NHL Mock Draft 2016: Calgary Flames Select Matthew Tkachuk With No. 6 Pick

We here at Matchsticks and Gasoline went back and forth over who to draft and it literally came down to the last vote. It was tied 2-2 and the final vote set the pick in motion:

With the 6th Pick in the 2016 SB Nation NHL Mock Draft, Matchsticks and Gasoline select, Matthew Tkachuk.

Matthew Tkachuk, LW, London Knights (OHL)

2015-16:

Regular Season: GP: 57, G: 30 A: 77, PIM: 80, +/-: 45

Playoffs: GP: 18, G: 20, A: 20, PIM: 42, +/-: 23

The fact that Tkachuk stuck around to the 6th pick in this Mock Draft should bolster Flames fans spirits. Most of Flames Nation panicked when they saw the Flames win a few meaningless games late in the season and then saw the team drop to the 6th pick overall in the NHL Draft. This scenario worked put pretty well here for the Flames. Calgary is still in the middle of a rebuild and adding a player like Matthew Tkachuk is huge. Matthew played well for Team USA in the World Juniors and is a physical player (think “truculence”) who can put the puck in the net. At 6’1″ and 194 lbs, he can bring some grit and nastiness that Flames are missing. Here’s a complete look at Matthew Tkachuk’s stats from EliteProspects.com

by Mark Parkinson