2018 NHL draft prospect profile #7: Brady Tkachuk
By Chris Faber
The Vancouver Canucks are selecting 7th overall in the upcoming NHL entry draft and I couldn’t be happier that Brady Tkachuk ranks out at number seven on our draft prospect rankings because I truly believe that if Tkachuk is available, the Canucks should not hesitate to draft this stud. Here’s our profile on the big American forward.
The logical move for the Vancouver Canucks is to draft a defenceman, but perhaps a more intelligent move is to draft the best player available. Brady Tkachuk is very likely to fall in the draft. And if he were to fall into the Canucks’ lap at number seven they shouldn’t hesitate to draft the tough, young winger.
Tkachuk has been a highly ranked player throughout the year, TSN’s Director of Scouting Craig Button has had him as high as number two on his rankings. Currently, you are starting to see Tkachuk slip into the five to nine rank. Some of his skills are riveting and could have great value in the pro game.
I’m assuming the first four picks are going to be Rasmus Dahlin, Andrei Svechnikov, Filip Zadina, Quinn Hughes. That means that some combination of Brady Tkachuk, Noah Dobson, Evan Bouchard, Oliver Wahlstrom and Jesperi Kotkaniemi will be in the five and six spots. The Canucks are going to get a real pivotal player for this point in the rebuild.
If the two defenceman I mentioned (Dobson and Bouchard) are drafted into the five and six spots the Canucks will have a tough call. Wahlstrom may have the best shot in the draft, can play centre, has comparisons to Brock Boeser. While Kotkaniemi may be the best prototypical centre but like I previously mentioned, Tkachuk could be the best player available.
The St. Louis native has verbally committed to return to Boston University (BU) next year to play. However, recently at the NHL draft combine he said that he would see how things go at the draft and at camp, so seeing where Tkachuk will play next year will be one of the more interesting story lines following the entry draft.
The Stats Rundown
*Counting stats provided by EliteProspects
Height: 191 cm/6’3″
Weight: 89 kg/196 lbs
Birthdate: Sep 16, 1999
Position: C/LW
Handedness: Left
Ranked #3 by HOCKEYPROSPECT.COM
Ranked #4 by FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
Ranked #4 by ISS HOCKEY
Ranked #4 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
Ranked #2 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
| GP | G | A | P |
| 40 | 8 | 23 | 31 |
More from Draft
- Recapping the Canucks picks from rounds five to seven
- Canucks take Daimon Gardner in fourth round
- Canucks select Elias Pettersson in third round
- Canucks select Jonathan Lekkerimäki with 15th overall pick
- Five players the Canucks could draft with the 15th overall pick
Tkachuk also added three goals and six assists in seven games for USA at the World Junior Championships. He looked like a monster on the ice against his fellow U-20 players. He showed great hands around the net in that tournament, and was bruising on the forecheck.
One knock would be the small amount of goals and points while playing at BU last season, but I would have loved to see the numbers he would have put up if playing in one of the major junior leagues. Following in the footsteps of his father, Brady is an overflowing handful of energy on the ice and has the family hands that saw his father Keith Tkachuk score 538 goals in 1201 games.
What the scouts are saying
Cam Robinson, DobberProspects.com
"The elder statesman of the 2018 crop missed last year’s draft by a single day. That should and will factor into his evaluation. Had an adequate season as one of the younger players in the NCAA, but his lights out World Junior showing moved the needle for many. His hands are soft, his shot his heavy and he plays an abrasive, pro-style game."
"Tkachuk’s main advantage of his game is that he uses his size and agility in-front of the net to create that presence every team needs and goes for the greasy goals. Lastly, for his size, Tkachuk is already an incredible passer which really showed in the U20 tournament this year."
Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames
Yes, his brother even weighed in with a scouting report!
“He’s a lot bigger than me, a lot faster than me,” -Matthew Tkachuk
What we Think
He’s a big, strong, gritty, power forward and those don’t come along very often. The Canucks passed up on his father Keith and brother Matthew and I think if Brady is available at seven that they won’t pass on a third Tkachuk. Brady has that “North American Grit” that Jim Benning has talked about in the past and he seems to have an interest in Tkachuk.
Brady is self proclaimed as the most talented player at his age and says he could already beat his brother in a fight. On the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast Brady said “I’d wait for him to drop the gloves and throw a punch and then I’d drop em and go after him. My parents both agree that I would end up winning that fight.”
Next: Vancouver Canucks should target Michael Grabner in free agency
If the Canucks are lucky enough to draft Tkachuk at number seven they should go for it. This team has been lacking that toughness for years and moving forward Brady Tkachuk could make his presence felt, standing up for guys like Boeser would be a bonus to go along with the points Tkachuk will put up. He also has potential to possibly play centre but I do see him slotting into the NHL as a left winger.
But I mean if Quinn Hughes is available…. Take him!