Prospect Info: #189 - LW/C Liam Kirk
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Dane Byers was one of the leading scorers. The level of play is below the ECHL.
AZ's Luke Moffatt lead the league in goal scoring after being a utility player at Michigan.
Siamese Dream
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Scoring numbers of certain players in the EIHL don't really tell the whole story. Players from teams like Manchester will score the most points because of the conference system and not having as deep a roster. The EIHL has 3 conferences which are essentially the good one (Nottingham, Sheffield, Belfast, Cardiff) the Scotland one, and the rest. Everyone plays more games against the teams in their own conference, for financial reasons, so the good teams have more games against each other and less against the bottom teams so this combined with having less ice time on a deeper team with 4 decent lines means it's harder for their players to rack up as many points even though they're better than the guys playing 30 minutes a night against the lesser teams.
Mike Hammond lead the league in points this year playing for Manchester, but he looked really really average playing for the national team, and that's just compared to the British guys
Plus some guys just do better than others in the league for a variety of reasons. Some players come with a really impressive history, hundreds of games in the AHL, and are just flops. While you get some guys who never got a sniff at the AHL who do quite well, it just depends on the player. Nottingham first signed Evan Mosey from the Netherlands league and an unimpressive 4 years in the NCAA, because of this they paid him so little he had to survive on free McDonalds for a whole season and he ended up being one of their best players.
Mike Hammond lead the league in points this year playing for Manchester, but he looked really really average playing for the national team, and that's just compared to the British guys
Plus some guys just do better than others in the league for a variety of reasons. Some players come with a really impressive history, hundreds of games in the AHL, and are just flops. While you get some guys who never got a sniff at the AHL who do quite well, it just depends on the player. Nottingham first signed Evan Mosey from the Netherlands league and an unimpressive 4 years in the NCAA, because of this they paid him so little he had to survive on free McDonalds for a whole season and he ended up being one of their best players.
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Also take into account the wages the club can afford to bring top rated ex nhler's over to the UK. Back in the early 90's the salary cap was huge in the former Super League, but that nearly killed the sport as clubs simply couldn't maintain that sort of expenditure from the small income they were generating from attendance. Back then you had a few ex nhler's of note plying the later end of there career over here.
Once that was replaced by a more sustainable league the standard dropped from AHL to ECHL standard to well below that level. We've had to slowly rebuild the league, stabalise the teams and slowly improve. The Super League also destroyed most of the productive junior programs, so to be in the position where we are slowly creeping back towards the ECHL standard and our junior programs developing players of Kirk's standard is positive.
Once that was replaced by a more sustainable league the standard dropped from AHL to ECHL standard to well below that level. We've had to slowly rebuild the league, stabalise the teams and slowly improve. The Super League also destroyed most of the productive junior programs, so to be in the position where we are slowly creeping back towards the ECHL standard and our junior programs developing players of Kirk's standard is positive.
rt
The Kinder, Gentler Version
Seems like guys have around the same level of success in the EIHL as they had in the ECHL when they’ve spent time in both leagues.
So this kid has played a couple years of pro and it shows, because he appears to be a natural center and very responsible defensively. If he can get his weight up, he could really be something. His CHL coaches should be pleasantly surprised.
Name Nameless
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AlanHUK
5-14-6-1
For the people that have been down to the development camp how is he looking in comparison to the other prospects?
Matias Maccete
Chopping up defenses
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Not like a 7th rounder. I've been to a lot of these camps, and he's looked better than any 7th rounder I can remember. As far as this year's draftees, I'd only put him behind Hayton, Bahl, and Jenik. Maybe Busby. I read somewhere Chayka had a 5th round grade on him, which isn't surprising at all.
What really impressed me was that he didn't shy away from physical play despite his thin frame, and how good he looked on the forecheck and D zone. I expected an undersized scoring winger who hasn't had to do much else, but his game is pretty well rounded already. I'm a fan.
Siamese Dream
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TheLegend
Megathread Gadfly
During Liam's time in the EIHL, the competitiveness of the league has increased. Bar the likes of Edinburgh who never competed and have since been dumped out the league.
