[Flames Draft Watcher]

Can't help but remember New Era's interesting take on him leading up to the draft.

Originally Posted by New Era

Elite complimentary player? That's a new one. Elite passer? That video doesn't show that at all. He's not even the best passer on his line. Elite at going to the net? That's another new one. Marner looks elite in that video regardless of his line mates. He looks just as good with Jones or Piccinich. Tkachuk looks like a number of wingers who rode shot gun with two top end players. What I don't like is Tkachuk possesses no true elite skill. He doesn't have elite speed, nor puck skills, nor shot. To me you have to have some level of elite skill to go early in the draft. Being a complimentary player doesn't get your drafted top five.

See, that isn't the point. You don't draft a complimentary player in the top of the draft. You get complimentary players in the later parts of the draft. You take players early that have potential to be exceptional in some capacity. That usually means you are drafting a player with a part of their game that is elite. With Tkachuk I see nothing elite. You also have to hope his game translates to the NHL. Will he be able to play the same type of game in the NHL? His father was able to, but his father had an extra two inches and 40 pounds on Matthew. He's a very different player and lacks many of the things that made his father a great player, things like an elite shot and elite physicality. To me, Matthew Tkachuk is a very raw and incomplete player.

He's the third wheel on a line that features two of the best players in junior hockey. It didn't matter who the Knights played with Marner and Dvorak, they produced. Tkachuk getting opportunity to play the majority of his games on that line, especially on the PP, gave him a chance to rack up a lot of points. As point out and supported by the video, it was irrelevant who was out with Marner and Dvorak, they produced and looked good doing it. They made almost every player on their line look like a great complimentary player. Great players do that, and Marner and Dvorak are both top end talents.

Would I like a player like Tkachuk to play on the top line with Gaudreau and Monahan? Yes, I would, but Tkachuk is not the best fit. I think you can find a better fit later in the draft. I would prefer they got a true compliment to that line and found a right shooting RW with elite speed, finishing ability, and NHL size. There are players available that could meet that need and we don't have to waste a top 5 pick to snag a "complimentary" player.

Originally Posted by New Era

No axe to grind with Tkachuk, I just don't think he's that good. I think people get all hot and bothered over him because he scored a boatload of points playing with the two best players in the OHL. I thought Max Jones showed as much as Tkachuk when he was on the line. But then again, when you have two of the best players in the league on your line, and you play on a league powerhouse, it is pretty easy to look good from time-to-time. I am just not sold that Tkachuk does anything on that line that any number of players would not replicate with fair opportunity.

Irrelevant point. Tkachuk's skills have little to do with his age. We're talking about what should make Tkachuk a top five pick. Will he be a successful NHL player? Maybe the question to ask yourself is this. What do you think is going to happen when Marner and Dvorak shuffle off to Toronto and Arizona next season? Do you think Tkachuk is going to repeat this performance?

See, there's the cold harsh slap of reality. How would Tkachuk do on his own? How is he going to do without two of the best players in the OHL on his line? Well, the 8 goals he scored without Marner's direct involvement seems to be telling. Bottom line is Tkachuk doesn't have anything elite about him. He doesn't have great foot speed. He doesn't have a great shot. He doesn't have great puck skills. He doesn't do anything exceptional. The one thing he does well is get to the front of the net. The junior ranks are littered with players whose best skill was using their larger frame.

Maybe the coach wanted to spread the scoring around and have an effective 2nd line? He tried Tkachuk off that line and he didn't score. Jones was on that line for a short time and scored, but continued to score without Dvorak and Marner. See, there's a telling stat. Jones had almost as many goals as Tkachuk, playing on a 2nd line and without the two best players in the OHL.

I'm just naturally very skeptical of guys that rack up huge numbers playing with two elite players. Just because those other two guys are elite doesn't necessarily make the last guy elite. I try and look at these kids to see who has the skills to be a NHL player, because you need specific skills to be a NHL player. You especially need to be able to skate and think at the NHL level. In Tkachuk I don't see a junior player with any elite skills. Guys like that scare me.

I'm not suggesting that Tkachuk is any where near the Bob Maudie level of leeching off his line mates, but I think his production is grossly inflated which is affecting people's judgement of his skill set. I think they are looking at the player and dreaming of him lining up next to Gaudreau and Monahan and project what they hope he'll be rather than evaluating him on what he is. If you judge him on his skill set he doesn't add up to the level of player his points lead you to believe he is. That is why I am extremely skeptical of Tkachuk and would have him down a draft list to middle of the first round and not discussing him as a top five pick. It seems every few drafts there is some kid that comes along that gets pumped up and drafted early because of his numbers and size advantage, but lacks those elite skills (Dal Colle, Virtanen, Connolly, Glennie, etc.). I don't want to be the team that selects that player. I think Tkachuk is that player in this draft because his point totals exceed the sum of his parts.

Cough cough. Change your tune on him yet New Era or you sticking with your carried by Marner/Dvorak narrative? He is an elite complimentary player. He is an elite passer. He possesses elite hockey sense. He has very, very good puck skills. And he's elite at driving the net. Interesting you couldn't see it at all. Just totally blinded to it because Marner and Dvorak were older and flashier I guess? Still quite puzzling to this day. Guess your scouting skills are severely in question.

I think GranteedEV didn't even have Tkachuk in his top 10 that year either. ROFL.

Love the kid. What a beauty. Everyone who read that draft thread knows how much I thought he'd be a great fit for us heading up to that draft. Soooo glad he's on our team. He's going to terrorize our division for years to come. Perfect playoff type player too. He's my favourite Flame already and I think there's more to come.

Great work AC, you rock!