Player Discussion Brady Tkachuk: Episode 4 - A new hope

[DaveMatthew]

You build around your franchise players. The chabots, karlssons stones, kakkos, and hughes.

Not the Wayne Simmonds and Brady Tkachuks. And you sure as hell don't draft the Brady Tkachuks 4th overall in place of said franchise players.

Just idiot GMing.

There's no one way to build a team. Just because he's not as much flash, Brady Tkachuk is going to be incredibly valuable and is definitely a player you can build around.

What you mean to say is that you can't build around 1 or 2 players. If you're going to be a great team, you need to build around 3, 4 or 5 players. Tkachuk can definitely be one of the 3-4-5, just like his brother is in Calgary.

It's funny how you list Stone as one of those stars but discount Tkachuk, when they both share many of the same strengths and flaws (especially skating). Stone isn't a "skilled" player per-se like Kucherov or Marner, but he's extremely valuable.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

Well yeah I just mean that you can't have Brady as being the guy, or even one of the top 3 guy on your team, or you're in trouble.

Brady is a guy who supplements your top guys. He can't carry his own line and he needs a player like Stone to push the game so he can be at his best. He's definitley a great and unique player to have on your team. But just not someone that you isolate as being the star power of a team.

Basically he's a complimentary player and he should be the 4th or 5th best forward on a team that is serious about winning a cup.

 

[DaveMatthew]

Well yeah I just mean that you can't have Brady as being the guy, or even one of the top 3 guy on your team, or you're in trouble.

Brady is a guy who supplements your top guys. He can't carry his own line and he needs a player like Stone to push the game so he can be at his best. He's definitley a great and unique player to have on your team. But just not someone that you isolate as being the star power of a team.

When he was 18, Stone also wasn't a guy who could carry his own line.

He developed into that.

I see many of the same qualities in Tkachuk. He's extremely smart, and for a guy who will be one of the bigger players on any team, has very soft hands. Definitely still has a lot of work to do, but I safely project him to be a consistent 65-75 point player who's tough to play against.

A good way to understand the quality of a player is by asking who opposing teams are going to worry about playing most. Tkachuk will be one of those guys, because he will affect the game in many different ways.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

When he was 18, Stone also wasn't a guy who could carry his own line.

He developed into that.

I see many of the same qualities in Tkachuk. He's extremely smart, and for a guy who will be one of the bigger players on any team, has very soft hands. Definitely still has a lot of work to do, but I safely project him to be a consistent 65-75 point player who's tough to play against.

A good way to understand the quality of a player is by asking who opposing teams are going to worry about playing most. Tkachuk will be one of those guys, because he will affect the game in many different ways.

I'd love to see him become like Stone but I doubt it. I don't see the same awareness for the game in Brady. I don't see the same awareness in Brady's game that Matthew Tkachuck has either.

Both those guys are line drivers and you could see they were line drivers in juniors and in their early pro careers.

I don't see that in Brady.

 

[DaveMatthew]

I'd love to see him become like Stone but I doubt it. I don't see the same awareness for the game in Brady.

I don't see the same awareness in Brady's game that Matthew Tkachuck has either. Both those guys are line drivers and you could see they were line drivers in juniors and in their early pro careers.

I don't see that in Brady.

In junior Matthew Tkachuk played on a line with Mitch Marner, so he wasn't exactly driving anything on his own.

I guess we'll have to disagree. I certainly see Tkachuk as someone who will be the best player on his line, and I think he ends up as more of a setup man than a goal scorer.

He's not there yet, but he's 18 years old.

 

[Speatleysson]

Well before any of that happens brady needs to work on his skating. Slow pokes don't play on top lines in today's nhl. Saying that, he is just 18 and is projected to meet those expectations.

 

[Answer]

Well before any of that happens brady needs to work on his skating. Slow pokes don't play on top lines in today's nhl. Saying that, he is just 18 and is projected to meet those expectations.

Now people will compare him with Mark Stone, yet again. Like there is a divine revelation that Tkachuk will be the next Mark Stone. Not realizing that Mark Stone skill-set and IQ level is very rare and unique

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

In junior Matthew Tkachuk played on a line with Mitch Marner, so he wasn't exactly driving anything on his own.

