Former captain Tkachuk likes the look of Jets, but his sons’ teams and NHL employer come first By: Mike McIntyre Posted: 7:00 PM CST Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019 Last Modified: 8:13 PM CST Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019 Updates

Opinion

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This article was published 26/02/2019 (2032 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Keith Tkachuk is wearing many hats these days. Truth be told, he might be running out of room on his head, not to mention his heart.

The long-time NHL power forward is currently employed as a scout for the St. Louis Blues, the hottest team in hockey. He rarely misses a Calgary Flames games, as his oldest son Matthew is one of the team’s top players. And the sad-sack Ottawa Senators have also become appointment viewing, given that another son, Brady, is having a stellar rookie season.

Keith Tkachuk got another reason to break out the old Jets jersey and maybe even one of those old whiteout pom-poms this week when his second cousin, centre Kevin Hayes, was shipped from the Rangers to Winnipeg on trade deadline day

As if that wasn’t enough to keep the remote control at the ready, Tkachuk has always maintained a soft spot for the Winnipeg Jets, the franchise where he started his career and spent four years with until they moved to Arizona. He got another reason to break out the old Jets jersey and maybe even one of those old whiteout pom-poms this week when his second cousin, centre Kevin Hayes, was shipped from the Rangers to Winnipeg on trade deadline day.

That’s a ton of must-see TV for Tkachuk, who got an up-close look at Hayes and the Jets on Tuesday night at Bell MTS Place. And even though Winnipeg melted down in the final minutes and turned a 2-1 lead into a 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild, Tkachuk believes the franchise is very much pointed in the right direction.

“This team is built to do very well, especially in the tough games in the playoffs,” Tkachuk told me as we met during the first intermission. He certainly knows a thing or two about toughing it out given his rugged style of play over 18 NHL seasons, including 1,201 regular-season games and 89 playoff contests. He put up 1,121 points (566 goals, 555 assists) along with 2,395 penalty minutes.

Sure, he may be a little biased given the family connection, but Tkachuk believes the addition of Hayes could ultimately be a game-changer for the Jets.

“He’s got so much skill and so much hockey sense. A smart player, you almost sometimes get mad at him, because sometimes he should shoot instead of pass. He’s always looking to make plays. And he plays 200-feet,” said Tkachuk.

That was certainly apparent on a few occasions Tuesday, especially one particular power play where Hayes was set up perfectly twice, only to dish the puck instead of ripping it. Hayes played 15:54 in his debut, going 8-for-12 in the faceoff dot with one shot on goal, two blocked shots and one missed shot.

“I think he’s really matured over the last couple years. He’s become a true professional. You gotta give him some time to adjust because of the trade, this is his first trade, so there’s a lot thrown at him,” said Tkachuk.

Hayes, 26, played his first game on the second line with Nikolaj Ehlers and Mathieu Perreault. Attention coach Paul Maurice — Tkachuk believes the real winning combination is putting sniper Patrik Laine on his wing.

“Laine’s gonna love playing with him, if he does play with him. All he has to do is find open ice and he’ll find him,” said Tkachuk, who got a chuckle out of a photo going around showing Hayes, as a young boy, wearing a Jets jersey with Tkachuk’s name on the back.

“How great is that,” he said.

 

Tkachuk was one of several former Winnipeg Jets captains on hand this week to celebrate the induction of Lars-Erik Sjoberg and Ab McDonald into the franchise’s Hall of Fame. Banners were raised to the rafters prior to Tuesday’s game, and then a luncheon was held Wednesday afternoon at the Fairmont Hotel.

Other big-name guests included Ulf Nilsson, Anders Hedberg, Dale Hawerchuk, Dave Christian, Morris Lukowich, Lucien DeBlois, Kris King, Thomas Steen and Dean Kennedy.

“It was really nice. They did a great job, the Jets, bringing us all in. It was first class, a great atmosphere. This is awesome, I’m glad I came,” said Tkachuk, who couldn’t help but get in a dig at the 53-year-old King, who remains in great shape.

“He can still go. Now he can play. Before he couldn’t play,” Tkachuk cracked.

 

Being an NHL hockey dad times two is tough, especially when Matthew and Brady faced each other for the first time last weekend in Ottawa. Tkachuk and his wife, Chantal, made the boys promise not to fight each other.

“I’m checking my phone, they were up 2-0, now they’re down 6-2,” Tkachuk said Tuesday night, as the Senators raced out to an early lead only to implode against the Washington Capitals.

Having one boy playing for a legitimate contender in Calgary and another part of a painful rebuild in Ottawa is quite the contrast.

“Yeah, this is tough. This is part of it, this is where they’re at. It’s an opportunity for Brady to really get going, step up and work on his game. Get him some opportunities on the ice. And for Matthew’s sake, they’re built like Winnipeg, to go the distance,” said Tkachuk.

He was sad to see the mass exodus out of Ottawa at the trade deadline, especially given how well veteran winger and Winnipeg native Mark Stone had mentored Brady this year.

“He lived with him for the first three or four months to get Brady’s feet wet. It was tough to see him go, with what he’s done for Brady on and off the ice. This was really the first year I’ve really watched Mark Stone. There’s no doubt he’s one of the better players in the National Hockey League from a 200 foot, two-way game type of player,” said Tkachuk.

“He is so good, and for him to put up those numbers, still playing with two young guys in Colin White and Brady. For him to still do that says a lot about him as a player, and he’s an even better person.”

His St. Louis Blues are now threatening to catch Winnipeg and Nashville on top of the Central Division, while Calgary is in tough with San Jose and a Vegas team that added Stone at the deadline.

“The West is going to be fun now. Nobody wants to play St Louis, nobody wants to play Vegas. So Calgary and San Jose can fight it out, and Nashville and Winnipeg,” said Tkachuk.

As for predictions on who might emerge, Tkachuk wasn’t about to tip his cap.

“It’s tough, because my kids take priority over anybody, and I work for the Blues. But now that Kevin’s here, and obviously Craig Heisinger’s (the Jets’ assistant general manager) been a friend for a long time. I played in Winnipeg so I want them to do well,” he said.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg