Kevin Shattenkirk’s son wears Matthew Tkachuk’s jersey to practice (via Instagram/@shattdeuces)

On Sunday, former ice hockey defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk shared a video of his young son, Connor, on Instagram. In the clip, Connor wore Matthew Tkachuk’s jersey during his hockey practice. Connor was skating on the ice in the red jersey with No. 19, belonging to the Florida Panthers forward.

Now his father, Kevin, pointed to the funny context by writing:

“@matthew_tkachuk jersey over dad’s every day of the week.”via Instagram/@shattdeuces

It seems Connor is a big fan of Tkachuk, even more than his father, who played in the NHL for 14 seasons. In his career, Shattenkirk played for several teams, including the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning. He won the Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay in 2020. But it seems his son has found a different hockey idol, showing the popularity of Tkachuk after winning the cup in 2024.

Shattenkirk and his wife, Deanna, have three 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren together. The couple got married in 2018 at Wolffer Estate Vineyard in New York. Their son, Connor, was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 in 2019, and their daughter, Isla Mae, was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 in February 2021. Their youngest daughter, Hazel, was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 on Sept. 4, 2024.

Kevin Shattenkirk thanked wife Deanna for her support in his statement announcing retirement

Kevin Shattenkirk announced his retirement on Dec. 10. He played for seven teams in his career and last suited up for the Boston Bruins. During his last season, he scored 24 points in 61 games. Over his career, he has recorded 484 points in 952 games.

In his retirement post on Instagram, Kevin Shattenkirk thanked the teams he played for and people who supported him. He appreciated the Avalanche for drafting him, the Blues for making him feel at home and the Rangers for letting him play for his 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥hood team. He also thanked the Lightning for helping him regain confidence and win the Stanley Cup. He also thanked the Capitals, Ducks and Bruins.

Shattenkirk thanked his wife, Deanna, for standing by him through trades, injuries and difficult moments.

“To my incredible wife Deanna…. Every injury, trade or healthy scratch, every cross country move, you were always there for me. I believe you were made for this life just as much as I was and I am forever thankful that I was able to go through all of this with you by my side. I could not have done it without you. Thank you for our incredible family and for the incredible amount of love and support you have provided for all of us,” Kevin Shattenkirk wrote.

Kevin Shattenkirk also spoke about his 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren, Connor, Isla and Hazel. He also said their love gave him perspective.