Keith Tkachuk

#7 Forward

Height: 6-2
Weight: 225
Shoots: Left
Birthdate: March 28, 1972
Birthplace: Melrose, Mass.

By the end of Tkachuk's senior year at Malden Catholic, he was considered by most NHL scouts as the top U.S. high school draft prospect despite having missed most of that season with a broken ankle. The Winnipeg Jets picked him 19th overall in the 1990 Entry Draft. He attended Boston University for a year, scoring 40 points in 36 games, before joining Team USA as the youngest player on the 1992 U.S. Olympic team. After the Olympics he quickly established himself as a top Winnipeg scoring threat. In 1996-97 he moved with the team to Phoenix and had his second straight 50-goal season. Traded to St. Louis in March 2001, Tkachuk scored at least 40 goals in four of his first six NHL seasons.

Tkachuk was only 19 years old when he represented Team USA at the 1992 Albertville Olympics. That makes him one of the last teen-agers (along with Scott Lachance) to have played for the U.S. men's hockey team at an Olympic Games. Prior to 1992, several prominent American teens had played in the Olympics, including Mark Howe in 1972 (age 16) and Al Iafrate (age 17), Ed Olczyk (age 17) and Pat LaFontaine (age 19) in 1984. Tkachuk will become the youngest American player to perform in three Olympics, achieving the feat before his 30th birthday in March.

Named to the Olympic team for the third time on March 24, 2001, Tkachuk has played for Team USA at five previous major international tournaments:

1998 Olympics (Nagano, Japan) -- Assisted on Americans' first goal in 4-2 opening loss to Sweden. ... Also had assist on lone goal in 4-1 quarterfinal loss to Czech Republic.
1996 World Cup -- Tied for eighth in tournament with six points in seven games and finished third overall in goals scored as U.S. won championship.
1992 Olympics (Albertville, France) -- Helped Team USA make run to medal round, scoring one goal and one assist in eight games.
1992 World Junior Championships (Fussen, Germany) -- Tied for second in team scoring with seven points as Team USA won medal (bronze) for only second time in tournament history.
1991 World Junior Championships (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) -- Fourth-leading point scorer for American team that finished fourth in tournament. ... Tied for team lead in goals with six.

Tkachuk is a veteran of 11 NHL seasons, spent with the Winnipeg/Phoenix franchise and St. Louis. Here is a look at some of his career highlights:

Tied for 21st on the NHL's 2000-01 scoring list with 79 points (35-44) in 76 regular-season games played between St. Louis and the Phoenix Coyotes … tied for 19th in the NHL with 35 goals … was traded late in the season to St. Louis from Phoenix for Michal Handzus, Ladislav Nagy, Jeff Taffe and a future first round draft pick … was selected to play in three consecutive NHL All-Star Games (1997, 1998 and 1999) … served as captain of Phoenix for seven straight years … led the Coyotes in scoring in 1996-97 with 86 points (52-34) in 81 regular-season games … Tkachuk was the NHL's leading goal-scorer in 1996-97 with 52 goals and his 86 points tied for 11th among all players in the league … became first U.S.-born player to lead the NHL in goals … led the Winnipeg Jets -- now the Phoenix Coyotes -- in scoring in 1995-96 with a career-high 98 points (50-48) in 76 regular-season games … registered a team-leading 20 power-play goals in 1995-96 … chosen as the NHL's top left winger by The Sporting News following the 1995-96 season … finished the season tied for seventh in the NHL in goals, tied for second in power-play goals and 15th in scoring … set single-season career highs for assists and points … skated in all 48 regular-season games for the Jets in 1994-95, registering 51 points (22-29) … honored as an NHL Second Team All-Star in 1994-95 after finishing 12th in the league in scoring … led Winnipeg in scoring in 1993-94 with 81 points (41-40) in 84 regular-season games … scored 22 power-play goals in 1993-94 to lead the Jets and rank fifth in the NHL … received the Chrysler Jets' Most Valuable Player Award in 1994 … appeared in 83 regular-season games during his first full season with Winnipeg in 1992-93, registering 51 points (28-23) … joined the Jets in the latter part of the 1991-92 season after playing for the United States Olympic Team

Tkachuk and his wife, Chantal, live in Boston with their two sons, Matthew and Braeden.