| Walt Tkaczuk | |
| Birth Date: | 29 September 1947 |
| Birth Place: | Emsdetten, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 0 |
| Weight Lb: | 185 |
| Position: | Centre |
| Shoots: | Left |
| Played For: | New York Rangers |
| Career Start: | 1967 |
| Career End: | 1981 |
Walter Robert Bogdan Tkaczuk (born September 29, 1947) is a Canadian former ice hockey centre who played fourteen seasons for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1967 and 1981. Tkaczuk's family, originally from Ukraine, moved to Timmins, Ontario from West Germany when he was two years old.[1] He was the first player born in Germany to appear in an NHL game.
Tkaczuk centred the "Bulldog Line" with Bill Fairbairn and Dave Balon, who was later replaced by Steve Vickers.[2] He could score his fair share of goals, however he was much better at producing assists. Tkaczuk's finest contribution to the game was that of the defensive forward, being among the NHL's elite shadows and faceoff men. This complemented the Rangers' high-scoring GAG line of Jean Ratelle, Rod Gilbert, Vic Hadfield. During his first two seasons with the Rangers, the club and media pronounced his name, "Taychuk" because the Rangers' director of player personnel felt it was easier to say than the correct pronunciation, "Ka-Chook." Prior to the 1969-70 season, the club announced he would henceforth be called by the correct pronunciation.