Player Discussion Brady Tkachuk (LW) - Part XI

[Micklebot]

No one is expecting Brady to score 60 goals nor should they.

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect him to play a better two way game, like Matthews does. The Leafs have been plugging in a wide variety of players into their team for the better part of a decade, and they still seem to be playing the same style of game because that's how the core guys are doing it.

Is their leadership in question because of playoff failures? Absolutely, and it should be. But they seem to have figured out the day to day of simple and consistent winning hockey. That's literally the first thing that needs to happen here.

For the record I would also like to see more out of Norris and Batherson too.

If people are just wanting him to improve his defensive game, that's fair, though I think a lot are overly critical of it, I can agree that it is an area in need of improvement, but you don't need to downplay his contributions in other areas in order to want better defensive play from him, and we're seeing a lot of downplaying of him in these threads.

 

[Golden_Jet]

There are times when you should defend the team, there are other times when a call out and/or accountability may be what’s needed. Brady does a lot of the former. He should try the latter.

It’s kind of odd how everyone walks on eggshells when criticizing Brady. His brother never got that benefit of doubt. He shouldered a lot of blame in the disappointing Calgary playoff runs, and during his first year in Florida, his dad went on Toronto radio and called the Panthers a soft team.

Maybe TSN1200 should get him on to do that to his younger son…

Those comments were right after the game they played Ottawa, and before leafs game.

I know I sound like a frustrated person, but I know every time I come and watch Ottawa, they may not be the most talented team but they’re going to play hard.

”Perhaps Florida could take a page out of their book.”
I watched them the other night and I know I am staying at Brady’s house and Brady’s team played really well. They have some jam and, you know, I am a little disappointed with the Panthers.

“They are a soft team and they are getting everything they deserve right now.”

To continue on that point, Keith Tkachuk said for the Panthers to snap their losing streak in Toronto, they need to bring a little more toughness to their game.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

This is next level stupid,

He is 15th in the entire league in goals and on pace for 95 pts, and you're complaining he doesn't score enough?
8th in the league in rebounds created, 47th in the league in assists. but not creating enough chances for his linemates.

I get the criticisms of his defensive play, but good lord...

He's been lucky he's playing with Stutzle so much.

I mean if Batherson was in the same spot he probably does the same.

Maybe even more if he started cheating for offense as much as Brady.

 

[PlayOn]

He's been lucky he's playing with Stutzle so much.

I mean if Batherson was in the same spot he probably does the same.

Maybe even more if he started cheating for offense as much as Brady.

These narratives are out of control. Stützle and Brady are both best when they are together because they are the two best players on the team. Both of them still produce without the other because they are the two best players on the team.

Brady isn’t a product of Stützle anymore than Stützle is a product of Brady.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

Sure, questions are allowed, but looking at the Leafs leadership group like its something we should be striving for is ridiculous. Aim a higher man.

At this point I'll settle for being a perennial 100 point team.

Wouldn't that be something?

These narratives are out of control. Stützle and Brady are both best when they are together because they are the two best players on the team. Both of them still produce without the other because they are the two best players on the team.

Brady isn’t a product of Stützle anymore than Stützle is a product of Brady.

Stutzle is like two tiers above Brady and he looked just as good if not better with Batherson.


But the real point is that Brady gets point totals by cheating for offense. It's not how you win even though it'll make Brady's stat line and next contract look good.

 

[Knave]

This is next level stupid,

He is 15th in the entire league in goals and on pace for 95 pts, and you're complaining he doesn't score enough?
8th in the league in rebounds created, 47th in the league in assists. but not creating enough chances for his linemates.

I get the criticisms of his defensive play, but good lord...

He is currently second in shots in the league.

In past seasons and likely again this season we'll see him in the top 10 of shots taking comparable amounts to Matthews, Pastrnak, Panarin as examples. Super talented players who regularly flirt with and pass 50+ goals.

We're talking about how the Senators make the playoffs.

We need one of two things - Tkachuk and the other players commit to skating hard and playing smart defensive hockey game after game after game or the offense needs to be less focused on getting the puck to Tkachuk's stick because he's not Auston Matthews. He's not Pastrnak. He's not Panarin. He's not Kucherov. And then we need to find players like that. Generationally talented players. Stutzle could potentially be one but we need more than one.

Yes. He scores a lot. But it's incredibly inefficient and we get caved in 5 on 5.

 

[Beech]

At this point I'll settle for being a perennial 100 point team.

Wouldn't that be something?

at this point, a consistent 90 point season would be damn fine.

They have cracked 90 point, 5 times in 17 years. It will be 5 in 18 years, by this seasons end.

