Brady Tkachuk played a major role in Team USA’s gold medal win at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, but he recently shared that his toughest moment came off the ice.
Just days before the final against Canada, the Ottawa Senators captain dealt with a frightening episode at the team’s housing site. He opened up about it during an appearance on the Pardon My Take podcast.
Team USA Forward Brady Tkachuk Details Sleep Paralysis Scare Before 2026 Olympic Gold Medal Game vs. Canada
Team USA defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime on Feb. 22, earning its first Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey since 1980.
Tkachuk finished the tournament with three goals and two assists in six games and played an important role in crucial moments, including earlier goals in the group stage and semifinal. However, before the final, he experienced a night that left both him and his brother Matthew shaken.
Matthew, who shared a room with him at the team’s housing site, described what happened. “Brady had a sleep paralysis night in the village,” Matthew said. “And I was his roommate. I literally thought it was over.” He added that Brady kept saying, “just tell Doc I’m not going to do it. I’m not going to make it,” and said it came after one of the games.
Brady then explained the situation from his perspective. He said he had been in the Hughes brothers’ room earlier and returned feeling exhausted. The lights were still on, and he sat on his bed expecting to fall asleep quickly. Instead, his body suddenly stopped responding while his mind stayed alert.
“I remember I sat in bed, the lights were on. And all of a sudden I felt my body just shut down. I was like, okay, but my mind was still good,” Brady said.
When Matthew walked in and asked about their wake-up time, Brady tried to answer but could not move or speak. “I just tried speaking. I tried turning my head, nothing,” he said.
He recalled trying to use all his strength to get words out. “I’m like, call Doc. I think I’m dying,” Brady said. He could sense Matthew beginning to panic while he remained unable to move. “And Matt’s like, you seriously want me to call him?” he added.
Brady said he eventually stopped fighting the feeling. “I finally accepted in my head. I’m like, you know what? I can’t keep fighting this anymore. I finally busted up all my strength. I just said, if it’s time, it’s time. And I went back to bed. So I slept great. I can’t imagine Matthew slept too good,” he said.
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The next game, Team USA secured the gold medal when Jack Hughes scored 1:41 into overtime, and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 41 saves. Tkachuk was on the ice as the United States ended a 46-year Olympic drought, just days after a night he will not forget.