I guess we'll have to disagree. I certainly see Tkachuk as someone who will be the best player on his line, and I think he ends up as more of a setup man than a goal scorer.

He's not there yet, but he's 18 years old.

Yup and he’s done nothing but surpass all expectations this year. He’s very underrated skill wise.

 

[Masked]

I'd love to see him become like Stone but I doubt it. I don't see the same awareness for the game in Brady. I don't see the same awareness in Brady's game that Matthew Tkachuck has either.

Both those guys are line drivers and you could see they were line drivers in juniors and in their early pro careers.

I don't see that in Brady.

Brady is putting up a rookie season comparable to his brother and better than his father's first NHL season. He's going to be the biggest one in the family. Would you build a team around Cam Neely?

 

[Answer]

Brady is putting up a rookie season comparable to his brother and better than his father's first NHL season. He's going to be the biggest one in the family. Would you build a team around Cam Neely?

Matthew Tkachuk can skate and shoot better than Brady. Other skill-sets are pretty similar. With that said, he is not PPG player, his stats are inflated by his line-mates

Just like that Brady's stats are inflated by playing significant minutes with Mark Stone for the entire year. I won't put any stock on his "more points that Matthew's rookie season".

Both seem like a 60-point players at best (only if they are playing with skilled line-mates). Neither will carry a line, if they are the best player on their line.

 

[alfstheman]

Now people will compare him with Mark Stone, yet again. Like there is a divine revelation that Tkachuk will be the next Mark Stone. Not realizing that Mark Stone skill-set and IQ level is very rare and unique

I find Batherson as someone who sees the game similar to Stone. Both smart and skilled but not flashy. Tkachuk is still very raw. He could turn into a ppg player or simply be a complimentary player needing more skilled players to jive with. Could go either way, at 18 most arent even ready for ahl let alone nhl so time will tell

 

[Answer]

I find Batherson as someone who sees the game similar to Stone. Both smart and skilled but not flashy. Tkachuk is still very raw. He could turn into a ppg player or simply be a complimentary player needing more skilled players to jive with. Could go either way, at 18 most arent even ready for ahl let alone nhl so time will tell

Yes I see Batherson's skill set more similar too Stone's as well. Maybe not as smart and 2-way savvy as Stone, but on the flip side he could be more flashy offensively

 

[Micklebot]

Matthew Tkachuk can skate and shoot better than Brady. Other skill-sets are pretty similar. With that said, he is not PPG player, his stats are inflated by his line-mates

Just like that Brady's stats are inflated by playing significant minutes with Mark Stone for the entire year. I won't put any stock on his "more points that Matthew's rookie season".

Both seem like a 60-point players at best (only if they are playing with skilled line-mates). Neither will carry a line, if they are the best player on their line.

Are you seriously suggesting that Matt Tkachuk's linemates, Backlund and Frolund/Bennett, are inflating his stats?

 

[Speatleysson]

Brady is putting up a rookie season comparable to his brother and better than his father's first NHL season. He's going to be the biggest one in the family. Would you build a team around Cam Neely?

I know I'll take flack for this but Brady is a 2nd-3rd liner. He is not going to be mark stone nor is he going to be his brother. Aside from the sens boards, not much talk about Brady at all. I can see him becoming our nazem kadri/skilled grinder going forward.

 

[alfstheman]

Are you seriously suggesting that Matt Tkachuk's linemates, Backlund and Frolund/Bennett, are inflating his stats?

He is on Calgary's 1st pp is pretty too which is a monster line. 23 pts on pp out of 61 pts total (tkchuk-monahan-gaudrau, giordano-lindholm)

 

[Melgene Eunyk]

I know I'll take flack for this but Brady is a 2nd-3rd liner. He is not going to be mark stone nor is he going to be his brother. Aside from the sens boards, not much talk about Brady at all. I can see him becoming our nazem kadri/skilled grinder going forward.

Even as an 18/19 year old rookie playing on a garbage team, he's producing around a second line level. And no, not all of his points are a result of playing with stone. With the grinding, physical, netfront game he plays, he will improve significantly as he puts on weight. He will be a second liner as a minimum.

