Player Discussion Brady Tkachuk (LW) - Part XI

[Loach]

this isn't a good excuse for year 7 of the rebuild. 461 games he has played and we are talking about how he needs to mature off the most basic of concepts.

with that said I would love for Brady to prove me wrong and backcheck and actually play like a captain. really all i want.

Same for Chabot right?

 

[PlayOn]

this isn't a good excuse for year 7 of the rebuild. 461 games he has played and we are talking about how he needs to mature off the most basic of concepts.

with that said I would love for Brady to prove me wrong and backcheck and actually play like a captain. really all i want.

He said it himself, the way he wears his emotions is his biggest strength and biggest flaw. When it works he gets his teammates and a crowd of 18k going, and other nights you get the mess against Vancouver. He has to learn exactly when to channel it and at 25 that is easier said than done.

It’s not maturing based off the most basic concepts, it’s just reality. The other day I saw a fan say something like “Sens are losing and they’re laughing on the bench, they don’t give a f***” - I promise you if Brady was mellowed out, people would be pissed about that too.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

Same for Chabot right?

Same for Chabot, same for all the players.

These guys got paid generational wealth to WIN, up front. They have to give results now. It's not being unreasonable to expect results, maturity and improvement.

And honestly the playoffs should have been a lay up this year. instead the team has to make a buzzer 3 point shot to get in.

 

[BankStreetParade]

Because only one player ever gets blamed, out of 23. It’s not that hard to figure out,
When there is plenty of blame to go around, and lots of players doing worse than him.
But I’m sure you’ll find excuses like usual, why it’s only Brady to blame.

loooooool, I guess you'd believe that if you only ever read the Brady Tkachuk thread.

 

[thammias]

I'm so confused. Where was this energy when Karlsson was our captain and giving the same "effort" on defence as a defenceman mind you, that you guys claim Brady is doing. People recognize that with Karlsson the good outways the bad. Why doesn't Brady get that same leeway?
Only thing is that Brady doesn't have Anderson back there bailing him out.

The rest of the NHL is salivating about the thought of getting a guy like Brady but typical Ottawa we don't know what we have till it's gone.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

I'm so confused. Where was this energy when Karlsson was our captain and giving the same "effort" on defence as a defenceman mind you, that you guys claim Brady is doing. People recognize that with Karlsson the good outways the bad. Why doesn't Brady get that same leeway?
Only thing is that Brady doesn't have Anderson back there bailing him out.

The rest of the NHL is salivating about the thought of getting a guy like Brady but typical Ottawa we don't know what we have till it's gone.

Oh, there were a number of people constantly bashing Karlsson. lol, got a few dings on my record here defending the kid from the haters back in the day.

Every big player in every team will have a few people on the fanbase that will bash the hell out of them. It's part of being a passionate fan.

 

[Senscore]

I'm so confused. Where was this energy when Karlsson was our captain and giving the same "effort" on defence as a defenceman mind you, that you guys claim Brady is doing. People recognize that with Karlsson the good outways the bad. Why doesn't Brady get that same leeway?
Only thing is that Brady doesn't have Anderson back there bailing him out.

The rest of the NHL is salivating about the thought of getting a guy like Brady but typical Ottawa we don't know what we have till it's gone.

At the end of the day Karlsson was a leader who could will the team to win and nobody has been able to since.

 

[Knave]

Winning covers up a lot of warts.

Whatever you say about Karlsson within 3 years of being named captain the team was making the playoffs and he had a legendary run where we took the eventual Stanley Cup winner Penguins to 2OT Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Final.

3 years of Tkachuk and no playoffs, not really that close either. In year 4 the team still sucks.

Does it all fall on him? No. But if this team continues to fail to make the playoffs the question needs to be asked about Tkachuk specifically and about the core more broadly. Why can't they even make the playoffs?

 

[thammias]

Winning covers up a lot of warts.

Whatever you say about Karlsson within 3 years of being named captain the team was making the playoffs and he had a legendary run where we took the eventual Stanley Cup winner Penguins to 2OT Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Final.

3 years of Tkachuk and no playoffs, not really that close either. In year 4 the team still sucks.

Does it all fall on him? No. But if this team continues to fail to make the playoffs the question needs to be asked about Tkachuk specifically and about the core more broadly. Why can't they even make the playoffs?

The four years Karlsson was our captain we made the playoffs 2 out of those four years. A yoyo of playoffs/no playoffs, its not like we were a perennial playoff team.

Year 1. The only reason we made the playoffs was a magical run by the Hamburgler to sneak in.

Year 2 No playoffs

Year 3 Year was the Conference final run where his play in that playoffs will be remembered in Senators history.

