Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk doesn’t care if you like him

Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk Hockey culture is steeped in tradition, but it’s not particularly concerned about ruffling some feathers.

Tkachuk, 27, who He won a Stanley Cup with the Panthers Last season, enjoyed pushing boundaries on the ice with his tough style of play and off the ice with his colorful disposition.

As the American-born player explains, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I have the ability to be able to reach different pockets of people in the US with hockey and with my personality, playing in South Florida, being born in Arizona and coming from St. Louis,” Tkachuk said exclusively US Weekly Before facing the first NHL 4 facing, which starts on February 12. “I’m very lucky in that sense. I think, why not be myself? Why waste all this time having the time of my life and not acting like me? Why wouldn’t I show my personality? “

Related: HS buddies Jayson Tatum and Matthew Tkachuk win titles 1 week apart

Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images; Bruce Bennett/Getty Images High school buddies Jayson Tatum and Matthew Tkachuk added their first championships to their professional resumes in the span of a week. Boston Celtics star Tatum, 26, won his first NBA title when the Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals (…)

He added, “That’s how I approach it. I guess some people like it, some people don’t. But I will never change being myself. “

Tkachuk, the son of an 18-year-old NHL veteran Keith Tkiuksaid the players of this generation feel the freedom to step outside the box more than ever.

“I think men’s mindsets have changed a bit,” Matthew explained. “They are able to express themselves more than they were 10, 15, 20 years ago. And I think that’s great. I think it’s great for personalities. I think it’s great for fans to relate to players more, being able to see more of them. I think that is very important for growing the game. “

Matthew will help expand hockey’s reach even further when he represents the United States in the first ever 4-nation faceoff, which features the league’s best players from the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland in a best tournament at best. Joining Matthew on Team USA will be his younger brother, the Ottawa Senators Star Brady Tkachuk.

Competition aside, Matthew is looking forward to showcasing the beauty of the sport’s international appeal.

“One thing I really like about hockey is that you have so many different guys from so many different places in the world,” Matthew said. “Hockey is the one thing that brings them all together. It doesn’t matter if you’re from Russia or Finland or Sweden, in the strange scheme of things, you’re pretty much the same as the way you’ve been brought up in the game. It’s pretty cool. “

He added, “I love getting to know fellow players from different backgrounds and different parts of the world. Some of my great friends in hockey come from places that are so different than where I come from. “

Along the way, Matthew will look fresh thanks to a role as Ambassador off ice for fashion and lifestyle brand Perry Ellis.

“I just love their stuff,” gushed Matthew. “I’m super excited to not only wear it to 4 countries, but to wear it on a normal day just for myself. I think it looks amazing and for them to be with us at USA Hockey, I think everyone is going to like it a lot. “

The 4-nation head-to-head will drop the puck on February 12, with games taking place in Montreal and Boston through the championship game on February 20. Tickets for all 4 head-to-head games are on get to buy them through Ticketmaster.com.