The Ottawa Senators drafted forward Brady Tkachuk with the fourth pick in the 2018 NHL Draft on Friday.
Brady Tkachuk
Position: Forward
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 192 lbs
Age: 18
Club: Boston University (NCAA)
Nationality: American
| GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 8 | 23 | 31 |
(Stats courtesy: EliteProspects.com)
A hulking net-front presence with soft hands and the tendency to get under opponents' skin, Tkachuk's potential to develop into a dangerous power forward with the ability to create scoring chances and lay the body is very real.
"When Tkachuk goes to the crease, everyone watching knows he'll shoot as soon as he gets the opportunity - that's why he crashed the net in the first place. His offensive strengths lie more in his creative playmaking ability, however. His hockey sense and passing ability are high-end. He can make the kind of perfect pass in a tight space that other players might not be able to execute, and his stickhandling is good," theScore's draft expert Hannah Stuart wrote.
Tkachuk also brings an element of versatility to the table for the Sens, as the 18-year-old American can play up the middle and on the wing despite being utilized mostly on the latter at BU.
Described as a relentless puck pursuer who plays with more edge than both his brother Matthew and father Keith, Brady has the opportunity to carve out a niche for himself as a playmaker who can punish you physically. Any way you slice it, Tkachuk is sure to be a player to watch over the next number of seasons in the NHL.
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