[News] With the 2016 6th OA pick Flames select LW Matthew Tkachuk

[Calgary4LIfe]

Tkachuk isn't a one-trick pony. Yep, we saw him playing that physical, in your face game that the Flames sorely lack, but if you watched him in Junior that is not what his game is all about. I think he can legitimately make a case for himself to stay up without having to play as physical.

We all heard that he is elite 'from the hashmarks in' - it wasn't because he was nasty and physical. It was because he knows where to go, and has wonderfully soft hands to make really great plays in-tight. He didn't always out-muscle guys to get there, but rather used his smarts and anticipation.

I am not saying he should or shouldn't be in the NHL this season. I am saying that the game Tkachuk showed us in Penticton was just a small sample of what his repertoire is. I am going to wait and see how he does in camp and through the preseason before making up my own mind. He is definitely big enough for the NHL - lots of smaller draftees have made the jump in their draft year. For me, it isn't even about the goal scoring he does or doesn't do when he gets a look. It is how well he is competing and how well he compares to NHL players. I still think he has a likely shot at making the team, but let's see how he does before we make up our minds one way or the other.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by BrownDrake

He certainly looked good on some shifts but didn't really stand out as a tremendous offensive threat. I think our plan for him would be a top six offensive role - is he better served getting limited bottom six minutes in Calgary or top line minutes in junior for one more year?

He did stand out as a tremendous offensive threat IMO and IMO he'll look even better with better linemates in main camp. I think if he stays it would definitely be to play on a line that can score and get some PP time.

I'm not really sure he'll develop as fast in junior. He's one of those rare prospects that has likely already outgrown that level.

[Fire]

I see Tkachuk making this team, he already has NHL size. Put Tkachuk with Bennett and Brouwer and give them the easy minutes.

[BrownDrake]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I love seeing Tkachuk's jam, but things will play out a lot differently when it's Brent Burns or Corey Perry he's taking runs at instead of Brendan Lemieux. The Flames shouldn't be counting on an 18-year-old to provide them with a heavy game along the boards and in front of the net. That's what Brouwer and Chiasson were brought in for. Tkachuk will be better at it, and better able to endure the punishment he'll provoke, in another year. There's no need to rush.

Good post. That's kind of what I am getting at. Not very many prospects like him at 6 are in the nhl at 18 or 19 years. Granted it seems to be happening more and more, maybe due to the speed of the game or the need for talent and low cap hits.

I think he is going to be a great player for us, if we need him this year we have more problems than I thought.

Curious to see how he does, I'm sure he gets a taste before heading down to junior, probably lights up the OHL like Bennett and comes into camp next year a much more well rounded player.

[PeteMoss]

Funny thing - I don't think the Flames drafted Tkachuk thinking him playing a physical game. He's just competitive and plays hard. Really don't think they are expecting him to play like playoff Ferland while having the skill of a Monahan (and if he was he'd have been a top 3 pick).

[AC]

After watching him in Penticton, the Corey Perry comparisons are perfect IMO.

And I LOVE that possibility!

[FBI]

My issue is, what is Tkachuk going to learn in Junior?

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by FBI

My issue is, what is Tkachuk going to learn in Junior?

How to lead a team? How to be a teams #1 forward? This whole thing about players not being able to learn more in junior is such a joke, all kids that age have deficiencies in their game that they need to work on and the CHL is as good of a place as any to work on them.

[csnarpy]

Originally Posted by FBI

My issue is, what is Tkachuk going to learn in Junior?

Pretty sure we said this two years ago...

A lot of deja vu here, ala Monahan.

What a great conundrum to have.

[thymebalm]

After watching him in the Penticton tourney, I don't want to hear his name until the memorial cup next spring. Guy needs serious seasoning and to play way smarter.

This is by no means me writing him off as a prospect (he's going to be great) but the kid is as raw as they come right now.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Darren Pang gave Tkachuk a shout out during the Canada/USA world cup game as the next exciting young player eligible for team NA next time the tournament comes around.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by thymebalm

After watching him in the Penticton tourney, I don't want to hear his name until the memorial cup next spring. Guy needs serious seasoning and to play way smarter.

