Per ESPN’s John Buccigross, Brady Tkachuk will sign a pro contract with the Ottawa Senators and leave Boston University after one season. The Senators drafted him fourth overall in the 2018 draft.
In his lone season with the Terriers, Tkachuk was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team and was named the Hockey East Performer of the week two times. He was named the Hockey East Rookie of the Week one time. He also helped Team USA to a Bronze Medal in the IIHF World Junior Championship.
The St. Louis native played in all 40 games while putting up 31 points and led the team in assists with 23.
Brady Tkachuk, son of Keith, has informed Boston University Head Coach Albie O'Connell of his intentions to sign a pro contract. pic.twitter.com/3VziMjCin8
— Bucci Beatnik (@Buccigross) August 11, 2018
A previous version of this article stated that Tkachuk had 31 assists when in fact he had 23 assists. It has since been updated to reflect these changes
This is an unmitigated disaster for BU Hockey … not as far as having a winning season but as far as winning a 6th NCAA Title. Sorry to those who disagree.
Don’t understand why Tkachuk leaving is such a disaster. No one player is indispensable to the success of a club, least of all him, and if he doesn’t value a college education, good riddance, he’s taking the same path his father took, should we be surprised?
The club would still be very strong and let’s remember what JP used to say , its not about winning nat’l championships every year but the process to getting there that is most important and attractive.
Glenn,
Once again I agree with your assessment. The recruiting philosophy must change as we have learned that too many talented one and done players has not ended in a National Championships.
The recruiting philosophy has seemed to have changed, based on the most recent committs. Based on his comments, Farabee wants to be a one and done, but I think the guys who we have recently landed (for future classes) seem like they will be here longer. I am sure BC doesn’t care much that Wahlstrom will be a one and done, and they don’t even have the supporting cast that we have this season.
Glenn,
The addition of Wahlstrom and the deletion of BT has certainly narrowed the gap between B.U, the beagles and every other team in college hockey.
Not a good way to start the new season. Pretty sure it surprised the coaching staff who must now look for another forward or have less depth up front.
Does anyone think that he is NHL ready?
Of course he is not NHL-ready but this signing will allow him to play with AHL Belleville. Depth up front will not be our problem. It is just having one less superstar which will likely limit our success in 2018-2019.
Glenn,
Since BT is the 4th overall pick , I believe it is a one way entry level contract. So It seems he will be in the NHL . I do not think he would have left if he was not promised to stay with Ottawa.
IMO he would have been better off for his development to be at B.U. then the AHL.
Yes Larry. What particularly aggravates me is that he said in an interview that he was going to base his decision on what was best for his development and where he would be making the most impact. That was obviously not true. Nothing could have been better for his development (and resulted in him being a difference-maker) than returning for his sophomore season to a BU team poised to win a national title. Nothing could be worse for those outcomes than signing with a lowly Ottawa team that is in a state of turmoil (aside from taking a year off from hockey).
see ya later to the prima donna, drama queen. glad he is gone because we all knew he did not want to play for us anymore. but thanks BT for letting us know so late. you were so thoughtful not to leave the day before the BU opener. a true terrier like his one and done old man.
now i am sure i will get some heat on this next comment. i hope he fails (no injury wise) as a message to him and other college players not to leave before their time. i respect guys like Fabbro and Greenway who use common sense in making this kind of decision.
once again, good riddance. it is an honor to play for BU and if your heart is not in it, then arriverdverci and don’t let the screen door hit you in the ass
Let’s pull back the reins a little please. This year’s team is not, nor was it ever, poised to win a national title. They will be a good, not great, team with or without BT. Certainly, they would have been better with BT. Do we really think that they can replace last season’s top line seamlessly? Obviously, Glenn does but please be realistic. TK out!!!!!!
TK, yes I do see how last season’s top line production could be replaced: Farabee, Wise, Harper returning and I see Cockerill making a major progression this season.
Matthew, Can you please correct the article sentence which states that BT had 31 points and 31 assists.
