Mention Calgary Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk’s name and the following adjectives will be immediately heard: gritty, tough, fiery, skilled and irritating. He’s a part of one of the best lines in hockey, is becoming a deflection specialist, gets under everyone’s skin and had 20-plus goals this past season. So, what is it he cannot do? Well, be his team’s captain, that’s what. At least for now.
For now the “C” is worn by Flames defenseman Mark Giordano. No doubt, however, the lovable (and extremely disliked at the same time) 20-year-old is projecting as the next heir to the throne of Calgary’s captaincy. Tkachuk’s bursting onto the scene has nullified the notion that Sean Monahan was next in line for the team’s top leadership role. Monahan was made an alternate captain at the young age of 21, back in 2015-2016.
The way he plays and acts, one would expect nothing less from Tkachuk. No. 19 is quickly earning a reputation as one of the toughest to play against while clearly becoming a leader in the Flames locker room. He steps up and assumes responsibility for a loss, while challenging his teammates to be better. The manner in which he speaks for his team in post-game interviews implies he is part of the leadership group.
Tkachuk is becoming a stalwart in the Calgary community. Whenever the Flames are involved in a charity event, hospital visit or fan appreciation opportunity, Tkachuk is always an eager contributor.
The youngster plays hard and smart. When he is rustling things up in front of the opposition’s net, it is a tactic with a purpose beyond angering the opponent. The mentality is do whatever you can to help your team win. This is a captain’s mentality. Play for the crest on the front of your jersey, not the name on the back. Giordano’s play revolves around this saying. As he continues to learn the NHL game, Tkachuk is doing the same.
Calgary struck gold with the sixth overall selection in the 2016 NHL Draft. He is already a complete hockey player, but he’s only going to get bigger, stronger, better and smarter.
His father, Keith, was a long-time NHL captain. Thus, Captain Tkachuk sounds pretty familiar.
Igniting and impacting his Flames
If Tkachuk is not already the Calgary Flames’ most important player, he will be soon. The three-year pro has firmly cemented himself as one of the club’s most crucial pieces and this with less than 300 NHL games under his belt. There is no doubt the Flames are a different team without Tkachuk in the line-up, both on and off the ice.
Everyone knew Keith Tkachuk’s son was a good player, but what was not known was how much of an impact Matthew would make at the NHL level. It did not take long to find out. For almost his entire rookie year Tkachuk was buried with defensive zone starts, going head-to-head against the opposition’s top lines. To see him thrive in these scenarios was not something anyone could have predicted. Certainly rookies don’t usually excel in the situations Tkachuk faced early in his career.
For the average newcomer, coming away even in plus/minus would be deemed a success playing in a top shutdown role. Tkachuk, way better than average, took it a step further and produced at an impressive rate. In 2016-2017, he tallied 13 goals and 48 points in 76 games with a +/- ratio of plus-14, solid numbers in a rookie campaign, let alone taking into consideration his line’s role as a shutdown unit. In his sophomore year he improved to 24 goals and 49 points in only 68 games. This past season he scored 34 goals with 43 assists for 77 points in 80 games, leading Calgary to the top seed in the Western Conference. Since joining the Flames, Tkachuk has been one of the team’s top even strength performers, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. He found a great home on the 3M Line with Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik.
He’s also an absolute menace to play against, rapidly making enemies around the league. His ability to agitate and infuriate the opposition helps his team as shown by the amount of penalties he’s drawn since turning pro. Only Edmonton’s Connor McDavid drew more penalties than Tkachuk did in 2016-2017. Granted he also takes more than his share of penalties, but that number should come down in time. Eventually he will receive more benefit of the doubt from officials as he becomes more established as a player. The fact he draws more penalties than he takes makes him a big asset.
An untouchable with high IQ
On the ice the guy burns to win, and winning is the most important thing to him. He hates to lose more than he loves to win. He works as hard as anyone, he’ll go through a wall for a fellow Flame, he doesn’t yell at referees after penalty calls and admits to his mistakes. He is the epitome of leading by example.
A list of “untouchable” players on the Calgary Flames would include forwards Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Backlund and defenseman Noah Hanifan, all crucial to the organization’s future. However, the entire Tkachuk package might make him the team’s most important player right now.
His offensive skill and competitiveness were no shock, but his sense of defensive awareness was a most pleasant surprise and likely the biggest reason he made the pro ranks at age 18. Most young standouts haven’t been forced to work on that part of their game before turning pro. The young Tkachuk has a sense of the 200-foot game either from inheriting his successful NHL father’s genes or his God-given intelligence. It’s his hockey IQ that has the Flames believing they’ve found a cornerstone power winger.
TKACHUK TIDBITS: Born December 11, 1997, in Scottsdale, Ariz., he grew up in St. Louis, Mo. He is 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, and he attended Chaminade College Prep School prior to joining the U.S. National Development Team. He played one year of junior hockey with London, scoring 107 points in 57 games, fifth best in the OHL.
Ihor Stelmach may be reached at [email protected].