Tkachuk ready to make a good impression this fall

It wasn't an easy choice for the 4th overall selection in the 2018 NHL Draft to sign his entry-level contract with the Senators this offseason but thankfully Brady Tkachuk has some great resources in his immediate family.

Tkachuk ultimately made the decision to leave Boston University prior to his sophomore season on Monday and while the feedback from his father, Keith, and brother, Matthew, were instrumental throughout the process it was important for Brady to come to the decision on his own.
"It's nice to have people in my close circle that know what they're talking about," said Tkachuk. "It's been so great to have them and their input but in the end it all comes back to me making the best decision for myself and my development."
Leaving school proved extra difficult for Tkachuk who raved about BU's program, coaching staff and facilities but he felt that it was in his best interest both short and long term to sign with the Senators this summer.
"It was a really tough decision for me. I love Boston University and I made a lot of great memories and friends there so it will always be a place that will be special to me," he said. "It's been my dream to play in the NHL so for as tough as it was to leave BU, I'm really excited for my career to get started with a great organization like Ottawa."
As Tkachuk says farewell to his counterparts at BU, he's now seeing an influx of phone calls and texts from his future teammates in Ottawa. After agreeing to his contract earlier this week, Tkachuk shared that a large number of current Senators, including veterans like Mark Stone, Matt Duchene, Mark Borowiecki, Chris Wideman and others, reached out to welcome him to the team and the 18-year-old St. Louis native definitely appreciates the support.
"It's been really cool and it's a credit to those guys because they don't have to do that," said Tkachuk. "They're going out of their way to welcome me to the team and I'm really appreciative of that. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of them at camp next month."

Before training camp gets underway in mid-September, Tkachuk will see his first action with the team at the Sens Rookie Camp and Rookie Tournament in Montreal where he fully understands what a good showing among the other prospects can mean for him heading into main camp the following week.
"It's the first time that the coaches and management will get to see me in action since Development Camp so I definitely want to make a good impression," he said. "It's also a great opportunity to get to know a lot of the other prospects in the system that will hopefully become future teammates in the NHL one day."
While Tkachuk gets set for his first experiences as a professional hockey player next month, he still has a few things to sort out including what number he'll wear. He sported #27 at Boston University and has worn #7 for Team USA in the past but hasn't decided what he'll wear with the Senators just yet.
"In the past, I've usually just worn something with a 7 in it," Tkachuk joked. "I haven't really put much thought into a number with the Sens though so we'll see about that once I get to Ottawa."
Those minor details will all be sorted out over time. Currently, Tkachuk is much more focused on his offseason training in Toronto with Gary Roberts where he shared that he's already seeing big improvements in his strength and speed as he prepares for his first NHL training camp.
"It's the best league in the world so I'm going to have to elevate my game even more and I'm confident in myself that I can do that," he said. "I got a bit of a taste playing against older guys in college as an 18-year-old but the National Hockey League is a completely different level. I'm up for the challenge though. I'm confident in myself and my abilities and I want to make an impact all season long at the NHL level."