 

[Speatleysson]

Even as an 18/19 year old rookie playing on a garbage team, he's producing around a second line level. And no, not all of his points are a result of playing with stone. With the grinding, physical, netfront game he plays, he will improve significantly as he puts on weight. He will be a second liner as a minimum.

Don't get me wrong, I hope you're right. I want him to be that, he just lacks that hustle in his step that is needed in today's nhl.

 

[guyzeur]

I know I'll take flack for this but Brady is a 2nd-3rd liner. He is not going to be mark stone nor is he going to be his brother. Aside from the sens boards, not much talk about Brady at all. I can see him becoming our nazem kadri/skilled grinder going forward.

How many times he was the reason a goal was scored because he was standing in the net but didn't get on the score sheet.

And like Stone, he may very well be excellent to get the puck back cause he crashed someone on the board and cause other players will be scared to get near him.

You can be an effective hockey player without being Mark Stone.

 

[h2]

Don't get me wrong, I hope you're right. I want him to be that, he just lacks that hustle in his step that is needed in today's nhl.

He's 19, weaknesses can be improved. All things considered, I think it's fair to say BT has exceeded expectations this year. BT's vision is underrated and he'll be more of a playmaker than goalscorer IMO.

 

[Speatleysson]

How many times he was the reason a goal was scored because he was standing in the net but didn't get on the score sheet.

Maybe the same amount of times he's been immobile in the defensive zone and caused a puck to go in our net? I'm not sure they don't collect that stat... all I'm saying is that we shouldn't over-hype him

 

[h2]

Maybe the same amount of times he's been immobile in the defensive zone and caused a puck to go in our net? I'm not sure they don't collect that stat... all I'm saying is that we shouldn't over-hype him

nor should we be downplaying him

 

[Masked]

Even as an 18/19 year old rookie playing on a garbage team, he's producing around a second line level. And no, not all of his points are a result of playing with stone. With the grinding, physical, netfront game he plays, he will improve significantly as he puts on weight. He will be a second liner as a minimum.

Look at how valuable a guy like Tom Wilson is. Brady will bring the same elements as Wilson but with a whole lot more skill.

Remember how Sens fans wanted Gary Roberts 15 years ago? Brady will fill that role. Power forwards take longer to develop than almost any other role in the NHL and that Brady can step in and contribute at 18 is incredible. When he fills out he's going to be a monster.

 

[Speatleysson]

Look at how valuable a guy like Tom Wilson is. Brady will bring the same elements as Wilson but with a whole lot more skill.

Remember how Sens fans wanted Gary Roberts 15 years ago? Brady will fill that role. Power forwards take longer to develop than almost any other role in the NHL and that Brady can step in and contribute at 18 is incredible. When he fills out he's going to be a monster.

You mean after he's been traded out of town?

 

[Sweatred]

Brady has exceeded my expectations this year. Early in the season most his value was limited to a body check or net play but he has been active in the rush lately.

He looks better than Stone, Batherson, EK, Brannstrom, Spezza, etc in their D+1 year. I’m not suggesting he will be those types of players but he deserves credit for a good first year.

 

[h2]

Look at how valuable a guy like Tom Wilson is. Brady will bring the same elements as Wilson but with a whole lot more skill.

Remember how Sens fans wanted Gary Roberts 15 years ago? Brady will fill that role. Power forwards take longer to develop than almost any other role in the NHL and that Brady can step in and contribute at 18 is incredible. When he fills out he's going to be a monster.

Exactly. You can argue that the type of player described by you has the biggest impact in a playoff series, save for maybe a hot goaltender. Ottawa has been craving for a powerforward for two decades and we finally have a player that can develop into one. Is BT in the same tier as Jack Hughes skillwise? Hell no, but you can certainly make the argument that what he brings is a rarer combination and that package is harder to get than Jack Hughes. We've had multiple #1 centers in our history, we've never had a powerforward in 26 years. Ultimately I see both roles (#1 center, and a top 6 powerfoward) as prerequisite slots on a cup winning roster. With that in mind, I have absolutely no problem with keeping the pick last year. We got the powerfoward, let's get the franchise center next draft.