Nation Network Prospect Profile #5: Matthew Tkachuk

A multi-dimensional energy winger that plays a pro-style, adaptive game. Well-versed as a guy who can consistently put up points, but also as an agitator who plays with a little bit of bite and nastiness. Skates with excellent balance and speed, outclassing many in his age range. No lack of offensive instincts and knows how to score in many different ways. Confidence in his abilities and playing to the extent of his capabilities strengthens his work ethic and creativity. All-in-all, a unique and effective forward who defines his own limits and seeks to exceed them, along with all on-ice expectations.

Keith Tkachuk‘s son has been a standout for years at multiple levels. He was great last season in the USHL and with the USNTDP, was a top player at the world under-18 championship, and a top player this season in the OHL. He is a multi-dimensional scoring winger. You talk to any scout about Tkachuk, they come back raving about his hockey IQ. He has great vision and offensive creativity, and makes quick, precise decisions with the puck. He can dangle defensemen, and create offense out of nothing, but Tkachuk is also a relentless worker. He wins more than his fair share of battles, and is his father’s son on some days, being a pain in the rear for many defenders and goalies.
His speed isn’t at the same level as his hands and vision. He’s not slow, but he’s certainly not a top-end speedster, either. Tkachuk can also get caught cheating a little defensively, an area of his game that he’ll need to tighten up.

In this forceful, rigid yet graceful sport, there are few who possess a diverse resume of skills necessary to display a consistent level of dominance practically on a shift-to-shift basis. Terms like “the complete package” are often used to describe these rare birds, and as cliche as it sounds, it certainly is the best way to sum up players like Matt Tkachuk. Born and reared in the St. Louis area’s under-appreciated hockey environment, Tkachuk, in reality, could have trained anywhere when you consider the mentorship he received right in his own home. And while his father Keith — close to a decade removed from an all-star NHL career — has left a huge imprint in both the looks and skills department, we view Matthew as a bit more patient and decisive with both his strength and his playmaking ability. The kid doesn’t have a glaring weakness, and while some may point to skating, he has a long and powerful enough stride to win the occasional footrace. And even the roadrunner types who can catch up to his up-the-ice attacks are generally limitless in preventing him from doing what he wants or needs to do. Tkachuk has a very heavy and accurate shot which can change speeds and confuse goalies, but his penchant for delivering scoring-chance set-ups at the very last moment is yet another reason why he’ll be so coveted come Draft Day. Throw in leadership qualities and a desire to make opponents pay the price physically, and you have the makings of the best pure power forward prospect available for the 2016 draft.

The only, and we mean only, knock on Tkachuk is his skating. And even that is not enough to deter most scouts from getting very excited about the son of former NHL 50-goal man Keith Tkachuk.
The elder Tkachuk was more of a pure sniper (538 goals in 1,201 games), and while the son can score, he excels more at setting up teammates. Both are big and imposing around the net, but the younger Tkachuk doesn’t quite have the nasty bite his father had. “The sky is the limit with this guy,” said one scout. “Everyone tries to poke holes in him, but all he’s done is answer all those critics and then some. He’s going to be a hell of an NHL player.”
Playing on one of the most dominant lines in major junior with Mitch Marner and Christian Dvorak in London, Tkachuk has proved he can complement elite players, not hold them back. “If you were teaching Hockey 101, you would look at this kid and say, ‘This is what you want from your left winger,'” said another scout. “He’s strong on his skates, he battles for pucks and he has a soft spot around the net.”