LW Matthew Tkachuk (2016, 6th, CGY) II

[OvermanKingGainer]

He is just an awesome player. Plays like a veteran at 19. Does everything out there. Flames are very fortunate he dropped to 6.

There was a play, I think to open up the third, where the puck landed on his stick in the defensive high slot. Every single winger on our roster from Gaudreau to Bouma would have played hot potato, but what does Tkachuk do? Takes one lateral step into open space and ignites a clean breakout.

If we had a few more Matthew Tkachuks we would be a title contender.

 

[snipes]

Kid is a very good hockey player. I have no reason to compliment him, but he's impressed me.

Objective analysis should always take priority, he's an excellent player.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Kid is a very good hockey player. I have no reason to compliment him, but he's impressed me.

Objective analysis should always take priority, he's an excellent player.

I am in awe of how good his whole game is. Such a fun player to watch and is impressing the hell outta me every night

 

[Wats]

It's amazing how the London Knights trio of Christian Dvorak, Marner, and Tkachuk all looking like they'll pan out into great players. Usually you'll see one or two guys not doing too well at next level but in this case it really looks like they all were great.

 

[BDizzle*]

Tkachuk is a beaut. I have no reason to praise him due to no attachments. But he definitely impresses me and is a thrill to watch. I wish there were more players like him in the league (or he was on my team)

 

[93LEAFS]

It's amazing how the London Knights trio of Christian Dvorak, Marner, and Tkachuk all looking like they'll pan out into great players. Usually you'll see one or two guys not doing too well at next level but in this case it really looks like they all were great.

I'd wait a bit before including Dvorak in the group with the top 2. I hope he makes it, but he's only been decent this year. Hard to judge because he's been juggled around so much, but the other two are excelling right now.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I'll say this about Tkachuk, I'd deal Gaudreau before I dealt him. He's that good.

 

[L13]

I'll say this about Tkachuk, I'd deal Gaudreau before I dealt him. He's that good.

Uh, no, he's not that good actually. Jesus.

 

[Major Happy*]

I'll say this about Tkachuk, I'd deal Gaudreau before I dealt him. He's that good.

Yikes. Glad you're not the GM.

 

[Ducks Nation*]

I'll say this about Tkachuk, I'd deal Gaudreau before I dealt him. He's that good.

lol.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Really not sure what's so funny about that. Gaudreau is and will always be the more prolific scorer, but that's literally all he offers other than some solid defensive turnovers. I love Gaudreau as much as any Flames fan and it would be moronic to move him unless the return is someone like a Benn. But Tkachuk has an equal IQ, constantly drives the play, he's going to be unstoppable down low, and he's big, and he draws penalties (even more than Johnny), he agitates, and he's a guys that stirs the game and can swing momentum by the style he plays.

As great as Johnny is at scoring, Tkachuk offers more in terms of overall play and I think everyone underestimated his offensive upside. In 2 seasons the majority of Flames fans will agree when he's closer to the player he's going to be.

 

[Grub]

Sucks being a Canucks fan when the 2 previous draft you get a chance to draft the Best Player Available and you decide to go cute.

Virtanen over Ehlers or Nylander
Juolevi over Tkachuk.

Although the Virtanen is an obvious lost, I'm still hoping Juolevi pans out, but man would still rather have Tkachuk who is making an impact right now.

 

[syz]

Plus he's great for PIMs if your pool counts those.

 

[L13]

Really not sure what's so funny about that. Gaudreau is and will always be the more prolific scorer, but that's literally all he offers other than some solid defensive turnovers. I love Gaudreau as much as any Flames fan and it would be moronic to move him unless the return is someone like a Benn. But Tkachuk has an equal IQ, constantly drives the play, he's going to be unstoppable down low, and he's big, and he draws penalties (even more than Johnny), he agitates, and he's a guys that stirs the game and can swing momentum by the way plays.

