Tkachuk eager to elbow way into NHL
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,” he 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 invitation into main Senators camp next week.
Regardless of what happens this weekend, Tkachuk, as the fourth overall selection in June’s NHL entry draft, will receive plenty of exhibition game action.
But forget about the idea of Tkachuk simply going through the motions.
Whether he’s scoring or not, he will likely still be in the middle of the battles on the boards and in front of the net, 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 decision to leave Boston University, Tkachuk will end up playing with either London of the Ontario Hockey League or Belleville of the American Hockey League if he doesn’t end up in the NHL this season.
That, however, is not a question he’s keen on talking about.
“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.”
While Tkachuk believes “there are a couple of spots” available to win in training camp, he recognizes he will need to find a higher gear in order to compete with veteran NHLers.
As part of a rich hockey family — his father Keith played in 1,201 NHL games and brother Matthew is a star with Calgary — he has a firm sense of what the NHL life is all about. The Tkachuk brothers spent the summer together in Toronto, training at a gym run by former power forward Gary Roberts.
Despite the many issues facing the Senators and some of their star players this season, there is at least some assurance Tkachuk will be part of the future.
And he’s intent on leaving that impression on anyone watching.