Matthew Tkachuk
| Matthew Tkachuk | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
December 11, 1997 Scottsdale, Arizona, USA | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb) | ||
| Position | Left Wing | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| OHL team | London Knights | ||
| National team |
 United States | ||
| NHL Draft | Eligible 2016 | ||
| Playing career | TBD–present | ||
Matthew Tkachuk (born December 11, 1997) is an American ice hockey player. He is currently playing with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Tkachuk is a top rated prospect who is projected to be a possible Top 5 pick at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.[1][2]
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]
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.[5] 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.[6]
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
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.[7] His younger brother, Brady Tkachuk, plays with the National Team Development Program.
Tkachuk is second cousins to former NHL player Tom Fitzgerald, who grew up with his father. His father has suggested that his family background and name is either "Polish, Russian, [or] Ukrainian."[8]
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 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| OHL totals | 57 | 30 | 77 | 107 | 80 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
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 | [9] |
| IIHF World U18 Championship Gold Medal | 2015 | [10] |
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.
- ↑ "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 4 October 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 Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
- Matthew Tkachuk 2016 NHL Draft Rankings