Brady Tkachuk: How the Senators will rebuild

Brady Tkachuk was drafted 4th overall by the Ottawa Senators in 2018. Ever since, Tkachuk has been seen by Ottawa fans as a key piece in the future of the Senators. The Senators have been knowingly terrible for the last couple of years. The Ottawa sports team hopes to bounce back with ambitions of returning to the high level it was once at. Although Tkachuk has been known to take the odd penalty, his competitive edge and will to win never disappear. The combination leads to me to believe that after only two years in the National Hockey League, Tkachuk is the kind of player to build around. 

Why Tkachuk?

In Tkachuk's first campaign in the NHL, he tallied 22 goals and 23 assists, for a total of 45 points in 71 games. Depending on the competition, these numbers could have been great enough for Brady to win the highly regarded Calder Trophy, though Canucks sensation Ellias Pettersen stood in the way. Several options may be considered for the overall rebuild of the Senators, although none are better than using their two superstars, Chabot and Tkachuk, to their advantage. At just 20 years old, Tkachuk has already proven more than most what it takes to win at a professional level. Because of the Senators rebuild, Tkachuk faces lots of ice time. This may be beneficial to the young winger since there have been struggles with consistency in the past. Tkachuk holds a high value that shouldn't be overlooked by the Senators when the time comes to sign high contracts.

Rebuilding takes time

Tkachuk's sophomore season was nothing shy of a continuation of his first time around. Tkachuk had been scoring at a substantial pace during the start of the season. On Oct. 27, Tkachuk took control of the entirety of the game, scoring a goal and two assists, while also throwing six hits. This led to a commanding 5-2 win for the Senators. The win is a perfect example of the asset that is Brady Tkachuk, both a physical and offensive player that is able to balance out his skills brilliantly.

Moreover, fans were reminded just how inconsistent Tkachuk can be. Before this game, Tkachuk had been scoreless in the last six games, a trend that seemed rather usual for the young sophomore. Although not all of this can be attributed to Brady's inconsistent play, it becomes much more difficult playing for a rebuild team that struggles to win. For example, McDavid and Drasaitl are going to have much more points from the power play in comparison to Tkachuk and Chabot. This is simply due to the efficiency of the power play and strength of the team as a whole.

Future potential

Earlier this year, Tkachuk played in a game that defines exactly his style of gameplay. Tkachuk managed to secure no points, but still left a massive impact on the game. Tkachuk finished the game with 8 shots and 6 hits. This would help him accomplish the feat of becoming the first NHL player to 100 shots and 100 hits on the season. This is very important for realizing what Brady can really bring to the table. Not only is Tkachuk a premium offensive player, he is one of the most rounded players on the ice. This means he is going to have an impact on the game, even if he doesn't show on the scoresheet.

The Senators are officially in rebuild mode. However, Tkachuk should be considered one of the main pieces that should not be moved. In fact, some might argue that this is already Tkachuk's team! There is nothing Tkachuk hasn't done to prove he deserved to be picked high in the draft. The following link shows the rest of the selection possible at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

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