Tkachuk ready to make early impact with Senators

OTTAWA • Tomorrow doesn’t appear to be a word in Brady Tkachuk’s vocabulary.

As the highly-touted Tkachuk prepares for the opening of Ottawa Senators rookie camp Thursday, he insists his approach is all about the here and now, about leaving some kind of impression each day.

“I have to try and make an impact whenever I’m on the ice,” Tkachuk said.

Tkachuk, who turns 19 on Sept. 16, could coast his way through rookie camp — the Senators prospects play in Laval, Que., on Friday against Montreal’s rookies and Saturday against Toronto — and still receive an invite into main Senators camp next week.

Regardless of what happens this weekend, Tkachuk, as the fourth overall selection at June’s NHL entry draft, will receive plenty of exhibition game action, making opponents aware he’s around.

At least that’s what happened at the world junior showcase in early August when Tkachuk, as captain of the U.S., went down swinging against Canada.

After making the difficult decision to leave Boston University to sign a pro contract, Tkachuk will end up playing with either London of the OHL or Belleville of the AHL if he doesn’t end up in the NHL this season.

That, however, is not a question he’s keen on talking about today.

“I’m going to just do everything in my power to make it,” he said. “I believe in myself and we’ll see what happens.”