As great as Johnny is at scoring, Tkachuk offers more in terms of overall play and I think everyone underestimated his offensive upside. In 2 seasons the majority of Flames fans will agree when he's closer to the player he's going to be.

I won't even address the majority of Tkachuk's supposed advantages over Gaudreau seeing as they either describe his playing style, not his effectiveness as a player--seriously, "Gaudreau will always outscore Tkachuk, but Tkachuk is more valuable to the team because he's big"?!?!?!-- or are flat-out untrue, but citing penalty-drawing as an advantage while neglecting to mention that Tkachuk also takes many more penalties than Gaudreau, meaning that Tkachuk's penalty differential is negative while Gaudreau's is positive, is disingenuous in the extreme.

 

[lawrence]

Sucks being a Canucks fan when the 2 previous draft you get a chance to draft the Best Player Available and you decide to go cute.

Virtanen over Ehlers or Nylander
Juolevi over Tkachuk.

Although the Virtanen is an obvious lost, I'm still hoping Juolevi pans out, but man would still rather have Tkachuk who is making an impact right now.

Haydn Fleury was the last guy to be drafted before Ehlers and Nylander. Not Virtanen. Michael Dal Cole is not turning heads either.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I won't even address the majority of Tkachuk's supposed advantages over Gaudreau seeing as they either describe his playing style, not his effectiveness as a player--seriously, "Gaudreau will always outscore Tkachuk, but Tkachuk is more valuable to the team because he's big"?!?!?!-- or are flat-out untrue, but citing penalty-drawing as an advantage while neglecting to mention that Tkachuk also takes many more penalties than Gaudreau, meaning that Tkachuk's penalty differential is negative while Gaudreau's is positive, is disingenuous in the extreme.

You're entitled to your opinion, as I am to mine and I'm positive most fans will feel the way I do eventually. When you have a guy on a team, that other teams target for retribution instead of winning the game, then you're okay with those penalties. Gulutzan has even said he wants the Flames to play a certain way, a heavy game and he said he wants around 3 penalties a game, and that's exactly why you're seeing Tkachuk given such a valuable role. The fact that a kid, his age as a rookie is impacting games to the level he is, and is one of the team leaders for points, is extremely impressive.

Offence is obviously of high importance and luckily the Flames do not have to choose between the 2. However to me it's clear who's going to be the Flames most valuable player going forward. I would take a 65-70pt Tkachuk over a 80-85pt Gaudreau if push came to shove.

 

[izzy]

Sucks being a Canucks fan when the 2 previous draft you get a chance to draft the Best Player Available and you decide to go cute.

Virtanen over Ehlers or Nylander
Juolevi over Tkachuk.

Although the Virtanen is an obvious lost, I'm still hoping Juolevi pans out, but man would still rather have Tkachuk who is making an impact right now.

Yeah the Virtanen pick is looking brutal, but Juolevi still had ridiculous upside

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

You can't really compare Juolevi and Tkachuk. Unless you're a man child like Ekblad, Dman take longer to develop. The Nucks felt they needed a franchise Dman more and those players don't get moved, so that's why that pick was made.

 

[93LEAFS]

Sucks being a Canucks fan when the 2 previous draft you get a chance to draft the Best Player Available and you decide to go cute.

Virtanen over Ehlers or Nylander
Juolevi over Tkachuk.

Although the Virtanen is an obvious lost, I'm still hoping Juolevi pans out, but man would still rather have Tkachuk who is making an impact right now.

You skipped over 2015, where they drafted Boeser and Konecny went next. Not that, that was a bad pick, but what you described didn't happen in consecutive drafts.

As for Juolevi vs Tkachuk, let's wait this one out a bit. It is going to be hard for Juolevi to gain ground on Tkachuk, but he absolutely has top pairing potential. Juolevi's hasn't made the offensive jump some have been hoping for, but I don't think he's tracking at all like Virtanen has post draft.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Tkachuk is incredible. Calgary is so lucky he fell to 6th.