Year 4 No playoffs

I have a feeling based on the stuff Brady is made of he has it in him to carry the team on his back if and when we ever make the playoffs as well, might not be a legendary as Karlsson run as he is only a winger

 

[bicboi64]

I have a feeling based on the stuff Brady is made of he has it in him to carry the team on his back if and when we ever make the playoffs as well, might not be a legendary as Karlsson run as he is only a winger

This only happens if he focuses on the parts of his game that objectively win us games, which is to stay out of the box from taking stupid penalties. We need him on the ice making hits, shooting, and going beast mode in the oppositions zone.

He was great last night because he did the simple things he's good at to win the game.

I'm so confused. Where was this energy when Karlsson was our captain and giving the same "effort" on defence as a defenceman mind you, that you guys claim Brady is doing. People recognize that with Karlsson the good outways the bad. Why doesn't Brady get that same leeway?
Only thing is that Brady doesn't have Anderson back there bailing him out.

Because Karlsson was a top 3 talent in the league when it came to what he was good at, whereas Brady is a top 25-30.

It was hard to question EK's effort considering he was playing near 30 minutes a game doing everything. The ask from Brady on my end is just reign in the dumb penalties, and do what he's great at, scoring goals. Emotions and passion are important, but let that channel through things like goal scoring the way other passionate players do (Ovechkin is passionate af, but is a beast a his hits and goal, more of that from Tkachuk please)

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Karlsson was effectively a system. Brady is a winger on the team. Hard to compare. Apples and oranges.

 

[bicboi64]

Karlsson was effectively a system. Brady is a winger on the team. Hard to compare. Apples and oranges.

There are very few wingers in recent memory that can command the game the way a defender or centre can. Not a knock against Tkachuk, but there's a clear distinction between him and guys who can warrant leeway on their shortcomings because their so dominant at scoring.

Prime Patrick Kane or Ovechkin from the 2010s, but currently Kucherov, Kaprizov, Panarin, etc.,

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

There are very few wingers in recent memory that can command the game the way a defender or centre can. Not a knock against Tkachuk, but there's a clear distinction between him and guys who can warrant leeway on their shortcomings because their so dominant at scoring.

Prime Patrick Kane or Ovechkin from the 2010s, but currently Kucherov, Kaprizov, Panarin, etc.,

For sure. He's clearly not that kind of player. All those guys listed dangle like a mother and are facilitators as much as they can score. Not Brady's game.

 

[umma gumma]

For sure. He's clearly not that kind of player. All those guys listed dangle like a mother and are facilitators as much as they can score. Not Brady's game.

Yes, I don't understand why its difficult to grasp.

Why can't Ullmark be more like Patrick Roy?

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Yes, I don't understand why its difficult to grasp.

Why can't Ullmark be more like Patrick Roy?

It seems plain as day to me. I like what he brings. Only part I've agreed with about the Brady talk is that if the team craters again, there's a time I'd look at moving him as an option, or at least expect the GM to be feeling out Brady's plans with him.

Lol, Ullmark doesn't have the anger issues to keep up with that. Way too nice a guy.

 

[LiseL]

I mean look at it this way.

Right now with Travis Greene and Daniel f***ing Alfredsson as his coach Brady is still mailing it in defensively. So he is basically ignoring what they have to say.

Who is to say DJ didn't try to instill some accountability and Brady didn't just ignore him and do whatever he wanted as well?

I remember seeing a DJ interview where he talked about players who win learn to love the details so how likely is it that he didn't try to pass this knowledge on? It's obvious the players ignored him but I guess when new management brought in first JM, then Green, guess they realized they couldn't ignore it anymore, at least, not all the time.

 

[LiseL]

I think the big internal battle right now is Brady sees himself as a 40/50 goal man in the NHL and he’s gotten there by cheating and cherry picking

I’m sure internally he knows if he does plays Greens system he’ll probably score 25-30 and I don’t think he wants to play hockey like that.

He wants to win, and he wants to score, and he wants to cheat for goals and it’s not going to work - Brady has to compromise

You hit the nail on the head. He thinks producing will help the team win so he's doing everything to achieve it. But he isn't paying attention to his +/- where his line allows more goals than it produces so it doesn't help matters overall. Will he ever learn that preventing a goal is just as important as scoring one?

 

[Big Muddy]

Winning covers up a lot of warts.

Whatever you say about Karlsson within 3 years of being named captain the team was making the playoffs and he had a legendary run where we took the eventual Stanley Cup winner Penguins to 2OT Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Final.

3 years of Tkachuk and no playoffs, not really that close either. In year 4 the team still sucks.

Does it all fall on him? No. But if this team continues to fail to make the playoffs the question needs to be asked about Tkachuk specifically and about the core more broadly. Why can't they even make the playoffs?

Agent Z, is that you?

 

[LiseL]

That can be said about every single player in the NHL. No player has a permanent bond to an organization. Heck even Alfie when to Detroit to try and win. That wasn't my point.

