Matthew Tkachuk signs with London Knights (OHL)

2016 NHL Draft Eligible Matthew Tkachuk is joining the OHL London Knights.

Tkachuk and the Knights made it official Friday, ending months of speculation that the 17 year-old would be playing major junior hockey after the U-18 World Championships.

I'm a London Knight! #cantwait @GoLondonKnights

— Matthew Tkachuk (@TKACHUKycheese_) May 8, 2015

He is expected to join London in August. As with all players that sign with Canadian major junior teams, Tkachuk will give up any eligibility to play college hockey.

The 6'1", 188 lbs forward and son of NHL legend Keith Tkachuk, who is likely a first round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, was one of the top players on a talented United States U-18 team. He finished the season second on the team with 96 points (38G-58A) in 65 games for the Ann Arbor program

Tkachuk was playing on a line with fellow 2016 Draft prospect Auston Matthews while winning several honors, including a Gold Medal and being named one of the US' top three players at last month's U-18 Worlds.

Tkachuk previously decommitted from Notre Dame in November, telling SB Nation College Hockey, "Nothing against them. It's a great school and I like a lot of things about them." He had originally verbally committed to the Fighting Irish in January 2013.As a young 1997-born player Tkachuk would have had to accelerate his schooling to play college hockey in 2015-16 after aging out of the United States Development Program.

London adds another talented player to a team which continues to pick them up with Tkachuk's offensive instincts and size that further enhances his creativity with the puck.

The St. Louis, MO native was a 4th round pick of the Knights in the 2013 OHL Priority Draft.

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Nathan Wells is a college hockey columnist for SB Nation mostly covering both the University of Minnesota and Big Ten. You can also follow him on Twitter -- Follow @gopherstate