Prospect Info: #189 - LW/C Liam Kirk

XX

Waiting for Ishbia
Dec 10, 2002
54,886
14,502
PHX
liam_kirk_sheffield.jpg

  • Position LW/C
  • Height 6'2" / 188 cm
  • Weight 161 lbs / 73 kg
  • Shoots L
Liam Kirk is a 6’2 Center/Winger who boasts an incredible skating speed, a beautiful set of hands, and a real sense of purpose whenever the puck is on his stick, and the mere fact that he looks like a dang superstar at the age of 18 at the top hockey league in his home country.

Where Kirk falls short for scouts and for teams looking to draft the guy is that while he’s played a full season of EIHL hockey and looked good, the reality is he emerged with a modest point spread of 16 in 52 games. Furthermore, for his development to continue, he’s finally biting the bullet and going to the CHL where he can see what he ends up looking like against players his age as opposed to players almost twice his age and experience which of course means...More time. Furthermore, because he’s so good in comparison to his fellow UK compatriots at such a young age, he’s very underweight, among the lightest in the draft.

SCoC Draft Profiles: Liam Kirk; the UK’s next big NHL superstar?
 

AlanHUK

5-14-6-1
Nov 27, 2010
2,470
394
Nottingham, England
apparently the boards decided to remove the last comment I made on this so lets try again

He's said he was wanting to go into the CHL import draft.

He took about half a season to adapt to playing against men, but I do think he could adapt reasonably quickly to the AHL, the league here isn't as bad as it once was, and in terms of play style is more physical than other European leagues.

If he was from one of the more prominent hockey countries in Europe he would almost certainly have been taken higher.

Hopefully I never have to see him play for the Steelers again.
 

AlanHUK

5-14-6-1
Nov 27, 2010
2,470
394
Nottingham, England
It wasn't a case of having to adapt at all, the coach literally just wouldn't play him for the first half of the season, most games he would only touch the ice in the warmup, and they only started giving him regular minutes when they saw what he could actually do. I'm sure you're well aware, it's extremely difficult for a young British kid to earn ice time in the EIHL when you've got a team full of foreign players with long hockey CV's including hundreds of games played in the AHL/ECHL and even a handful of NHL games. They are just automatically assumed to be worse than the foreign vets because they're British kids and unproven.

It was exactly the same when he played for the GB men in the WC, he started the tournament as the 13th forward and when he actually got on the ice late in a game and showed he could actually be effective at that level, he was given a more regular shift from then on. He was just automatically assumed to be worse than the established names who've been playing for GB and in the EIHL for years. He had something ridiculous like the 6th most shots on goal over the tournament despite having the least ice time out of all the forwards.

After a year in the CHL this could look like a very good pick for you guys. This kid has so much raw skill and has never really been properly coached in his career, so it's scary to think how good he can be after playing in a proper development league with good coaching, and with better fitness and nutrition guidance to help him fill out.

I only had limited viewings(games vs panthers), but if what you said is true that would make sense as to why his effectiveness increased as the season went on.

I agree him being in a proper development structure is going to be amazing for him.

And I’m praying I never have to see him play against the panthers again.
 

Nosswor

Registered User
Jun 24, 2016
187
104
The most exciting thing for me about Kirk was seeing his performances at the Division 1A World Championships. Started the week getting the odd shift, but by the end was a fixture on the third line. Didn't end up getting any goals, but created a whole load of chances for himself, particularly off of the rush. I'm really hoping that he gets picked in the CHL Import Draft and gets to show what he's made of (will be the first British player to play in the CHL for 11 years)
 

Tribec

Registered User
Jun 20, 2004
21
4
Brendan was born in England. Although his dad was Canadian, he was star player across the pond.

So Brendan's older brother Brett, is playing over here and played with Kirk for GB this past season. Your right about his dad Fred, showing my age but I remember watching him over in the UK. He did the rounds of teams from the mid 80's spending one at my then local team.

