Matthew Tkachuk and the 9 games

[zukes]

If I was a lesser man, I'd point out the people who are 100% wrong in here....

[Alpine Fisher]

Originally Posted by robertsfan

Send him down; I have a feeling this year's team is another lottery team. I know its early but 40 goals against in 11 games (second to last in the nhl) isn't reassuring. The Canucks, who've played one less game and have lost 6 in a row are tied with the Flames in points.

Let him play in London, dominate, and keep his confidence.

I'll be glad to be proven wrong at seasons end.

Dude? Who are you????

[memphusk]

Doing what he does, the right way. Well spoken for a young man also.

[I wanna be like Miikka]

I take it back! Matt was excellent tonight, hope he can keep it up moving forward

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by New Era

Tkachuk looks like a kid trying to play a big game, but he isn't there. He's trying to throw his weight around and trying to get to the dirty areas, but his timing is off and he isn't strong enough to play that game.

Wow was this ever poor analysis.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by polak

I just don't see what a year in Junior will help him with? Pushing around kids smaller than him is going to get him more ready for the NHL?

Let him stay, stop benching him (theres other players that are playing worse than him) and let him grow into his game in the big leagues, not against kids where he's only going to develop bad habits that get him comfortable doing things that don't work in the NHL like we saw with Sam Bennett before his recent resurgence.

Plus he's been fine. No one can say hes hurting the team at all and we have no better alternatives.

Definitely not this.
Lots for an 18 year old to learn.
Take a needless offensive zone penalty, bench him. Drives the point home.
Also lots that can be learned from the press box. It's not a free pass to the media buffet.
Seems to me the Flames are handling him perfectly

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by GoJetsGo

Wow was this ever poor analysis.

To be fair, there was a play last night where the SJ d-man caught Tkachuk waiting for the puck behind the net and dumped him on his ass like a child. It was a comical 'welcome to the NHL' moment.

Tkachuk will get stronger and more savvy, but as a young guy who plays in the tough areas he can expect more painful lessons about positioning, awareness, and how size isn't much of a defence against the strength and leverage a grown NHL defenseman employs.

[calgaryblood]

I didn't think he would translate his game so well to be honest. Very rare for a 18 year old to look like a man playing in the NHL. He's had his ups and downs but he's been at least one of the best top 6 players on this team and deserves his spot.

I hope he stays with Backlund and Frolik which will allow him to go to the net and play hard down low and not worry too much about making mistakes knowing you have those two covering for you if you do make a mistake.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

To be fair, there was a play last night where the SJ d-man caught Tkachuk waiting for the puck behind the net and dumped him on his ass like a child. It was a comical 'welcome to the NHL' moment.

To be fair? You're talking about a single play. How is that fair in any sense?

He's shown with his size and tenacity he's very much NHL ready and the proof is in his still being around. He's thrown his weight around nicely, hasn't backed down and has been in everyone's face.

[dino7c]

Brad Marchand gets knocked down like 15 times a game...its about getting right back up and back into the dirty areas

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

I didn't think he would translate his game so well to be honest. Very rare for a 18 year old to look like a man playing in the NHL. He's had his ups and downs but he's been at least one of the best top 6 players on this team and deserves his spot.

I hope he stays with Backlund and Frolik which will allow him to go to the net and play hard down low and not worry too much about making mistakes knowing you have those two covering for you if you do make a mistake.

I think your last paragraphs is bang on.

Making mistakes is important to learning and growth as a player. He can't be scared to try something or make a decision even if it is wrong or doesn't work.

Having line mates like that is a great safety net.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Brad Marchand gets knocked down like 15 times a game...its about getting right back up and back into the dirty areas

Did you see the play? It wasn't a standard guy gets knocked down behind the net play you see a half dozen times in every NHL game. It was clear the guy who got knocked on his ass (I didn't realize it was Tkachuk until he was down) had no idea it was coming. He also got taken out of the play and the SJ d-man calmly moved the puck up the ice.

Those are the lessons 18-year-olds learn in the NHL. But it also shows that Tkachuk isn't some dominant down-low player yet. No 18-year-old has the strength, awareness, etc. for that.

[The Yen Man]

I think Tkachuk will be a beast in a few years once he grows even more into his body. Guy is already holding his own at 18. He's going to make Canucks fans hate Benning even more in years to come.

[GoJetsGo]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Did you see the play? It wasn't a standard guy gets knocked down behind the net play you see a half dozen times in every NHL game. It was clear the guy who got knocked on his ass (I didn't realize it was Tkachuk until he was down) had no idea it was coming. He also got taken out of the play and the SJ d-man calmly moved the puck up the ice.

Those are the lessons 18-year-olds learn in the NHL. But it also shows that Tkachuk isn't some dominant down-low player yet. No 18-year-old has the strength, awareness, etc. for that.

Again, you're talking about a single play with an 18 year old playing his first games in the NHL.

If what you were talking about was happening several times a game, it might be a concern. But it isn't what you're making it out to be based on a single play.

He's also shown he can knock over grown men / veterans, get under the skin of long-time NHLers and has both the size and weight to get involved in that kind of game which is pretty much in stark contract to the assertions I had quoted above.

There is no doubt he has growing to do (physically and mentally) and that he has a lot to learn, but he's shown he's here to stay and will work through that.

[rumy]

Glad they kept him up here and that he responded with a great game. The CHL is not where he will develop into the next level of player we need him to be. The AHL would probably be the best, but he's holding is own (and then some) here in the NHL. As one posted pointed out, the line of Backlund and Frolik allow him to make a few mistakes and learn from them, which is exactly what he needs and what he wouldn't get playing another year in junior.

[Heavy Jack]

In the last 9 games - starting with the 3 point night against Winnipeg - Tkachuk has 1 G 9 A and had been an absolute handful in that span, drawing and taking penalties like a tazmanian devil. He's still young and needs to learn picking his spots a bit better but man do we have an absolute gem in Tkachuk.

[Two Fivenagame]

Yup.

Kid's a thug.

Currently 2nd in the league for most PIMS.

On pace for roughly 50 pts and 140 PIMS!!

hahahahahaaaaaa

hahahahahaaaaa

haha

ha

Jim Benning.

[sureLoss]

Should be noted that if Tkachuk is still on the NHL roster for the game against the Avalanche, he will have been on the NHL roster for 40 games (note not played, but on the roster). This means that this season will count as one of the 7 accrued seasons necessary to become an UFA.

Not that anyone is really concerned about that they way he is playing right now.

[Caged Great]

In his first taste of the NHL, Keith had 3 G 5 A in 17 games. In his first full season, he had 13 G and 8 A in the first 35 games (with 8 of those coming in games 31-34).

Matt has 7 G 15 A in 35 games.

Off to a better overall start than his father and in a less high scoring era.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

In his first taste of the NHL, Keith had 3 G 5 A in 17 games. In his first full season, he had 13 G and 8 A in the first 35 games (with 8 of those coming in games 31-34).

Matt has 7 G 15 A in 35 games.

Off to a better overall start than his father and in a less high scoring era.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall for Xmas dinner at the Tkachuk house!