Really bad example. I seem to remember Alfie going to Detroit because they tried low-balling an offer. He had just finished playing the last year of his contract for $1 million and they weren't offering much more than that, so he went to Detroit for a much better offer ($4M+). Alfie has always loved this team and city which is why he made his home here, so I would say he does have a permanent bond to this organization.

 

[LiseL]

One good game does not cancel out all the times he gives up defensively.

Someone posted a video the other game where he was in the same area as the eventual goal scorer, but coasted back the whole way, and the guy he was beside ended up scoring in the slot all alone with Brady coasting at the blue line.

He needs to get rid of those Ovechkin like defensive plays before the criticism will go away.

We saw stutzle back check like a mad man to stop a chance against.

I want to see that from Brady. Not occasionally, but all the god damn time. He's a captain. He needs to lead by example.

Having a physical game and scoring a goal doesn't do anything to cancel out the 9/10 games where he has had moments where he lacks effort defensively.

You make a great point about Stu. He's even younger than Brady yet somehow has managed to incorporate a more consistent defensive approach to his game. He backchecks, he hits, he sets up plays, he scores. Maybe he's the unicorn on this team.

 

[Dionysus]

You make a great point about Stu. He's even younger than Brady yet somehow has managed to incorporate a more consistent defensive approach to his game. He backchecks, he hits, he sets up plays, he scores. Maybe he's the unicorn on this team.

Brady has a unique skillset. Nobody like him in the NHL currently. He's not a top-end offensive player though. Defensive flaws as well. His combination of physicality and offense is just something that is very rare these days.

Stutzle is clearly the best offensive player on the team, and has a chance to be a 100+ point guy, and a top player in the league. Along with that, he drives play, creates a ton of offense, has some nastiness, and is playing well in his own end. Potential to be in the Peter Forsberg mold if he keeps improving.

 

[LiseL]

No argument in regards to their overall game, but neither player had much success by the age of 25, Alfie in particular.

Wasn't Alfie 23 when he joined the team? So where was Brady's game in his 2nd year on the team?

 

[umma gumma]

Wasn't Alfie 23 when he joined the team? So where was Brady's game in his 2nd year on the team?

Point still stands. Neither had much success by the age of 25.

 

[Knave]

Point still stands. Neither had much success by the age of 25.

Alfredsson was putting up a near a point per game in the dead puck era. He was competitive with Yashin in his second year. The team made the playoffs year 2 of Alfredsson's career.

You don't have a point. We've had 4 multi-year captains - Cunneyworth, Alfredsson, Karlsson and now Tkachuk.

By year 3 as captains all had made the playoffs with the Ottawa Senators except one. I'll give you a hint - his first name is Brady, his last name is Tkachuk.
Even in their individual careers - all had made the playoffs by year 4 of their careers except one. Guess.

Is this all on Brady Tkachuk? Again, no. Some people seem to get super sensitive and I have to keep repeating myself. But we are 6 full seasons without playoffs with Brady Tkachuk. 3 full seasons as captain. He has been by far the least successful captain of this team despite you and everyone hyping him up as some "unicorn player". Maybe he's not a guy who can lead a franchise or team to success. And that's okay, it's okay to think that, it's okay to believe that, it's okay to see that on the ice night after night. Brady Tkachuk can be a top 6 guy on a team. That's okay. It's not the end of the world. Lots of top 6 guys getting big contracts including the size of Brady Tkachuk's contract these days to be a top end second line guy. You need those guys to make the playoffs and win in the playoffs. But if you genuinely believe Brady Tkachuk is our best player... you can't look at this team with a critical eye and think it will ever make the playoffs.

 

[umma gumma]

Alfredsson was putting up a near a point per game in the dead puck era. He was competitive with Yashin in his second year. The team made the playoffs year 2 of Alfredsson's career.

You don't have a point. We've had 4 multi-year captains - Cunneyworth, Alfredsson, Karlsson and now Tkachuk.

By year 3 all had made the playoffs with the Ottawa Senators except one. I'll give you a hint - his first name is Brady, his last name is Tkachuk.
Even in their individual careers - all had made the playoffs by year 4 of their careers, Cunneyworth being the year 4 man with another franchise.

Yeah, and despite all of that loads still wanted him gone.

And none of them had Dorion and Melnyk as their bosses.

Its all on Tkachuk. All of it. The coaching, the terrible net minding, the construction of the roster. The lack of playoffs is on him. Its his fault Dorion traded assests away for Debrincat and Chychrun. Its his fault we have terrible pro scouting and drafted the likes of Tyler Boucher. Its all Brady. Just trade him. Problem solved.

We should have traded Alfie all of those years ago, just like a good portion of the fanbase wanted. Maybe we have a cup.