This is by no means me writing him off as a prospect (he's going to be great) but the kid is as raw as they come right now.

I think that is reading too much into the 3 game tournament with a bunch of prospects. Tkachuk plays better with good linemates. He played well with Jankowski but I think he plays a far better and more disciplined game once he gets into exhibition action. I don't think top prospects make or get cut from the NHL in that tournament. Give him some exhibition games with Monahan or Bennett and see how he plays.

Personally I still think he makes the team

[Enoch Root]

People have short memories. Did Tkachuk play like that in the playoffs or Memorial Cup when it mattered?

No, he was a star.

[GoJetsGo]

It's baffling (yet not that surprising) that there seems to be a seizable contingent of posters who have concluded he's best served going back to junior after 3 games in a prospect tourney where everyone was playing with new line-mates for the first time.

There's a whole training camp and pre-season against NHLers to see how he looks before judgments should be made.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by thymebalm

After watching him in the Penticton tourney, I don't want to hear his name until the memorial cup next spring. Guy needs serious seasoning and to play way smarter.

This is by no means me writing him off as a prospect (he's going to be great) but the kid is as raw as they come right now.

Wait till we see how guys like he and Jankowski perform in NHL main training camp before declaring whether someone's NHL ready or not.

It's stupid to declare anyone NHL ready or not NHL ready from this little tournament.

[GranteedEV]

Whether Tkachuk makes the team has very little to do with discipline and everything to do with whether he can generate offense during preseason. He is creating scoring chances and banging in goals during preseason, he will start game 1 on Sam Bennett's wing and get a tryout.

Doesn't mean he makes the team.

Sam Reinhart a couple years back who was a better prospect than Tkachuk had a 9 day tryout, and had 0 points and got sent down before an ELC slide year was burned.

Leon Draisaitl who was also a better prospect than Tkachuk got a 37 game tryout, only had 9 points, and got sent down before a UFA year was burned.

Will Tkachuk benefit from the extra year in Junior? IMO - NO. But does that mean he won't benefit from the extra year of training? That's a different story, a quicker, stronger more explosive Tkachuk has a better chance of making an impact in the NHL. There's the added benefit of starting him in Stockton in 2017-18 where they can work with him on on-ice details, because he is a December birthday like Poirier.

[JurassicTunga12]

dude was the best player on the ice in 2 of 3 games out of everyone. 3rd game was average, but nothing to make a big deal out of. He'll get 9 games, and then we'll see what happens. Love his drive.

[FlamesNation23]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Whether Tkachuk makes the team has very little to do with discipline and everything to do with whether he can generate offense during preseason. He is creating scoring chances and banging in goals during preseason, he will start game 1 on Sam Bennett's wing and get a tryout.

Doesn't mean he makes the team.

Sam Reinhart a couple years back who was a better prospect than Tkachuk had a 9 day tryout, and had 0 points and got sent down before an ELC slide year was burned.

Leon Draisaitl who was also a better prospect than Tkachuk got a 37 game tryout, only had 9 points, and got sent down before a UFA year was burned.

Will Tkachuk benefit from the extra year in Junior? IMO - NO. But does that mean he won't benefit from the extra year of training? That's a different story, a quicker, stronger more explosive Tkachuk has a better chance of making an impact in the NHL. There's the added benefit of starting him in Stockton in 2017-18 where they can work with him on on-ice details, because he is a December birthday like Poirier.

Highly debatable. I would argue Tkachuk had much more hype than Draisaitl.

[Vinny01]

One reason a lot of top prospects get sent back to junior has to do with their size and needing to fill out. If I am not mistaken Tkachuk is already north of 200lbs? He also turns 19 before the year is over so a bit of an older prospect considering he was drafted this past summer

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by FlamesNation23

Highly debatable. I would argue Tkachuk had much more hype than Draisaitl.

It is debatable. Drasaitl was one in the top tier when he was drafted that also j clouded Ekblad, Reinhart, and Bennett and usually ranked 4th in that group. Tkachuk was in the second tier of the 2016 draft with Dubois. His Memorial Cup did have people questioning how high he could go.