 

[Senscore]

If people are just wanting him to improve his defensive game, that's fair, though I think a lot are overly critical of it, I can agree that it is an area in need of improvement, but you don't need to downplay his contributions in other areas in order to want better defensive play from him, and we're seeing a lot of downplaying of him in these threads.

There are definitely people with a bee up their butt about how Brady plays, which in parallel with losing games, is a lightning rod for negative attention. When the team is mired in an extended slump, getting pissed off at late game antics is natural from a fan perspective.

Truthfully, I don't really know if fixing this group will take one move or two moves, or one big move etc etc. I do not envy Steve Staios right now.

But I do know that despite changing a lot of the peripheral players and the coaching staff, this team still effectively plays the same way and has the same problems. I know that simply relying on the problem to fix itself isn't going to work.

Naturally the attention falls on the core guys. Unfortunately given the contract situation and his appeal around the league, I don't think it's unfair to say trading Brady would provide the most value (and would be the most prudent option) in acquiring the assets necessary to change the direction of the team and hopefully get things back on track.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

at this point, a consistent 90 point season would be damn fine.

They have cracked 90 point, 5 times in 17 years. It will be 5 in 18 years, by this seasons end.

I mean to get even more real. Just a playoff spot after November would be incredible, even if they choke at the end and miss. What an improvement it would be.

 

[Beech]

I mean to get even more real. Just a playoff spot after November would be incredible, even if they choke at the end and miss. What an improvement it would be.

I didn't want to set the bar too LOW. They have cracked 80 twice (one is projected, the 56 game COVID season) the last 8 years.

and have cracked 70, 4 times the last 8 years.

Our high jump bar is 2 inches BELOW ground.

 

[Golden_Jet]

But the real point is that Brady gets point totals by cheating for offense.

Good way to say you don’t understand what coaches are doing here,

F1 player is told to break out when team gets puck control, purpose to stretch the zones and create more open lanes for passing. Most teams do this, it’s not some new coaching tactic.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

The craziest part is that because of Brady's tools, his reach, his physicality, his ability to disrupt sticks and hands he could become a really good if not excellent all around force. He has all the ability to be a great back checker.

And in the very rare time he plays like that you see that potential and we also win more games when he plays like that.

Which makes it even more dumb that he insists on thinking he's Ovechkin.

Good way to say you don’t understand what coaches are doing here,

F1 player is told to break out when team gets puck control, purpose to stretch the zones and create more open lanes for passing. Most teams do this, it’s not some new coaching tactic.

The only player who does it on this team is Brady and the only one who cheats the team of a backcheck is Brady

 

[Micklebot]

He is currently second in shots in the league.\

In past seasons and likely again this season we'll see him in the top 10 of shots taking comparable amounts to Matthews, Pastrnak, Panarin as examples. Super talented players who regularly flirt with and pass 50+ goals.

Why is this a problem? Here's the on ice GF/60 of the guys you mentioned

Brady: 3.30/60

Matthews: 3.21/60
Panarin: 3.15/60
Pastrnak: 2.46/60

Isn't the goal for the line to score? Seems whatever Brady is doing is getting that done, so who cares if he's shooting more

We're talking about how the Senators make the playoffs.

Sure, where we disagree is what to attribute past failures to.

We need one of two things - Tkachuk and the other players commit to skating hard and playing smart defensive hockey game after game after game or the offense needs to be less focused on getting the puck to Tkachuk's stick because he's not Auston Matthews. He's not Pastrnak. He's not Panarin. He's not Kucherov. And then we need to find players like that. Generationally talented players. Stutzle could potentially be one but we need more than one.

Yes. He scores a lot. But it's incredibly inefficient and we get caved in 5 on 5.

We aren't getting caved 5v5 when he's on the ice, this is the kind of nonsense I'm talking about.
CF% 54%, xGF% 57.88%, SCF% 54.6%, HDCF% 53.06%

Inefficient? Do you even read what you post? The criticisms of this guy more and more unhinged every minute.

 

[Knave]

Why is this a problem? Here's the on ice GF/60 of the guys you mentioned

Brady: 3.30/60

Matthews: 3.21/60
Panarin: 3.15/60
Pastrnak: 2.46/60

Isn't the goal for the line to score? Seems whatever Brady is doing is getting that done, so who cares if he's shooting more


Sure, where we disagree is what to attribute past failures to.

We aren't getting caved 5v5 when he's on the ice, this is the kind of nonsense I'm talking about.
CF% 54%, xGF% 57.88%, SCF% 54.6%, HDCF% 53.06%

Inefficient? Do you even read what you post? The criticisms of this guy more and more unhinged every minute.