The style of play is pretty physical, but getting much quicker.
In recent years the biggest name players have been Jim Vandermeer, Yann Sauve, Brian McGrattan, Cam Janssen, Patrick Bordeleau, Eric Neilson, Dylan Olsen, Derrick Walser, Anthony Stewart, Michael Garnett, Matt Beleskey, Wade Belak, Jared Staal, Guillaume Desbiens, Jay Rosehill, Darian Dziurzynski, Tyson Strachan, Brad Moran, Jason Williams, David Ling.
The trend between the above is generally, 33+, tough, looking for a final decent payday as well as paid for education. Salary is generally up to around $60,000 per season. Some players will get a Masters in Business thrown in as part of the contract, which in theory is another $30,000+ in value. Use of a car and accommodation is paid for. Lots of sponsors also means players can and often get free meals, and other things. They get free gym membership too which usually includes personal training, strength and conditioning and then rehabilitation stuff.
Much that hits the headlines about the EIHL is beer league type news and before say 2016-17, It was a complete different league to what it is now. Professionalism is getting much better, level of play is increasing. Use of career enforcers like McGrattan is gone, teams are opting for team toughness rather than an all out enforcer. It's a very physical league so toughness is required because skill players will get hit hard. Players can make a good living playing in the EIHL, and it has and continues to open doors to some players coming from Europe, wanting to play in North America and players from North America wanting to play in Europe. Overall it's an average league in Europe which is stereotyped as a beer league far too much and has seen EIHL teams beat Swiss NLA teams, German DEL teams, Finnish Liiga and Swedish SHL teams. It shouldn't be overlooked but shouldn't be too highly thought about.
Bringing it back on topic (I apologise!)
It's a huge huge thing hearing how impressed everyone seems to be with Kirk and how people are really rooting and believing in him. I'm hoping to get to Toronto in the next year and hopefully be able to take a road trip over to Peterborough, assuming he opts to play there. Fingers crossed the updates continue to appear on this thread.
Appreciate the info. If you want to watch Kirk against his peers (many are older, the majority are stronger), the archive of the prospect game is here: facebook.com/ArizonaCoyotes/videos/10156107103050783/
He is #64 for the Red team and he looks great. Way better than any of us expected. I underestimated the impact of him playing a pro style game and receiving pro style coaching. He isn't what we'd call a 'hotdog' of a player who can only flash offensive skills. Often times junior kids are great on offense and aren't asked to play defense a whole lot. What impressed me most both in drills and the scrimmage is his overall defensive awareness. Most players at his age do not understand how to rotate to different guys in the defensive zone and how to read the play, especially in the absence of formal structure like you'll see in the scrimmage.
I was pretty disappointed with the 5th overall pick Hayton, although he still had moments. Kirk was a lot closer to him than I think anyone imagined he'd be. For a 7th round pick who is behind the curve a bit physically, that's great. If he can climb into a top 6 role quickly with the Petes, we might have ourselves a player.
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Thanks. Gives me a better feel for the league. I can see where an MBA would be an attractive contract kicker for players in their twilight.
88
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Been involved with UK hockey for many many years and Liam Kirk is the most exciting prospect i've ever seen over here. I hope the plays in the CHL and develops more and if he puts in work off the ice gaining weight in the right places there is no reason why he can't make it. I love the Blackhawks but i'll be following Kirks progress very closely.
Sleestak Nation
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Rob Brown
Way She Goes
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Siamese Dream
Registered User
You all sound like cartoon owls to us.
What about crows?
Crow with Yorkshire accent caught on film
Think Arizona might need a new mascot for when Kirk cracks the roster!
If/when Liam Kirk makes his home debut for the Coyotes, I want to go to the game, sit next to the Coyotes' bench, and sing "God Save the Queen" all game.
Name Nameless
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He will need to stand up if you do that. Bad plan.
How about "Jerusalem" or "Land of Hope and Glory" then?
(whenever someone brings up Jerusalem in that context I think "No! leave it where it... is"!)
Coyotedroppings
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Not if it's the Sex Pistols version.He will need to stand up if you do that. Bad plan.
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