The Arizona Coyotes have loaned forward Liam Kirk to Mikkelin Jukurit of the Finnish Liiga for the rest of the season.
The Team Great Britain sniper departs North America after a stint in the ECHL with the Atlanta Gladiators, for whom he recorded 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 15 appearances.
Kirk will remain contracted to the Coyotes and is expected to feature in the American Hockey League next season, per Craig Morgan of Phoenix Sports.
Welcome to Mikkeli, Liam! đđ€©
Jukurien hyökkÀys vahvistuu 22-vuotiaalla Liam KirkillÀ. Kirk on NHL-seura Arizona Coyotesin sopimuspelaaja, ja hÀn saapuu Mikkeliin loppukauden kattavalla lainasopimuksella.
đ Lue lisÀÀ: https://t.co/4g2hoixNbF#Jukurit #OmienPuolesta #Liiga pic.twitter.com/3wuvo8aO9L
â Mikkelin Jukurit (@MikkelinJukurit) December 29, 2022
The Coyotes selected Kirk in the seventh round (189th overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
Explained: Liam Kirkâs loan to Mikkelin Jukurit
Kirk, who missed most of the previous campaign due to injury, started the season with the Tucson Roadrunners, the AHL affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes. The AHL sits one step below the National Hockey League (NHL) and is often used to develop mid-to-late round draft picks.
However, the 22-year-old was healthy scratched for the first eleven games of the season and subsequently demoted to the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL â where he quickly found his feet and recorded 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 15 appearances.
Liam Kirk, Tucson Roadrunners (Image: AHL)
Kirkâs impressive form in the third division created a dilemma for the Coyotes: should they keep the Maltby-born forward in Atlanta, promote him to Tucson, or loan him elsewhere? Bill Armstrong, the general manager in Arizona, picked the third option, paving the way for his former seventh round pick to play in the Finnish Elite League.
Mikkelin Jukurit are in a battle to qualify for the playoffs at the midway point of the season, with a record of 17-15-1. They are eighth in Liiga, which is the fourth-strongest league in the world behind the NHL, Kontinental Hockey League, and Swedish Hockey League.
Analysis: Liam Kirk will take Mikkelin Jukurit switch in his stride
In a sport that rarely celebrates individuality, Liam Kirk has always been true to himself.
The Maltby-born forward is already a history maker: he is the first player born and trained in England to be selected in the NHL Entry Draft. He also starred as an import in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) dominated the IIHF World Championship in 2021, and continues to handle adversity with poise and maturity beyond his years.
It hasnât always been sunshine and roses for Kirk.
Related: Should the Arizona Coyotes trade Liam Kirk?
He suffered a serious knee injury just three months into his entry-level contract with the Arizona Coyotes, which ended his season and saw him slide to the bottom of the organisationâs depth chart. Then, to add insult to injury, the Tucson Roadrunners healthy scratched him into oblivion.
But his response has been perfect.
Kirk was a standout performer for the Atlanta Gladiators, forcing the Coyotes to find him a role in a top-quality league â which is exactly what Liiga is.
Liam Kirk, Atlanta Gladiators (Image: ECHL)
Mikkelin Jukurit is the perfect team for Kirk at this point in his career, not least because they are in contention for a playoff spot in one of the worldâs strongest divisions.
They are also excited to have the British forward.
âWhen the opportunity to acquire the striker came up again, it had to be used,â said Jukurit general manager Mikko Hakkarainen. âLiam was being chased by several top clubs in Europe, so itâs great that he chose us. In Liam, Jukurit gets a versatile attacker who can play in the middle and on the wing. Above all, he is a natural scorer,â
Kirkâs career, which already includes stops in Canada, Sweden, and the USA, is truly unique. His loan move to Jukurit is simply the latest twist in an unfinished story. Itâs time for him to write the next chapter.
