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The matter of all those points ….

Since the 2005 entry draft, if we look at players in their draft years only six players have out-scored Tkachuk in their draft years (both regular season and playoff games), Sidney Crosby, 2.65 points per game, Connor McDavid, 2.52, Patrick Kane, 2.38, Sam Gagner, 2.13, Jonathan Drouin, 2.12, Mitch Marner, 2.03. Only one of those players, Gagner, has failed to shine in the NHL

Is Tkachuk more like Gagner, or is he more like the others in that top group?

The fact is that he’s not much like any of them, as all the others play a high-flying, finesse game, whereas Tkachuk plays a tough, physical game. He’s like Gagner in that he’s one of a number of exceptional attackers on a strong London Knights team in his draft year (Gagner played with Kane, while Tkachuk plays with Marner). There’s some cause for concern that the exceptional quality of Tkachuk’s linemates has inflated his point total somewhat. At the same time Tkatchuk earns his points the hard way, at the sharp end of the London attack.

By the way, almost all of the players who averaged more than 1.6 points per game in this key season have gone on to star in the NHL, or are on that path. Below 1.6 points per game, it gets more iffy, and that’s where you will find Pierre-Luc Dubois, the other forward mentioned as a possibility for the fourth overall pick. Dubois averaged 1.5 points per game this year, the same as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in his draft year.

P.S. My first impression of Tkachuk’s highly-regarded teammate Olli Juolevi wasn’t nearly so positive. For a finesse defenceman, too many of his passes went astray. In the three games, he was hardly a dominating presence. He was just OK in his puck battles. He showed good skating ability, a fine shot and a willingness to jump into the play, but I was left wondering how his game will translate to the NHL. With his slight frame, he’s got to be a magician with the puck, like young Provorov in Brandon, and I didn’t see that. But perhaps I just saw him on three off games. There’s a real danger of that. At the same time, his inconsistent puck moving left me wondering.

At the Cult

McCurdy: Talbot was far from OK against Finland

Staples: Why it’s unlikely Oilers will trade #4 pick

Cult of Hockey chat on which d-men the Oilers should keep

Willis: Wild may have interest in RNH, but what’s in it for the Oil?