Brady Tkachuk is having what will almost certainly be his best season of his entire career numbers wise and it's comparable to an injured Auston Matthews, Panarin on a team in full collapse having a firesale and Pastrnak's career worst year.

You're highlighting the gap here. Brady Tkachuk at his absolute best over a 20 game stretch is comparable to others at their absolute worst. And Brady Tkachuk is worse defensively than all of them.

Brady Tkachuk is also getting spoonfed powerplay shots and offensive zone starts. It's easy to have corsi when 40%+ of your shifts start with an offensive zone faceoff and you skate off the ice whenever the puck looks like it will be entering your zone.

The only thing unhinged here is your completely ridiculous take of Brady Tkachuk.

And back you go on the list. You want to have it both ways. You want to play this game he's not generational and then cherry pick 20 game stretches to compare him to generational talent as if that's an accurate and meaningful comparison to be making. It's ridiculous.

Brady Tkachuk - 7 years of failure, 4 years of being an awful captain. End of story.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

Why is this a problem? Here's the on ice GF/60 of the guys you mentioned

Brady: 3.30/60

Matthews: 3.21/60
Panarin: 3.15/60
Pastrnak: 2.46/60

Isn't the goal for the line to score? Seems whatever Brady is doing is getting that done, so who cares if he's shooting more


Sure, where we disagree is what to attribute past failures to.

We aren't getting caved 5v5 when he's on the ice, this is the kind of nonsense I'm talking about.
CF% 54%, xGF% 57.88%, SCF% 54.6%, HDCF% 53.06%

Inefficient? Do you even read what you post? The criticisms of this guy more and more unhinged every minute.

We all know why Brady's advanced stats always look good but why his overall impact is poor.

Homie will force 2 shots, get a rebound, and then quit on the backcheck just to see the other team score.

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

If they have a Q and A at the hot stove tonight, some ask them if Brady's NMC will force them to have to consider trading him if they miss the playoffs again. But put a lot of uhhs and umms between the words so they underestimate you before asking the big question.

 

[TheNewEra]

We all know why Brady's advanced stats always look good but why his overall impact is poor.

Homie will force 2 shots, get a rebound, and then quit on the backcheck just to see the other team score.

so i cant find a website that shows all goals against for individual players (which is weird)

but for even strength for our forwards we have
1. Norris/Brady on ice for 23 goals
2. Bath/Stutzle on ice for 21 goals
3. Giroux on ice for 17
4. Greig on ice for 16
5. Pinto on ice for 15 (in 16 games)

Ideally Brady's number would be better as its nearly a goal a game against but its hard to determine how much of that is on him versus his linemates (unless someone has a way to display/quantify that). If we are looking on paper Norris and Pinto is concerning since they are supposed to be our defensive forwards. Also wtf Greig, you dont get enough ice time to be that high

 

[Micklebot]

Brady Tkachuk is having what will almost certainly be his best season of his entire career numbers wise and it's comparable to an injured Auston Matthews, Panarin on a team in full collapse having a firesale and Pastrnak's career worst year.

You're highlighting the gap here. Brady Tkachuk at his absolute best over a 20 game stretch is comparable to others at their absolute worst. And Brady Tkachuk is worse defensively than all of them.

Brady Tkachuk is also getting spoonfed powerplay shots and offensive zone starts. It's easy to have corsi when 40%+ of your shifts start with an offensive zone faceoff and you skate off the ice whenever the puck looks like it will be entering your zone.

The only thing unhinged here is your completely ridiculous take of Brady Tkachuk.

And back you go on the list. You want to have it both ways. You want to play this game he's not generational and then cherry pick 20 game stretches to compare him to generational talent. It's ridiculous. Is he generational or not? Pick one. Stick to it you absolute clown.

You literally complained about his scoring right now, while he's putting up these numbers. The guy has either been first or second in team scoring every season since his rookie year but that's not good enough for you, it's his fault we don't score more apparently. You can't even recognize the good that he does as you're too blinded by your bias towards him, you are absolutely unhinged in your complaints, half them are absolute nonsense.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

There are definitely people with a bee up their butt about how Brady plays, which in parallel with losing games, is a lightning rod for negative attention. When the team is mired in an extended slump, getting pissed off at late game antics is natural from a fan perspective.

Truthfully, I don't really know if fixing this group will take one move or two moves, or one big move etc etc. I do not envy Steve Staios right now.

But I do know that despite changing a lot of the peripheral players and the coaching staff, this team still effectively plays the same way and has the same problems. I know that simply relying on the problem to fix itself isn't going to work.

Naturally the attention falls on the core guys. Unfortunately given the contract situation and his appeal around the league, I don't think it's unfair to say trading Brady would provide the most value (and would be the most prudent option) in acquiring the assets necessary to change the direction of the team and hopefully get things back on track.