If Kirk succeeds and he has the mindset to do that, whether or not the skill set is to be determined, but if he does and the game progresses as it is here in the UK as it has done recently he'll be the first of many. It will be very interesting to see if he's in the CHL next year how he then performs next April in the World Championships against the top nations, against NHL players. That should be an indicator as to his chances in the long term.
 
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Gwyddbwyll

Registered User
Dec 24, 2002
11,252
469
About 12-15 scouts watched Kirk play and he was at the combine, one of the lightest players there. Pretty sure all the teams knew about him but Chayka and his team are out to select players with value that other teams are more conservative on. Kirk has done everything he can, developing in a low-grade system with minimal ice time for practice and games all his life. He's never had the advantages that 99% of the rest of the draft had and yet still competes against men at club and international level. He's about as undeveloped as you can get so I hope he is not thrown in at the AHL level but gets a good CHL team that will give him ice time and a top role to play.
 

ck26

Alcoholab User
Jan 31, 2007
11,892
2,035
Coyotes Bandwagon
Seen this kid without even realizing it ... EIHL isnt elite but it's a fun night out at the game. If he stays in England (and he shouldn't) I'll for sure go watch them a few times next year.
Playing against men and only really fell due to not being heavily scouted. Can go right into the AHL too
A 160 lb kid has no business in the AHL ... AHL is a much higher level than EIHL. If he's eligible go play in juniors, he should play in juniors.

Like this pick as a late round lotto ticket.
 

Siamese Dream

Registered User
Feb 5, 2011
75,215
1,238
United Britain of Great Kingdom
The most exciting thing for me about Kirk was seeing his performances at the Division 1A World Championships. Started the week getting the odd shift, but by the end was a fixture on the third line. Didn't end up getting any goals, but created a whole load of chances for himself, particularly off of the rush. I'm really hoping that he gets picked in the CHL Import Draft and gets to show what he's made of (will be the first British player to play in the CHL for 11 years)

8 years if you count Robert Farmer's 1 game played for the Ottawa 67s in 2010 :laugh:
 
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ck26

Alcoholab User
Jan 31, 2007
11,892
2,035
Coyotes Bandwagon
The most exciting thing for me about Kirk was seeing his performances at the Division 1A World Championships. Started the week getting the odd shift, but by the end was a fixture on the third line. Didn't end up getting any goals, but created a whole load of chances for himself, particularly off of the rush. I'm really hoping that he gets picked in the CHL Import Draft and gets to show what he's made of (will be the first British player to play in the CHL for 11 years)
Is there a chance that an NHL team drafts him and no CHL team does? Doesn't someone at least kinda have to take a flyer on him solely because Chayka did? Like even if I don't find a girl that attractive at first, if you say George Clooney used to date her, I immediately think, "OK, I must be wrong" and get super interested.
 

Beville

#ForTheBoys
Mar 4, 2011
8,639
1,391
Engerlanddd!
Very excited by this.

Even if it only means I get him on NHL19 :laugh:

Solid player in the EIHL, should do good in the CHL but where he goes from there I don’t know. A few good years of development from the CHL/Coyotes org and he could be alright.

Plus he gets Brendan to help him out, can only do wonders for him.

Coyotes slowly turning into a fav team.
 
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MIGs Dog

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Jan 3, 2012
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Is Kirk eligible for the CHL draft, which I believe is this week?
 

crazyhockeylover96

Registered User
Mar 14, 2009
678
164

That first video makes attendance in AZ look awesome. Looks like more LW usage than C, at least in these videos. Never watched him otherwise. I like his variety of shots and locations but those goalies weren’t that great either. As others have said, prospect camp and CHL time will help enlighten us.
 

Gwyddbwyll

Registered User
Dec 24, 2002
11,252
469
Looks like more LW usage than C, at least in these videos. Never watched him otherwise. I like his variety of shots and locations but those goalies weren’t that great either. As others have said, prospect camp and CHL time will help enlighten us.

Yeah I've not seen him play C. Despite rookie mistakes, he does show defensive responsibility so he could take that role eventually.
 

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