Liam Kirk

Liam Kirk (born 3 January 2000) is a British professional ice hockey left winger for the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect under contract to the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Kirk began his career with the British Elite Ice Hockey League club the Sheffield Steelers.
Internationally, Kirk has played for the British national team, helping them win promotion to the Elite Division at the 2018 IIHF World Championship Division I tournament, before playing an important role in the 2021 World Championship.
In June 2018, Kirk was drafted in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the Arizona Coyotes, becoming the first player born and trained in England to be selected by an NHL team.
==Playing career==
===Sheffield Steelers===
Growing up in Maltby, a small former mining town in South Yorkshire, Kirk first got into hockey when his parents and family went to watch the Sheffield Steelers. His brother Jonathan got into ice hockey and Kirk wanted to be like his brother, so he also started playing.
 
Kirk began playing for the Sheffield Junior Academy. He was selected for the Midlands Conference – a team consisting of the best players from the Midlands region of the UK at U11, U13, U15 and U17 level – every year of eligibility, winning the EIHA Conference Tournament twice and being named a tournament all-star six times out of a possible eight, as well as being named tournament MVP three times.
Playing in the England U18 North League in the 2015–16 season, Kirk amassed a league-leading 98 points, with 60 goals and 38 assists. The same year, the U18 team from Sheffield won the league title. He was also selected for the Great Britain U16s.
 
Continuing his success as an U18, Kirk played in the EPL for the Sheffield Steeldogs (league now defunct) and was signed by the Sheffield Steelers on a three-year apprentice contract.
===Junior===
Kirk was selected 189th overall (in the 7th Round) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the Arizona Coyotes. He became the first player born and trained in England to be drafted into the NHL. Kirk was selected 8th overall in the CHL Import Draft later in June and played for the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
===European loan spells===
With the 2020–21 OHL season not scheduled to begin until December 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kirk opted to remain in Europe initially signing a loan for Swedish Hockeyettan side Hanhals IF on a short-term deal on 17 October 2020. 
In February 2021, Kirk temporarily returned to the UK by signing on loan with NIHL side Sheffield Steeldogs ahead of their Spring Cup series. In March 2021, Kirk was named as part of the Sheffield Steelers squad for the 2021 'Elite Series'.
===Arizona Coyotes===
On 18 June 2021, Kirk signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Coyotes. On 28 July 2021, the Coyotes officially announced Kirk was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the club, becoming the first English born and trained player to sign an NHL contract.
He started the 2021–22 season in the AHL with the Coyotes' affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. Kirk played in eight matches, scoring two goals and three points, before suffering a season-ending knee injury in November 2021.
==International play==
Kirk has played for the British national team in several international tournaments at both the junior and senior level.
In the 2017–18 season, he played for the U18s, coming away with a gold medal. For the U20s, he collected a range of awards such as Best Forward, Most Points, Most Assists, Most Goals, as well as the Best Face-off Percentage (71.43%) and a bronze medal.
His senior debut came at the 2018 IIHF World Championship Division I, where he helped Great Britain earn promotion to the 2019 World Championship. It marked Great Britain's first appearance in the elite division since 1994. Kirk played five games, though he did not score a point.
Two years later, Kirk starred for Great Britain at the 2021 IIHF World Championship - scoring his first senior points and going on to finish joint-top of the goalscoring charts with seven goals in seven matches. 
Kirk, who finished with nine points to his name, also helped Great Britain to a first regulation time win at the elite level since 1962 with a 4-3 win over Belarus on 26 May 2021, and an overall team points tally of four. He was named in the all-star team for his performance.
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
2015–16 	Sheffield Steeldogs	EPIHL 		15 	0 	1 	1 	0 		2 	1 	1 	2 	0
2015–16 	Sheffield Spartans 	NIHL 		7 	4 	2 	6 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2016–17 	Sheffield Steelers 	EIHL 		19 	0 	0 	0 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2016–17 	Sheffield Steeldogs	EPIHL 		38 	20 	25 	45 	12 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2017–18 	Sheffield Steelers 	EIHL 		52 	9 	7 	16 	6 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2018–19 	Peterborough Petes 	OHL 		63 	26 	21 	47 	26 		5 	0 	1 	1 	0
2019–20 	Peterborough Petes 	OHL 		47 	21 	29 	50 	25 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2020–21 	Hanhals IF 	SWE-3 		12 	5 	5 	10 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2020–21 	Sheffield Steeldogs	NIHL 		12 	21 	11 	32 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2020–21 	Sheffield Steelers 	Elite Series		14 	10 	10 	20 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2021–22 	Tucson Roadrunners 	AHL 		8 	2 	1 	3 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
EIHL totals	EIHL totals 	EIHL totals 		71 	9 	7 	16 	8 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
AHL totals 	AHL totals 	AHL totals 		8 	2 	1 	3 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
2016 	Great Britain	WJC18-D2 	 	5 	2 	1 	3 	4
2017 	Great Britain	WJC18-D2 	 	5 	6 	2 	8 	6
2017 	Great Britain	WJC-D1 	 	5 	2 	2 	4 	0
2018 	Great Britain	WJC18-D2 	 	5 	4 	3 	7 	2
2018 	Great Britain	WJC-D2 	 	5 	7 	7 	14 	6
2018 	Great Britain	WC-D1 	 	5 	0 	0 	0 	0
2019 	Great Britain	WJC-D2 	 	5 	5 	9 	14 	4
2019 	Great Britain	WC 	 	6 	0 	0 	0 	0
2021 	Great Britain	WC 	 	7 	7 	2 	9 	4
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	30	26	24	50 	22
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	18	7 	2 	9 	4
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Awards and honours==
Award 	Year 	
International 	International	International
WC All-Star Team	2021 	
==References==
==External links==
Category:Arizona Coyotes draft picks
Category:English ice hockey forwards
Category:Sheffield Steelers players
Category:Peterborough Petes players
Category:Tucson Roadrunners players