It comes to looking at it as a core issue... not that the core has bad players but maybe not the right mix .. Aside from Stu and maybe Sandy who's play has struggled .. they all seem to need to be propped up . I would keep Batherson .. really good value contract

Pinto is a factor he has taken 2 steps back vs 1 forward. Same with Greig. Those are two guys we were counting on to play the right way and show growth.

Norris has played pretty well but for the opportunities does he bring enough.. Right now he with the relative play of others he is needed. If he could get his shot back or use his shot more .. the value improves

Like you say .. I don't envy Staios right now

This team has lacked buy in for the past several games... their spirit they showed earlier broke.

Its natural people look to the team leaders to show the way through their play and what they project outward

 

[DueDiligence]

These narratives are out of control. Stützle and Brady are both best when they are together because they are the two best players on the team. Both of them still produce without the other because they are the two best players on the team.

Brady isn’t a product of Stützle anymore than Stützle is a product of Brady.

Stutzle actually has learned to play a "tougher" game from Tkachuk. And their two styles compliment each other very well.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

Stutzle actually has learned to play a "tougher" game from Tkachuk. And their two styles compliment each other very well.

Stutzle had that game way before Tkachuk. You saw it at the WJC.

Stutzles defensive effort definitely went down playing with Brady though.

Good thing Alfie came in when he did. He is now looking more and more like the two way beast he was promising to be as a prospect.

 

[Knave]

If they have a Q and A at the hot stove tonight, some ask them if Brady's NMC will force them to have to consider trading him if they miss the playoffs again. But put a lot of uhhs and umms between the words so they underestimate you before asking the big question.

Nobody is going to ask them that question. We'll get a lecture about how Brady Tkachuk is great and the fans are bad and how it's bad luck and there's always some other player or position to blame for Ottawa not making the playoffs. Fans on here will talk about how "Brady deserves playoffs" and it's Brady Tkachuk who should want out and the fans who should want to keep him.

The sooner this team moves on from Brady Tkachuk, the better off this team will be.

It has not worked. It will not work. And you can see what other professional national hockey league coaches think of him when Stutzle gets the matchups and when they leave Tkachuk open on the perimeter on the powerplay whenever Tkachuk goes to the perimeter.

The only good thing about this is Brady Tkachuk is having a career year because of Stutzle's improvement and opposing coaches deciding he's not worth covering on an Ottawa powerplay.

I'm thankful for that. Brady Tkachuk does try. He may suck defensively. He may be overrated offensively. But he tries hard and he'll put up numbers and we'll get a great return. I'm thankful to Brady Tkachuk for that.

 

[Golden_Jet]

The only player who does it on this team is Brady.

False, you’re not watching.
Most coaches in league do it,
Stretches the D
For either a pass to F1,
a D breakout now that the zones are stretched,
or a centre picking up puck with speed, are a few of the reasons teams do it.

It’s smart coaching,

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

so i cant find a website that shows all goals against for individual players (which is weird)

but for even strength for our forwards we have
1. Norris/Brady on ice for 23 goals
2. Bath/Stutzle on ice for 21 goals
3. Giroux on ice for 17
4. Greig on ice for 16
5. Pinto on ice for 15 (in 16 games)

Ideally Brady's number would be better as its nearly a goal a game against but its hard to determine how much of that is on him versus his linemates (unless someone has a way to display/quantify that). If we are looking on paper Norris and Pinto is concerning since they are supposed to be our defensive forwards. Also wtf Greig, you dont get enough ice time to be that high

Player Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

Nobody is going to ask them that question. We'll get a lecture about how Brady Tkachuk is great and the fans are bad and how it's bad luck and there's always some other player or position to blame for Ottawa not making the playoffs. Fans on here will talk about how "Brady deserves playoffs" and it's Brady Tkachuk who should want out and the fans who should want to keep him.

The sooner this team moves on from Brady Tkachuk, the better off this team will be.

It has not worked. It will not work. And you can see what other professional national hockey league coaches think of him when Stutzle gets the matchups and when they leave Tkachuk open on the perimeter on the powerplay whenever Tkachuk goes to the perimeter.

The only good thing about this is Brady Tkachuk is having a career year because of Stutzle's improvement and opposing coaches deciding he's not worth covering on an Ottawa powerplay.

I'm thankful for that. Brady Tkachuk does try. He may suck defensively. He may be overrated offensively. But he tries hard and he'll put up numbers and we'll get a great return. I'm thankful to Brady Tkachuk for that.

If you see a gentleman in a Ceci jersey approach the microphone and identify himself as a correspondent from the Hfboards website, get ready for some serious citizen journalism.