[News] NHL rejects Tkachev's ELC with the Oilers - Page 12 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

codynw · 10-08-2014, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Textcritic

He was 140 lbs at the draft.

5 pounds heavier than Johnny was when he was drafted. There has to be more to it.

bax · 10-08-2014, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Textcritic

He was 140 lbs at the draft. Unlike Gaudreau, I think the heightened possibility that he could be a Russian flight risk likely compounded things.

Why are people so impressed with him now then? Did he grow a bunch over the summer?

Textcritic · 10-08-2014, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codynw

5 pounds heavier than Johnny was when he was drafted. There has to be more to it.

Like I said, the fact that Gaudreau is North American likely made him a more attractive risk.

I haven't seen Tkachev play, but I also suspect that he is not nearly as good a player as Gaudreau was in his draft year.

Oling_Roachinen · 10-08-2014, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bax

If he is that good now to be considered for an NHL contract and to go as high as the second round next year, then why did he get passed on?

A similar question could be made for Hunter Smith who also went undrafted but was invited to participate in an NHL training camp before being ultimately drafted in the second round this summer.

The simple answer is, at the time of the draft every team saw a player they would rather have drafted over Smith/Tkachev when it was their pick.

Textcritic · 10-08-2014, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bax

Why are people so impressed with him now then? Did he grow a bunch over the summer?

"People" are not impressed by him—the Oilers are. He is garnering a lot of attention now because they extended him a contract offer, and because of the fall out from it. I suspect in the end that he is most likely to be a marginal prospect.

FlamesAddiction · 10-08-2014, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bax

Can someone help me out here?

What I don't understand is how not one NHL team took a gamble on this kid with a 7th rounder or something? If he is that good now to be considered for an NHL contract and to go as high as the second round next year, then why did he get passed on? Did he have a bad season or something?

I do think he just flew under the radar due to not playing a full season in either Russia or the Q. A lot scouts may not have had a big sample size.

getbak · 10-08-2014, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bax

Why are people so impressed with him now then? Did he grow a bunch over the summer?

He was the best player for the Oilers in the preseason, which probably says as much about the Oilers as it does about Tkachev.

Table 5 · 10-08-2014, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bax

Can someone help me out here?

What I don't understand is how not one NHL team took a gamble on this kid with a 7th rounder or something? If he is that good now to be considered for an NHL contract and to go as high as the second round next year, then why did he get passed on? Did he have a bad season or something?

I've shared the same feelings before. Yes, this makes the Oilers look like idiots, but the other 29 teams don't look that smart either. This guy showed this type of skills before the draft...it's not that much of a surprise to see him put up points like this. He was the perfect guy to take in the mid/late rounds. To not be picked, even with his size, was just silly.

Now we can watch teams scramble to be the one who gets to pick him in the 2nd round.

Street Pharmacist · 10-08-2014, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getbak

He was the best player for the Oilers in the preseason, which probably says as much about the Oilers as it does about Tkachev.

I watched him and he's quite impressive. Very, very good at finding the open man and avoiding hits

Locke · 10-08-2014, 10:22 AM

All Kinds of things:

- Very small
- Russian Factor
- Playing in Russia
- Very small CHL sample size

Not one of 30 teams over 7 rounds even took a flyer on him.

Weitz · 10-08-2014, 10:23 AM

Minimal play in North America, something like 22 games prior to the draft, being Russian etc likely all played into it.

I imagine there is a lot more interest in him come this year draft.

Locke · 10-08-2014, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weitz

Minimal play in North America, something like 22 games prior to the draft, being Russian etc likely all played into it.

I imagine there is a lot more interest in him come this year draft.

Exactly, and having a full CHL season under his belt and the commitment to staying in North America is going to have a lot to do with it.

Some cheeseburgers and beer wouldnt kill him either...it works for me.

dammage79 · 10-08-2014, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Textcritic

"People" are not impressed by him—the Oilers are. He is garnering a lot of attention now because they extended him a contract offer, and because of the fall out from it. I suspect in the end that he is most likely to be a marginal prospect.

That's not fair to Tkatchev. He's a legit talented hockey player who happens to be undersized like a certain Flames dynamo. He's good, darned good. A combination of two things prevented him from being drafted, take one either away and he'd be a fourth rounder at minimum in last years draft. The Russian factor combined with his small stature are the mitigating factors in why he was passed at the draft. His talent and skill were not part of the equation.

Komskies · 10-08-2014, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poe969

I wouldn't call DiPietro a bust....the way the islanders handled him and gave him that contract has been pretty entertaining.

And Yakapov hasn't been a complete bust, I mean don't you remember that OT goal with that sweet knee slide and the celebration that night?????

If anything, you can always count on the oilers to be entertaining. It's just their off ice product that is fun to watch.

Wasn't even an OT goal. It was in regulation time to tie the game. Makes it even worse.

Weitz · 10-08-2014, 11:26 AM

Hockey: The only sport where individuality is punished.

Street Pharmacist · 10-08-2014, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weitz

Hockey: The only sport where individuality is punished.

Haha. Sure. That's what it is.

Resolute 14 · 10-08-2014, 11:30 AM

Giordano (twice) and Martin Jones (once) were both passed over in the draft too.

It is not exactly uncommon for the entire league to miss out on a guy initially.

Resolute 14 · 10-08-2014, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weitz

Hockey: The only sport where individuality is punished.

Given the Oilers play like a motley collection of individuals and finish 26th-30th virtually every year as a result, you are correct in noting that individuality tends to get punished in hockey, at least.

But yeah, if you are an 18-year-old rookie who goes hot dogging after scoring your second NHL goal to tie a meaningless October game, you are going to get called out for it.

Phanuthier · 10-08-2014, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Giordano (twice) and Martin Jones (once) were both passed over in the draft too.

It is not exactly uncommon for the entire league to miss out on a guy initially.

Somewhat related, but I still remember that camp we invited Giordano too, IIRC there were 4 players passed over in the draft and invited to camp: Giordano, Dennis Wideman, Regehr 2.0 and (I think it was) Sonnenberg.

Man, good eye... (Tod Button?)

Rick M. · 10-08-2014, 12:04 PM

I went to a Moncton road game in Charlottetown last season which just happened to be his first game in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. My purpose in attending was mainly to see Barbachev. We were all blown away by the skill level of this small player we had never heard of while Barbachev was pretty meh (at least in this game). It takes a long time to get on scouts' radar, expecially when you appear for the first time well into the season.