Matthew Tkachuk
| Matthew Tkachuk | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Born |
December 11, 1997 Scottsdale, Arizona | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb) | ||
| Position | Left Wing | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team | Calgary Flames | ||
| NHL Draft |
6th overall, 2016 Calgary Flames | ||
| Playing career | 2016–present | ||
Matthew Tkachuk (/kəˈtʃʌk/; born December 11, 1997) is an American ice hockey player of Ukrainian descent. He is currently playing with the Calgary Flames in the National Hockey League (NHL). Tkachuk is a top rated prospect who went 6th overall at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft to the Flames.[1][2] Tkachuk was born in Scottsdale, Arizona, but grew up in St. Louis, Missouri.
Playing career
Major junior
On May 8, 2015, Tkachuk gave up his NCAA eligibility when he signed with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), who had drafted him in the 4th round of the 2013 OHL Priority Selection.[3] Playing on a line with Mitchell Marner and Christian Dvorak, Tkachuk scored 107 points placing him 5th in OHL scoring.
Leading up to the NHL draft, Tkachuk was ranked the No. 2 North American skater, described as a bona-fide future star for an NHL club that brings elite skills and attributes.[4] After his selection by the Calgary Flames, 6th overall, Tkachuk was signed to a three-year entry-level contract on July 7, 2016.[5]
NHL
Tkachuk scored his first NHL goal with the Flames' October 18, 2016 in a game against the Buffalo Sabres. He became the first player to score a Memorial Cup overtime-winning goal to play in the NHL.
International play
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  United States
| ||
| Men's ice hockey | ||
| IIHF World U18 Championship | ||
.svg.png){kind=icon} | 2015 Switzerland | |
| IIHF World U20 Championship | ||
.svg.png){kind=icon} | 2016 Finland | |
Tkachuk helped Team USA win gold at the 2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge held in Nova Scotia, Canada.[6] He also competed at the 2015 IIHF World U18 Championships, where in seven games he registered 10 assists (tops in the tournament), leading the United States men's national under-18 ice hockey team to a gold medal win.[7]
At the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships held in Helsinki, Tkachuk and Auston Matthews each scored 11 points to lead the American team in scoring. After losing in the semifinals, the American team beat Sweden to claim the bronze medal.
Personal life
His father, Keith Tkachuk, played 1,201 games in the National Hockey League and is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.[8] His younger brother, Brady Tkachuk, plays with the National Team Development Program. Tkachuk was born in Scottsdale during his father's stint with the Phoenix Coyotes, and grew up in the St. Louis suburb of Chesterfield, Missouri.
Tkachuk is second cousins to former NHL player Tom Fitzgerald, who grew up with his father. Tkachuk is a Ukrainian surname, although his father has suggested that his family background and name is either "Polish, Russian, [or] Ukrainian."[9] Tkachuk is also of Canadian descent, as his mother Chantal is a native of Winnipeg, who met his father during his stint with the original Winnipeg Jets.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2013–14 | U.S. National Development Team | USHL | 33 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | U.S. National Development Team | USHL | 24 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 75 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | London Knights | OHL | 57 | 30 | 77 | 107 | 80 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 40 | 42 | ||
| OHL totals | 57 | 30 | 77 | 107 | 80 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 40 | 42 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | United States | U17 |  |
6 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2015 | United States | WJC18 | |
7 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 4 | |
| 2016 | United States | WJC |  |
7 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 6 | |
| Junior totals | 20 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 12 | ||||
Awards and honours
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| World U-17 Hockey Challenge Gold Medal | 2014 | [10] |
| IIHF World U18 Championship Gold Medal | 2015 | [11] |
References
- ↑ Jeff Langridge (2015-08-08). "Maple Leafs Will Probably Take Matthew Tkachuk in 2016 Draft The Hockey Writers". Thehockeywriters.com. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
- ↑ "U.S. forward Tkachuk conjures memories of dad – 2016 World Junior Championship". NHL.com. 2014-11-17. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
- ↑ "Keith Tkachuk's son Matthew commits to London Knights. Here's why that's big news". The Hockey News. 2015-05-08. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
- ↑ "Dubois jumps to top of draft rankings". NHL.com. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
- ↑ "Flames sign Matthew Tkachuk". Calgary Flames. 2016-07-07. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
- ↑ "Golden boy comes north | The London Free Press". Lfpress.com. 2015-05-08. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
- ↑ "Matthew Tkachuk signs with London Knights (OHL) – SB Nation College Hockey". Sbncollegehockey.com. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
- ↑ Chapin Landvogt (2015-04-16). "Like father like son – WM18 – International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF". U18worlds2015.iihf.com. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
- ↑ "Athlete profile: Keith Tkachuk". 3 February 1998. CNN / Sports Illustrated. February 3, 1998. Retrieved October 4, 2011.
- ↑ "Matthew Tkachuk". Worldjuniors.usahockey.com. 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
- ↑ "Matt Tkachuk signs with London Knights, reflects on U18 team winning gold medal". West Newsmagazine. 2015-05-15. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sam Bennett |
Calgary Flames' first round draft pick 2016 |
Succeeded by Incumbent |