Brady Tkachuk by the Numbers<\/p>\n
Here are Tkachuk\u2019s numbers this season: <\/p>\n
57 games, 22 goals, 54 points, 17:05 time on ice\/game<\/p>\n
That puts Tkachuk at 0.39 goals per game and 0.95 points per game. Over the three previous seasons, here were Tkachuk\u2019s averages:<\/p>\n
0.43 goals per game, 0.90 points per game<\/p>\n
His production is more or less in line with years past. Where his game has differed, though, is physically. Take a look: <\/p>\n
This Season: 9.24 hits\/60 minutes, 2 major penalties, 3.79 shots\/game<\/p>\n
Average From Previous Three Seasons: 10.43 hits\/60 minutes, 6.3 major penalties, 4.25 shots\/game<\/p>\n
Tkachuk\u2019s Time as a Senator<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s where Tkachuk deserves the benefit of the doubt. Coming into this season, Tkachuk had played 500+ games as a Senator over the course of seven seasons. During that time, the Senators made the playoffs only once. Tkachuk\u2019s effort was never in question, even while playing meaningless games to finish off most of those years. During that time, Tkachuk registered 1,981 shots and 1,759 hits. Those totals ranked fourth and second among all NHL players during that time. His 750 penalty minutes ranked first, and his 38 major penalties tied for seventh. <\/p>\n
Tkachuk was viewed as the ultimate competitor. Sure, his defensive play was mediocre, but that was an issue with the whole team. Most people had the same thought: Put the right coach in place and surround Tkachuk with enough talent, and he would be the perfect captain to lead a team in the playoffs. That belief was only furthered with Tkachuk\u2019s high level of play at the 4 Nations Face-Off last year. Then, in the playoffs for the first time, Tkachuk scored four goals and seven points in six games. <\/p>\n
Reasons for Tkachuk\u2019s Lesser Play<\/p>\n
All of a sudden this season, Tkachuk\u2019s play has been noticeably less physical. There are reasons for this, though. Tkachuk missed 20 games early in the season with a right hand injury that required surgery<\/a>. He quite literally was unable to fight for quite some time after his return. For a player whose game is predicated on hitting, fighting, and shooting, this injury was a brutal blow to his status as one of the league\u2019s premier power forwards. <\/p>\n It seems obvious, too, that the Olympics were on Tkachuk\u2019s mind. Go ahead and use this against him if you want, but it\u2019s not strange for a player to take pride in representing their country, especially after years without NHL players participating at the Olympics. In Tkachuk\u2019s case, he was also chasing a gold medal alongside his brother. Inevitably, he achieved that goal. Here are his numbers since that tournament:<\/p>\n 20 games, 8 goals, 17 points, 8.95 hits\/60, 2 fights, 3.6 shots per game, 17:06 time on ice\/game<\/p>\n He registered points in 14 of the 20 games and sits one point off the team lead during that stretch. Like the rest of his season, his physical game is what\u2019s been lacking, although he has returned to fighting. Physical play, though, takes an obvious toll. That\u2019s where looking at his brother can help.<\/p>\n Comparisons to His Brother Matthew<\/p>\n At one point in his brother\u2019s career, Matthew was the talk of the hockey world for the wrong reasons. He was suspended three times in a short timeframe: two games in March of 2017, one game in November of 2017, and one game in December of 2017. It was at that point that Nazem Kadri, of all people, gave him the following advice: \u201cWake up<\/a>.\u201d At that same time, Flames GM Brad Treviling stood beside Matthew Tkachuk at a press conference, with Matthew looking like a disappointed son with his head down as his dad-like figure spoke to the media.<\/p>\n Matthew came to realize that he needed to play with more maturity. Be a pest, sure, but understand that he\u2019s much more valuable when he\u2019s actually on the ice. He\u2019s gone on to win two Stanley Cups and has only been suspended once in the time since. Including the playoffs, Matthew had 14 major penalties in 308 games with the Flames. He\u2019s at 9 in 311 games with the Panthers. Is it unreasonable to suggest that Brady is trying to play with more maturity? Perhaps it\u2019s simply a matter of Brady finding the right amount of physicality to balance staying on the ice with being the physical leader that the fanbase has come to expect.<\/p>\n Blocking the Outside Noise<\/p>\n Brady Tkachuk is a unicorn. You simply do not see many 6\u20194\u2033, 225 lb power forwards who can influence a game both physically and offensively like he can. In that sense, he\u2019s an obvious dream acquisition for other organizations and fans. There\u2019s also the brother factor. Whenever there are hockey brothers, trade rumours will persist that they will end up playing with each other. Look at the Staals and Hughes\u2019 for other examples. Then there\u2019s the fact that Tkachuk plays in Canada. Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid are often put in trade rumours as well, because surely no one wants to play in Canada for too long, right?<\/p>\n The point is, it\u2019s all just outside noise. Whether a Rangers reporter, a Bruins fan podcaster, or any other fanbase wants to put Tkachuk into trade rumours simply does not matter. I also wouldn\u2019t put too much thought into his dad, Keith, giving back in my day stories on the Tkachuk\u2019s \u201cWingmen\u201d podcast<\/a>. It\u2019s not up to Brady to control his dad\u2019s thoughts, just like it wasn\u2019t up to Matthew when his dad called the Panthers soft back in 2023<\/a>. <\/p>\n
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