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Boston University’s new coach leaves Brady Tkachuk with tough decision

By Derek Grochowski

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 04: NHL 2018 Entry Draft Prospect Brady Tkachuk speaks to the media ahead of Game Four of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on June 4, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 04: NHL 2018 Entry Draft Prospect Brady Tkachuk speaks to the media ahead of Game Four of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on June 4, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Albie O’Connell got named as the next head coach of the Boston University Terriers. This decision will have an impact on top draft prospect Brady Tkachuk.

Brady Tkachuk will be a top-10 pick in this year’s NHL Entry Draft. Tkachuk will wait and see where he gets drafted before he decides to head back to school or not. However, the hiring of Albie O’Connell to coach at Boston University will make Tkachuk’s decision more complicated to make. It may seem like an easy choice to take the money, leave college and join the NHL, but it is much deeper than that. His development should come first.

Tkachuk is a very talented prospect, and his physical play matched with the skill element will be a huge boost for any team. There is still room to grow. He matured his game a lot, but he still needs to get better at taking fewer penalties. His offensive game showed flashes of being elite but could use more consistency.

Entering his sophomore season, he can iron out both of those problems. Tkachuk can also take on more of a leadership role in the program. This growth would really turn him into a top prospect. It might be the harder choice, but it is the right move to go back. Being plugged into the NHL too early can be a shock to a young player’s system and actually hurt their development.

As far as Albie O’ Connell goes, he is inheriting one of the top college hockey programs in history. After David Quinn left to take the New York Rangers job, the door was wide open for O’Connell. He has been a college assistant coach for the last 14 years, starting at Niagara University and working his way to Boston University. He has built a strong relationship with his players including Tkachuk.

It won’t be long after draft day for Tkachuk to make his decision on whether or not to return to school. This was likely a common question Tkachuk faced during his draft combine interviews. A team would be a little disappointed if they thought they were drafting a day one starter only to have him return to school.

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This hiring could even hurt his draft stock, as there are plenty of talented players at the top of the draft. Some of the prospects have the talent to start from day one. If a team feels they need a starter, they may pass on Tkachuk, and he could start to slide.

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