Matthew Tkachuk

Matthew Tkachuk (born on December 11, 1997) is an American ice hockey player who is currently playing with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

Matthew is a top rated prospect who is projected to be a possible top 5 pick at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Major Junior Career
On May 8, 2015, Matthew gave up his NCAA eligibility when he signed with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) who had drafted him in the 4th round of the 2013 OHL Priority Selection.

Playing on a line with Mitchell Marner and Christian Dvorak, he scored 107 points placing him 5th in OHL scoring.

Leading up to the NHL draft, Matthew was ranked the No. 2 North American skater, described as a bona-fide future star for an NHL club that brings elite skills and attributes.

International Play
Matthew helped Team USA win gold at the 2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge held in Nova Scotia, Canada.

He also competed at the 2015 IIHF World U18 Championships where in seven games he registered 10 assists (tops in the tournament), leading the United States men's national under-18 ice hockey team to a gold medal win.

At the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships held in Helsinki, Matthew and Auston Matthews each scored 11 points to lead the American team in scoring. After losing in the semifinals, the American team beat Sweden to claim the bronze medal.

Personal Life
Matthew's father, Keith Tkachuk played 1,201 games in the National Hockey League and is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. His younger brother, Brady Tkachuk, plays with the National Team Development Program.

Matthew was born in Scottsdale during his father's stint with the Phoenix Coyotes and grew up in the St. Louis suburb of Chesterfield, Missouri.

He is second cousins to former NHL player Tom Fitzgerald, who grew up with his father. His father has suggested that his family background and name is either "Polish, Russian, [or] Ukrainian."

Keith is also of Canadian descent as his mother Chantal is a native of Winnipeg due to his father's stint with the Winnipeg Jets.