Quote:
Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache
Tkachuk has been frustrating opposite of clutch
Disappears during the post season (5 pts in 15). Brutal, especially down the stretch this year
Good game against Ottawa on Sunday, though. When it’s too little too late. Where was that guy all year?
One note in his defence. Conroy thinks he is the kind of guy that thrives on fans. That may be, that he elevates his game when they respond to his antics. But pretty much all of the other good players in the league seem to be able to get their games up
9 million looks a lot worse than 7 too
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The guys hasn’t been clutch as a 19, or 21 year old in the playoffs and was injured too early last year to see if he was going to make an impact. He did score a OT winner to clinch the memorial cup so has proven to be clutch in the past.
I don’t think we will ever really know what happened with Tkachuk but I do think something happened during that closed door meeting that shook his confidence or impacted him negatively. I also agree with the fan analogy as I think Tkachuk thrives when the crowd pops or boos when he is on the ice.
So Tkachuk is the only top player league wide who is struggling this season? I didn’t realize. I haven’t really paid much attention outside the north division.
This has been his worst season overall but he is still outpacing his point production from his first 2 years in the league.
It is crazy the logic on keeping Gaudreau over him however. Johnny has ran 2 hot shooting streaks to a whole 5 more points than Tkachuk this year and will require similar money on a long term deal starting when he is 29 as opposed to 24.
The only ways Tkachuk should move this summer is if it is in a deal for a clear organizational need and upgrade or if he requests to move otherwise you hope he rebuilds his value either to the team long term or in a trade next summer.
People love to beat up on Tkachuk for the bridge to high QO but it is pretty much what all of those RFA’s did that summer. Sign a bridge to get the $10M deal in 3 years or sign the $10M deal up front like the Leafs did with Matthews and Marner.