Glenn realistic? there’s a better chance of the Pope converting to Islam
also hats off to quinn hughes for returning to michigan. if we can’t win it, i hope they do. now we all know that Hughes is not as talented as BT. just ask anyone in the Tkachuk family.
Not as good as his father whom I saw a lot of while at BU. Will start only because the talent is so spread out in the NHL now. Inconsistent play but a load of potential . POTENTIAL is the key word in my comment here. Wish him luck but why do there guys wait until so late to leave team. No respect here for the program.
We will be ok Brady is a great player and person. He handled himself with class . Now that he is gone the season is not over. We have some great players here. The new guy Quercia I got a chance to meet him I love his attitude he is a power forward smart disciplined player who likes to muck it up. I look for a big year from chabot a kid who can bang with the best of them. Not only can he hit but this kid can produce offense. My prediction is amonte tears up the league I saw signs last year of him having the potential to be a dominant player. We also have cockerel you know he is going to grow offensively he reminds me of a Matt lane who could fly and became a key piece to his BU teams his junior/senior year. We are also getting some great freshman coming in. I don’t like to cross reference two sports but the patriots have a motto next man up, so that’s what we need to do give guys opportunities maybe one guy does not fill Brady’s shoes but 2 guys may exceed his abilities on one line. I have faith coach and his staff will plug in the right players. Like it or not this is now part of college hockey and we are prepared to handle it thanks to our outstanding recruitment. Go bu🐾
Vinnie and TK, are you serious ROFL?? OMG, you seriously think anyone in D-1 hockey was going to compete with us this year if BT returned? That’s an absolute joke. Yes, now we are only a good team but if he returned … take an honest look at what would have been our top three lines, d-pairings and who we have in goal and tell me that BU would not have been a heavy favorite to win a NCAA title.
how about this rumor:
k Divver
@MarkDivver
21h21 hours ago
More
Colorado Avalanche 3rd rounder Sampo Ranta rumored to have hit an admissions snag at Wisconsin. Wouldn’t be shocked if he lands at BU, which now has some cap room
this would be a huge score for alibi if he could pull it off
Thanks for sharing that Vinnie. Wow, this would be an amazing development (Sampo Raanta). Make my day Albie!
We had an unbeatable team with Jack but we lost to a team who was a good team with a great goalie. We’re a good team with a great goalie. Let’s see what happens. We still in great shape..
I’m back boys welcome everyone .. Glad to be back.. Go BU
Welcome back here Rui!
still not sold on the great goalie idea. i see games where he is great but i think his consistency is lacking. you need that to be called great, IMHO
Vinnie, I think you should have seen that Jake’s second half (of 2017-18 season) was much more consistent with him being the goalie we all expect him to be. Let’s hope that continues this coming season.
I have now switched my online news search vigil from BT to Sampo Ranta. Hopefully this saga will end better for Terrier Nation. One last comment about BT: I was viewing his return as having the same implications as another first round talent from ten years ago … Colin Wilson. Of course we were good with or without him … but Wilson’s sophomore season really made a difference in winning that national title. OK, now I will shut up about BT.
Wilson was a “man among boys” on that 2009 team. Terrific skater, scorer and playmaker who led the nation in scoring. i don’t see BT as being nearly a talent as Wilson or would have had nearly the impact on the Terriers as Wilson did.
I think BT had a more impactful freshman year than CW. Now we will never know how dominant a sophomore year BT would have had.
Tkachuk’s production picked up in the second semester and would have gone up at an even higher rate this coming season. He had meanness and an edge … more so than Wilson. I agree that on a PPG basis, Wilson was much better.
We would have had a “great” team with BT ? Our goalie is “great”. Some people here on this blog have not seen much hockey I guess. Yes, with BT we had a good chance at a National title but this team with him and the goalie did not do much last year in championship games if you remember. With new coach I do expect a better outlook however.
Yes SoCC. I did not say BT was great but with him on the team there’s no question in my mind that we would have been great. Think about who is returning this year and the quality of our incoming freshman class. For so many seasons, we have depended on the freshmen for star power and to drive our scoring. This year it could be so balanced and deep. Jake has another season behind him. His consistency should improve. If not, then we will not have a great team at all.
