Montreal Gazette

Deadline looms as Tkachuk plots his course to the pros

- KEN WARREN kwarren@postmedia.com twitter.com/ Citizenkwa­rren

Sunday looms as decision day for Brady Tkachuk.

The Ottawa Senators’ fourth overall selection in June’s NHL draft has circled that day on his calendar for making the pivotal call on whether to sign a pro contract or return to Boston University for another season.

When Tkachuk left Ottawa five weeks ago, he was riding high. Tkachuk and Parker Kelly were named co-winners of the Jonathan Pitre Memorial Trophy as the hardest workers at developmen­t camp, a positive sign for an organizati­on that desperatel­y needed a jolt of enthusiasm and optimism to counter the stream of summer negatives.

Yet while the team wants him to begin his pro career as soon as possible, Tkachuk acknowledg­ed at last week’s world junior showcase in Kamloops, B.C. — as expected, he was an offensive and physical presence for the United States — that there is plenty of stress involved.

Among the questions in the air: Is Tkachuk, who turns 19 on

Sept. 16, strong enough to compete every night against NHL veterans?

Given the uncertain state of

■ the Senators franchise, could the lofty expectatio­ns of being a star immediatel­y weigh him down?

In what is shaping up as year

■ full of potential distractio­ns in Ottawa, is that a healthy environmen­t for a teenager?

If Tkachuk opts to leave college,

■ is he prepared to play with either Belleville of the American Hockey League or London in the Ontario Hockey League if he’s not quite ready for the big leagues?

Would a second season proving ■ himself in college improve his scoring confidence and give him more leadership opportunit­ies?

Tkachuk has said all along he would listen closely to family, including father Keith, who had 1,065 points in 1,201 NHL games, and 20-year-old brother Matthew, who has blossomed in his first two seasons with the Calgary Flames, before making his decision.

“He has a good situation at (Boston University),” said Craig Button, TSN’s director of scouting. “Some kids don’t have that many options. In that respect, he’s in a good spot. But if he does sign, it has to be because he really believes he can make the Senators. Many players jump too soon, but I’ve never seen one that waits too long.”

In Button’s estimation, Tkachuk has room to grow into his six-foot-three, 196-pound frame.

“The biggest thing for Brady is he needs more physical maturity to become more of a force,” he said. “He has high-end talent, excellent skill and his will to compete is high, high, high. But he’s not as physically mature as his brother was at the same age.”

If Tkachuk opts to sign with the Senators, but doesn’t remain long term, Button believes the best option would be to play with London, which holds his OHL rights and where Matthew played for one season.

“If he has it in his head to sign a contract, the soft landing is with (Dale) Hunter in London,” he said. “Hunter has a proven track record in developing players. If he’s not ready to play in the NHL at 19, he’s not ready to play in the AHL.”

While there remain so many landing spots for Tkachuk, he is on track to be a leader for the U.S. at the world junior tournament.

Even if Tkachuk is playing for the Senators next season, it’s possible he could be loaned to the U.S. for the tournament. Back in 2014, the Senators loaned former first-round pick Curtis Lazar to the Canadian world junior team, where he served as captain.

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