Youngest Tkachuk goes fourth overall
Keith Tkachuk was taken 19th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1990 NHL Draft. Older son, Matthew, went sixth overall in 2016. Youngest son, Brady, topped both when the Ottawa Senators used their No. 4 selection in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft to pick the gritty forward from Boston University. This was only one of the reasons why Brady Tkachuk was grinning from ear to ear after hearing his name called at the American Arena in Dallas on June 22.
“The weight is off my shoulders and (Matthew) will definitely hear about it later,” Brady Tkachuk said in an interview session with various media outlets after being selected. “He was just proud and I’m so happy right now. It feels good. I know I’m going to give it a bit to Matthew and my dad a bit. After today, I’m going to keep training and getting ready.”
Tkachuk was thrilled to be chosen by the Senators and was scheduled to attend the club’s development camp the last week of June at the Canadian Tire Center.
“There was a lot of speculation in the last couple of days, and I read a lot of things in the last couple of days to see if I could get a clear (picture),” Tkachuk said. “I’m super excited and happy to celebrate this with my family and friends.”
Tkachuk was one of five potential draftees who visited Ottawa in early June. He left impressed with the organization and facilities. Apparently the feeling was very mutual.
“They’re run by great management, they have great facilities and I was happy leaving there, and it was a place I wanted to go,” Tkachuk said.
Tkachuk is a physical, old-school type power forward, similar in style to his father, Keith. He’s not afraid to raise his elbows, chop with his stick or get his nose dirty – exactly the type of player the Senators need. The big question now is whether Tkachuk will be ready to make the jump to the NHL next season. He has only one year of college hockey experience and was not certain if he would return to Boston or possibly play junior hockey in the 2018-2019 campaign. Most experts believe another year in school probably would assist in his continued development.
The London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League drafted him in the fourth round in 2015.
“We didn’t really talk about that during the visit,” Tkachuk said. “We’re just trying to take it day-to-day and just enjoying the moment. “I’ll talk to them and my parents and then decide what’s best.”
There is no doubt he wants to get to the NHL. It is safe to say probably sooner rather than later.
“It’s a big goal of mine to be in the NHL, but I don’t want to rush it either. I’m going to decide what’s best in the long run,” Tkachuk said.
“We were ecstatic,” said GM Pierre Dorion at the same media conference in Dallas. “At our pick, we talked in the last few days about character, accountability and leadership and we know Brady Tkachuk brings a lot of these elements to the table. We feel he’s going to be an integral part of our team and it could be as soon as this coming September.”
Chief scout Trent Mann described Tkachuk as an all-around player.
“He brings a lot of pieces to his game. He brings offense, size, character and he’s good in all three zones. He can make plays. At the end of the day, he drags you into the fight whether you want to be there or not,” Mann said.
Tkachuk has some buddies in the Ottawa organization and he was in touch with them in the days heading into the draft. Growing up in St. Louis he knows Chris Wideman. He’s also close friends with Senators top prospects Logan Brown and Colin White. It was White who was teasing Tkachuk about getting ready to play for Ottawa.
Tkachuk admitted to nervousness and it was a challenge to keep himself busy with friends and family on the day of the draft.
“I was shaking a bit because I was so excited,” he said. “I was nervous a bit going on stage because I didn’t want to trip on the steps or anything. When I got up there it was surreal and a dream come true.”
TKACHUK TIDBITS: Older brother, Calgary Flames antagonist Matthew, is leery of facing him in the NHL. His tough, mature game stood out at the 2018 World Juniors (seven points in seven games) where he was trusted in last minute situations. At 18 he was one of the younger players in college hockey in 2017-2018, finishing fourth in scoring at BU, proving he can succeed against older competition. He may need another year to fill out physically and smooth out his skating before jumping to the NHL. One NHL scout believes he could join the AHL as a teenager in 2018-2019.
Hutsko goes in third round
Logan Hutsko was selected 89th overall in the third round by the Florida Panthers at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Hutsko was eligible for the 2017 draft, but wasn’t picked due to a variety of injuries. There are probably many teams wishing they had spent a later round pick on the reigning Hockey East Rookie of the Year back in 2017. His stock dropped simply because he had played hardly any hockey prior to the 2017-2018 season. In 2016-2017, he saw action in a mere nine games and pro scouts were unable to get a read on him.
A year later he dressed in 37 games in his freshman season at Boston College, posting 31 points. Hutsko displayed elite hockey sense and an ability to create offense in many different ways. Taking into consideration how little hockey he has played the past few seasons, it is very possible Hutsko has even more to offer than he showed in 2017-2018. The Panthers certainly agree on this point.
Kings select Dudas
Aidan Dudas is a speedy, 5-foot-7 scorer who likes to use his shot and make plays, but is reliable defensively and can do what’s necessary to move from the defensive zone into offensive mode. His defensive game needs refining as being a smaller player he needs to be smart in his own zone, use his stick well and strive for good body position.
Dudas was picked by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of the 2018 draft. He met with the Kings twice and knows fellow prospect Gabriel Vilardi from prior battles in junior hockey. He was a late add to the Top Prospects Game and credited that experience as helping his development in 2017-2018. He fell slightly short of averaging a point per game with Owen Sound (31 goals + 34 assists = 65 points in 68 games) and had an abbreviated performance with Team Canada’s U-18 squad.
Champs pick Florchuk last overall
The Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals wrapped up the 2018 NHL Draft in Dallas by making Ukrainian Eric Florchuk the NHL’s Mr. Irrelevant. Florchuk had the dishonor of being the very last selection in the seventh and final round.
Florchuk’s two seasons in the Western Hockey League saw him play for the Victoria Royals and Saskatoon Blades. In 2017-2018, skating with both teams, he tallied 16 goals and 33 assists in 71 games. Notably, the Caps drafted four players from the WHL in this draft, due in part to Capitals assistant GM Ross Mahoney’s extensive connections in the league as he once coached the Regina Pats.
Ihor Stelmach may be reached at [email protected].