Matthew Tkachuk, the son of NHL 500-goal scorer Keith Tkachuk, announced via Twitter today that he has verbally committed to Notre Dame.
More than just a famous name, Tkachuk is considered one of the top 1997-born forwards in the United States while playing for the St. Louis AAA Blues program. This year, playing at the Midget Minor level, Tkachuk leads his team in scoring with 15 goals and 36 assists for 51 points through 28 games, which places him fourth overall in the Tier I Elite Hockey League. Listed at 5'10" 150 lbs., he certainly doesn't seem to have his dad's power forward type size, but as a late '97 birthdate, there's also still plenty of time for him to grow.
Tkachuk had been heavily recruited by many major programs around the country, including reportedly taking an unofficial visit to Michigan in recent weeks. He seems to be a likely candidate to play for the NTDP next season, and will likely be heavily courted by the OHL when he is selected in their draft this summer. As a late '97, he most likely won't suit up for the Irish until 2016-2017.