread at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
During the second period of Team USA’s 5–1 victory over Germany on Sunday, a hot mic caught Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk chirping Draisaitl between whistles.
“Always the bridesmaid, eh Leon? Always the bridesmaid, never the bride,” Tkachuk shouted with his brother Brady standing directly behind him.
The jab was an unmistakable reference to the Oilers’ heartbreaking back-to-back Stanley Cup Final losses to Tkachuk’s Panthers in 2024 and 2025.
Cameras caught Draisaitl skating away with a slight grin after hearing the comment but the German star did not answer back. He was held scoreless in the contest which wasalso his first pointless performance of the tournament.
Leon Draisaitl and Matthew Tkachuk’s bad blood
The bad blood between Tkachuk and Draisaitl extends well beyond recent Stanley Cup matchups. Their animosity dates back to Tkachuk’s days with the Calgary Flames where he regularly faced Draisaitl and the Oilers in the heated Battle of Alberta rivalry.
After Sunday’s game, Tkachuk didn’t shy away from discussing his approach to neutralizing the German captain.
“Some players require a more physical approach both on and off the puck,” Tkachuk explained to reporters.
He specifically credited linemate Jack Eichel for executing the game plan perfectly, noting that Eichel “did an excellent job of playing Draisaitl hard during the whistles and giving him and his line nothing that night.”
Tkachuk was seen taunting Draisaitl multiple times throughout the contest though only one exchange was clearly captured on broadcast microphones.
Draisaitl’s response to Tkachuk’s comments
Draisaitl initially avoided reporters following the crushing defeat to Team USA. When he finally addressed the incident with TSN’s Ryan Rishaug, his response was characteristically terse.
Asked about Tkachuk’s comments, Draisaitl offered a single word: “No.”
Later, when pressed further about the trash talk Draisaitl shrugged off the exchange.
“It’s always a challenge,” he said. “Our teams have some history. And [it’s] always fun playing him.”
It seems he wasn’t letting it affect him mentally as Germany prepares for a crucial qualification game.
Leon Draisaitl is having a mellow tournament
Draisaitl’s tournament had kicked off to a fairly great start. Just 23 seconds into Germany’s opening game against Denmark, he buried the opening goal and went on to add an assist in a 3–1 victory that raised hopes for a deep German run.
The momentum didn’t last though. Germany stumbled in a 4–3 loss to Latvia. Draisaitl did manage to contribute an assist on Tim Stutzle’s late goal. However, the defeat to USA, where Draisaitl was completely shut down, dropped Germany to second place in Group C with a 1–2 preliminary round record.
Through three games, Draisaitl has posted one goal and three assists for four points total decent numbers, but not the dominant performance many expected from a player of his caliber.
Win or go home for Germany
Germany now faces a do-or-die qualifying round matchup against France on Tuesday at 6:10 a.m. EST. A victory would advance them to the quarterfinals where Slovakia awaits. A loss would send Draisaitl and his teammates home without a medal adding yet another near-miss to the star centre’s growing list of “bridesmaid” finishes.
The pressure is squarely on Draisaitl’s shoulders. As Germany’s best player and captain, he will need to silence critics like Tkachuk by delivering when it matters most.
After being held off the scoresheet against Team USA’s physical forecheck, Draisaitl must rediscover his offensive touch against a French team that will undoubtedly look to employ similar tactics.
For a player who has experienced heartbreak on hockey’s biggest stages, this Olympic tournament could be another chance to finally breakthrough, eventually face Connor McDavid and Canada and who knows even claim championship glory. But with each passing game, the window grows narrower.
Tuesday morning will reveal whether Draisaitl can shake off the trash talk and lead Germany forward, or if Tkachuk’s “bridesmaid” comment will prove prophetically painful once again.
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