What's Up With Matthew Tkachuk?

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

I've been feeling more and more like there's a deep locker room rift that we're not entirely privy too. Guys have noticeably stopped supporting eachother in scrums on the ice as much, lack of consistent effort in other areas, way less smiles and yucking on the bench, and finally the strange rumblings we keep getting of players not wanting to play in certain positions (or maybe is it with certain other players...)

Something isn't right and it's not just with individual player compete level. Smells bad.

Or it could be that scrums, and energy are fueled by fans in the buildings. Some teams have adapted more quickly than the Flames. Not every problem is evidence of a crisis.

[howard_the_duck]

I've been out on MT for awhile.

His antics have surpassed his game, and the 'intangibles' have inflated his value to this fanbase and management team.

Matt Cooke could 'drag teammates into the fight', too.

It would be one thing if his game over compensated for the antics, but when the on-ice performance falls the antics can be...kind of cringeworthy as a fan? I personally have a hard time cheering for him even when he's at his best.

[DazzlinDino]

Originally Posted by New Era

You're assuming we have a coach who has control of the room. Not sure if you've been paying attention to this season so far, but Geoff Ward is struggling to control his emotions let alone the hockey team he is supposed to be coaching.

I think you know we don't have the right coach to use this situation as a stepping stone. A proper coach would not have let the Matt situation become an issue. Guys would have been challenged and Maybe Matt asked to tone down a bit (until the next Toronto game!).

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

I've been out on MT for awhile.

His antics have surpassed his game, and the 'intangibles' have inflated his value to this fanbase and management team.

Matt Cooke could 'drag teammates into the fight', too.

It would be one thing if his game over compensated for the antics, but when the on-ice performance falls the antics can be...kind of cringeworthy as a fan? I personally have a hard time cheering for him even when he's at his best.

One problem with Tkachuk can be when he drags the opponent in to the fight.

Not everybody comes unglued like the guy in Edmonton. He can give other teams bulletin board material

[CSharp]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

He’s played the better part of five seasons with Backlund as his centre. Lindholm is probably better, but he may not be a good fit with Tkachuk. Ward reunited Backlund and Tkachuk last year, guess we wait and see if it happens again...

I was just thinking the same. I think Backlund is totally underrated and has become a staple for the Flames second/third line center.

[Young Guns]

If teammates are getting tired of his antics or not willing to get involved after the play then that sounds like they're part of the problem. These thing are what makes him such a unique player. What makes him one of the most hated players in the league by all but Flames fans. Wish more players on this team would show half as much emotion once in awhile.

I hope he never stops with the antics we become accustomed to because it is part of what makes him a great player.

He is a poor skater though and watching him skate right now almost seems like an endurance problem. Looks absolutely gassed and backchecking is a chore.

[jg13]

If there is a problem in that room that involves Tkachuk which I have to believe there is I could see him being shipped out sooner than we think.

I really hope not but something needs to be done they cant keep playing this garbage uninspired hockey. You can blame the coach, he's not great.. but theres more to it than that i sense.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by jg13

If there is a problem in that room that involves Tkachuk which I have to believe there is I could see him being shipped out sooner than we think.

I really hope not but something needs to be done they cant keep playing this garbage uninspired hockey. You can blame the coach, he's not great.. but theres more to it than that i sense.

I mean, it's hard to explain why the player who had, since he was drafted, looked like he cared more about winning than any Flame in recent history, has suddenly stopped caring.

Maybe the coach isn't to blame here but this is weird stuff.

[Wastedyouth]

Lol.


The jumping to of conclusions in this thread is a hilarious read.

[jg13]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I mean, it's hard to explain why the player who had, since he was drafted, looked like he cared more about winning than any Flame in recent history, has suddenly stopped caring.

Maybe the coach isn't to blame here but this is weird stuff.

Exactly. Combined with the timing of the Muzzin incident and the players only meeting.. I can't help but think of the worst case scenario.

[stang]

Originally Posted by troutman

This is just a theory, I have no inside information, but I think he may be rubbing some team-mates the wrong way.

As Strider said to Frodo: You draw far too much attention to yourself, Mr. Underhill.

I have no inside info, but I would bet that it may be Lucic instead of Gio. There were some rumblings that were mostly kept quiet that he alienated some of the Oilers younger players while he was here. Again just a guess, but putting some pieces going back to last year too.

[wired]

I think the coaching staff has totally lost the room. It’s not all on them, but Ward is not the guy to lead this group.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Lol.


The jumping to of conclusions in this thread is a hilarious read.

I haven't seen anyone jump to any conclusions. We are speculating based on available evidence. What are you doing here?

[wired]

Reading other posts, I see the logic in people’s thoughts that MT may not want to play in Calgary anymore.

[Coach]

Tkachuk needs a reminder that nothing pisses a team off more than a player like him scoring goals against them. Stirring the pot is only part of his game. And sometimes, things just need to simmer.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Young Guns

If teammates are getting tired of his antics or not willing to get involved after the play then that sounds like they're part of the problem. These thing are what makes him such a unique player. What makes him one of the most hated players in the league by all but Flames fans. Wish more players on this team would show half as much emotion once in awhile.

I hope he never stops with the antics we become accustomed to because it is part of what makes him a great player.

He is a poor skater though and watching him skate right now almost seems like an endurance problem. Looks absolutely gassed and backchecking is a chore.

It may be part of what makes him great. But it’s a small part, and it’s threatening to become a bigger detriment, because it works against him more and more often.

As for his teammates, let’s see you have to join in a scrum with a huge D man because your linemate decided to take a few shots at a goalie after the whistle or “accidentally” fall on him. It’s fine every so often, but I think they were just telling him that he needs to pick the moments better. I can see how it would get old defending a teammate who is in the wrong half the time, and when it fires up the other team just as much as your own.

In the Muzzin thing, all the guys on the ice were there with him - it’s not like they skated away. Only the guys who didn’t even see it left. And he way overreacted anyway. He did exactly what he hopes the other team does when he does a jerky thing.

[Flamesfan2010]

Not sure if It’s true or not, but I heard a rumour that the team told him every night can’t be a riot during the players only meeting


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[bzoo02]

Trade him to Ottawa for Tim Stützle and a 2nd.

The media and league love their brother combos.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by bzoo02

Trade him to Ottawa for Tim Stützle and a 2nd.

The media and league love their brother combos.

I think it would be the Flames adding picks. Stützle has a much higher ceiling. No way they trade him for Matthew.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Listening to Sarich on the fan, and he said something interesting. He said that maybe Tkachuk is tired of being the only one that is giving his all, that there are some players that pick and choose when they want to give a damn. I think this an interesting point, and something that I have been feeling myself.

It’s not like Tkachuk has had this zero-effort level the whole entire season thus far. It just started post Muzzin fiasco. Maybe Tkachuk is upset that he was the only one that was giving his all.