Matthew Frickin' Tkachuk!

[Geeoff]

Would've had a goal last night if that Wild defender didn't have a perfect butterfly.

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

Would've had a goal last night if that Wild defender didn't have a perfect butterfly.

And the empty net deflection off of Koivu that just barely hit his stick. He had a great game last night.

[schteve_d]

I am loving Tkachuk. The role he has taken is exactly what this team has needed for a long time, and it is fun to watch. I really missed having a player like that. Remember how much fun Villle Niemenen was to wastch? The Finn with the grin I think he was called!

That style of play will lead to penalties though and some of them will come at poor times which is something we'll have to learn to accept.

I will say though that to me, the headbutt is over the line and I'm not a fan of a play like that. I hope he can reign it in so that we can still defend his actions. it's a fine line that style of play. I want to be able to love him long time!

[PepsiFree]

So would we say he's a faster, harder hitting Joe Colborne? or basically Matt Stajan?

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Crazy that a teenaged Tkachuk leads the team in PIM's by 21 minutes over a 20 year old Sam Bennett. either the team is butter soft with vets or we drafted some psycho's.

I really like Tkachuk but he has taken quite a few bad penalties and I really wish he would play a little more responsibly and stay out of the penalty box. I'd like to see him cut the penalty time in half. Having him in the penalty box does the no good.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I really like Tkachuk but he has taken quite a few bad penalties and I really wish he would play a little more responsibly and stay out of the penalty box. I'd like to see him cut the penalty time in half. Having him in the penalty box does the no good.

I disagree. I think he's been a little undisciplined, but his penalties never seem to be of the lazy variety. He also gets called a lot, many of which aren't penalties called on more established players.

I think the number will naturally come down as he gets older, but I absolutely do not wish for him to change his game in the slightest. He excels because he plays on the edge and when you play on the edge, sometimes you step over. He plays a great game especially for a teenager.

[albertGQ]

He's playing the exact way I was hoping Sam Bennett would.

[jayswin]

tinordi - "management will send him down, it's an easy decision".

[Blaster86]

That headbutt was dirty as ####.

Glad to see he's doing that his favorite player would do given the opportunity.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

He's playing the exact way I was hoping Sam Bennett would.

I think Bennett fears being benched if he does.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I disagree. I think he's been a little undisciplined, but his penalties never seem to be of the lazy variety. He also gets called a lot, many of which aren't penalties called on more established players.

I think the number will naturally come down as he gets older, but I absolutely do not wish for him to change his game in the slightest. He excels because he plays on the edge and when you play on the edge, sometimes you step over. He plays a great game especially for a teenager.

He can still play a rough and tough game without taking some of the bad penalties. The head-butt in front of the net yesterday is one such penalty that he shouldn't be taking. It is completely unnecessary. I would say that around 1/4 of the penalties that I've seen him take so far this year and stupid penalties. He can still get physical in front of the net or after the whistle without ending up in the box.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by jayswin

tinordi - "management will send him down, it's an easy decision".

I thought he would be sent down as well. I was wrong as he's further in his development than I thought. Pretty impressive when you consider he only has a single WHL season under his belt. Draft lottery day was a pretty depressing day for Flames fans getting bumped down by the Jets but things really didn't work out too bad after all as Tkachuk has potential to be at least the 3rd best player of the top 10 players of this draft.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

He can still play a rough and tough game without taking some of the bad penalties. The head-butt in front of the net yesterday is one such penalty that he shouldn't be taking. It is completely unnecessary. I would say that around 1/4 of the penalties that I've seen him take so far this year and stupid penalties. He can still get physical in front of the net or after the whistle without ending up in the box.

In turn, taking penalties that get under the other team's skin will get him a reputation for being a dirt bag. Teams tend to go out of their way to attack dirt bags. Look at Koivu clocking him at one point. Getting other teams to take dumb penalties of their own will be the name of the game. Earning the reputation takes time though.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

He's playing the exact way I was hoping Sam Bennett would.

Bennett hasn't been the same since being benched but I think this funk is a short term thing and he will be a better player in the long run.

[Brick]

Zucker used the butt end of his stick to hit Giordano in the head during last night's game. That was worse than anything that Tkachuk did. Sometimes, someone has to give back some of what the other team is dishing out. Give the kid some credit.

[flambers]

I thought Tkachuk played a really good game, Wild took 3 penalities against him.

Created Backlund's goal, was really unlucky not to score.

1st penalty in the offensive zone was bad luck,

2nd penalty in the third was a bad play.

[getbak]

I liked Gulutzan's quote today about Tkachuk playing on the edge: "You'd rather tame a mustang than beat a mule."

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by getbak

I liked Gulutzan's quote today about Tkachuk playing on the edge: "You'd rather tame a mustang than beat a mule."

Reminds me of Todd Button talking about Poirier on some podcast. Essentially he said the same thing about Poirier - that you can teach a kid who is too aggressive to calm down a bit, but you can't usually get a passive guy to suddenly become more aggressive. Something like that.

At any rate, I don't mind Tkachuk acting up and going 'over that line' sometimes. No more headbutts I hope, but he is a player that just plays right on that edge, and if he can get away with it, he will go over that edge without hesitating, hoping that the other team responds over that edge as well.

It really is working, and it is nice to have some emotion in the games again.

[MarkGio]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Reminds me of Todd Button talking about Poirier on some podcast. Essentially he said the same thing about Poirier - that you can teach a kid who is too aggressive to calm down a bit, but you can't usually get a passive guy to suddenly become more aggressive. Something like that.

At any rate, I don't mind Tkachuk acting up and going 'over that line' sometimes. No more headbutts I hope, but he is a player that just plays right on that edge, and if he can get away with it, he will go over that edge without hesitating, hoping that the other team responds over that edge as well.

It really is working, and it is nice to have some emotion in the games again.

If Poirer uses his speed and edge at the NHL level, he could be a regular in the Flames line-up. The Flames could have themselves a 2011-12 Bruins-type roster if some of our edgy players pan out

[zukes]

Originally Posted by schteve_d

I am loving Tkachuk. The role he has taken is exactly what this team has needed for a long time, and it is fun to watch. I really missed having a player like that. Remember how much fun Villle Niemenen was to wastch? The Finn with the grin I think he was called!

That style of play will lead to penalties though and some of them will come at poor times which is something we'll have to learn to accept.

I will say though that to me, the headbutt is over the line and I'm not a fan of a play like that. I hope he can reign it in so that we can still defend his actions. it's a fine line that style of play. I want to be able to love him long time!

I agree, and disagree. A guy like this has to cross the line at times so the opposition knows that is a possibility. It's not like there was intent to injure with the head-butt, but it sends a message. If it were violent, I would agree.