I have moved on from Brady I like him as a player and a person but he is gone. I would not ever say we are going to win a national title . I would not have said it before he left, and I won’t say it now. What I will say is we are in a group of teams that has the ability to win a national title. College hockey has a lot of parity in it a lot of things need to go right. I realize a lot of folks on this blog are already setting the stage for when and if bu fails to meet certain expectations. I was ready last year when I correctly said the bu train would steamroll through the second half. I have high expectations for this team we have depth any team who had players like Chabot Switzer Witkowski Amonte not in the line every night last year has depth. I love the thought of what this team can do. They are working out very hard this summer going to class and mentally getting ready for a grueling but fun hockey season. I encourage everyone who follows this team to get excited it is filled with some great kids. We are almost 50 days away and I can’t wait.🐾
Glenn,
The new coach has to change the culture. B.U. has become a breeding ground for the NHL. Too much emphasis on going to the NHL rather then an education and being part of something special at the collegiate level. It seems the tail is wagging the dog rather than the dog wagging the tail.
There should be a specific date that if you are undecided to return to B.U. then you relinquish your scholarship so the coaching staff will have enough time to find a replacement. Too many of these swell players are simply selfish and put little to no value on a scholarship. Unfortunately they are supported by there out of touch parents who believe B.U is only a pit stop on the road to the NHL.
I remember a coach who took away scholarships if the player had the wrong attitude. Too many cry babies and prima donnas will ruin a season no matter how much talent is allegedly on the team.
I actually agree with u.. Great post…
So true, Frozen Out. The NHL should have a rule about signing players so late. After all the colleges train their players for NO COMPENSATION.
Son of CC,
Not only due they train these players but many get either full or partial scholarships. A full scholarship at B.U. is worth I believe over $71,000 per academic year.
What happened to the good old days were scholarships were a considered a privilege and a clear path to a great education. If the NHL did not work out there was a great alternative to develop a career with a prestigious college degree that could assist the process.
the good old day are just what the words say: the good OLD days. never to return
i like this new kid Carrabes. they graded him as a 3.5 but that could mean he is a good player who stays for 4 years and becomes a 4.5
Greetings from Austria! I just got some internet service and found out that, although unofficial, it looks like Sampo Ranta will be going to Minnesota and not BU. Bummer!
How do you say Rump Swab in Austrian?
I will launch an investigation and get back to you! To start with, they speak German here LOL.
Everyone should attend the annual BU-BC Charity Classic. Its for a great cause and features some of the best talents who have ever played for BU and BC. To watch these players display their hockey skills without the other nonsense is quite a treat.
thanks to the players from NU, Harvard and Princeton, we won
why can’t B.U get players like that?
Vito,
I believe B.U. did recruit both of the Harvard alums. One decided to play for his father the other valued his education as much or more than hockey.
The one they missed was Adam Gaudette whom I think was a walk on for Northeastern. Local recruit form Braintree that nobody offered a scholarship.
Frozen,
Well yeah, the Terriers were never going to get Donato because of the father connection at Harvard. Gaudette is a story though, a Hobey Baker winner as originally a walk on. But didn’t we have another walk on, Gilroy, who also won the Hobey Baker in 2009? JP gave him that chance
Good point Vito! The Gaudette and Gilroy stories are pretty amazing.
Vito,
Great point, Gilroy came in as an 8th defenseman, as a walk on. He was friendly with Kevin Schaffer and agreed to play defense in order to be on the team. The rest is history.
He came back for his senior year even though JP gave away his scholarship. His dad paid his tuition . He really valued his education ad wanted to earn his degree. Especially, because he was uncertain about the longevity of a potential N H L career
BU just landed one of the top ’04’s in the country, forward Devin Kaplan. Will arrive in 2022.
Good riddance.
He’s a hot head and will only be GOON like his brother.
And I think Albie is doing a great job so far recruiting!
GO BU!