Liam Kirk is the 19-year-old who could put British hockey on the map

[craigswain]

@craigswain

Thanks for sharing!

Don

Any time!

[Devlin]

Thats interesting insight, thanks

[Devlin]

Hell of a career , almost 3,000 points (tony Hand)

too bad he couldn't stick with the oilers, bound to come up with a goal or two playing with
that group.

[Savard18]

I'm not even trying to disrespect this kid, his game or the programs they have across the pond but has anyone ever heard of Tony Hand?

Also let me also point out that Gary Unger at 40 years old went over to the BHL and scored like 13 or 14 goals in a game and only played a handful and put up some pretty crazy numbers like 10 or 15 points a game..... I'm not trying to bash these guys at all but they're going to need to work profoundly hard to take hockey to the next level in England or the UK in general...

But I think if the sport is promoted correctly, we may see the first actual born and raised Brit drafted and perhaps play in the NHL within 15-20 years... And that would be great.

However as a hockey fan - all my life - and what I have seen of UK hockey is that they really really really need some help from the United States/Canada to refine their game and we need to teach them a little bit....

[craigswain]

I'm not even trying to disrespect this kid, his game or the programs they have across the pond but has anyone ever heard of Tony Hand?

Also let me also point out that Gary Unger at 40 years old went over to the BHL and scored like 13 or 14 goals in a game and only played a handful and put up some pretty crazy numbers like 10 or 15 points a game..... I'm not trying to bash these guys at all but they're going to need to work profoundly hard to take hockey to the next level in England or the UK in general...

But I think if the sport is promoted correctly, we may see the first actual born and raised Brit drafted and perhaps play in the NHL within 15-20 years... And that would be great.

However as a hockey fan - all my life - and what I have seen of UK hockey is that they really really really need some help from the United States/Canada to refine their game and we need to teach them a little bit....

Totally agree, we have a long way to go!

The sport is heavily under promoted and under funded over here. We have no where near enough ice rinks meaning lots of competition between different sports and clubs for ice time making it too expensive for the kids clubs to train more than they do. It's also difficult to encourage new kids to the sport as their parents always lean towards football (soccer). Hell, most parents don't even think about hockey as an option.

Hockey doesn't get any real media coverage either, the only channels covering the sport are Freesports and Premier Sports which aren't mainstream channels that everyone turns to... Freesports covers ONLY SOME of the British Elite League matches and Premier Sports covers the NHL but is a pay subscription channel. I can't remember the last time I read about hockey in a newspaper or magazine. You can only really find hockey over here if you look for it, rare just to come across it.

Some help from across the pond is definitely needed, but in the way of coaches, not players. Part of the problem over here with our 'Elite League' is the number of imported players, it gives our homegrown players less ice time at higher levels. If the kids don't get signed in the Elite League, in Scotland their only other options are Scottish National League which is amateur or to join a recreational team and play just for fun without contact. But aye, we need coaches badly! The kids clubs all rely on parent helpers who before their kids started playing knew little or nothing about the sport...

It'll take a lot of time, but our small hockey community is trying, lol

[bto3105]

The only time we in Canada ever heard of the UK in hockey when it was a case of.....what ever happened to?

Kenny Hodge Jr had a great career in the UK in the 90's after having a hot start in Boston.

I'm really routing for this new local kid to make it. Big fan of the UK in general and there should be more people in the NHL from across the pond. There is no reason why not!!!

[Leafsman]

I'm not even trying to disrespect this kid, his game or the programs they have across the pond but has anyone ever heard of Tony Hand?

Also let me also point out that Gary Unger at 40 years old went over to the BHL and scored like 13 or 14 goals in a game and only played a handful and put up some pretty crazy numbers like 10 or 15 points a game..... I'm not trying to bash these guys at all but they're going to need to work profoundly hard to take hockey to the next level in England or the UK in general...

But I think if the sport is promoted correctly, we may see the first actual born and raised Brit drafted and perhaps play in the NHL within 15-20 years... And that would be great.

However as a hockey fan - all my life - and what I have seen of UK hockey is that they really really really need some help from the United States/Canada to refine their game and we need to teach them a little bit....

I know of Tony Hand. He was the greatest hockey player in history. His professional point total stands at more than 4,000...more than Wayne Gretzky. He was drafted by the Oilers in 1986 and management was VERY impressed with him. Unfortunately, he was homesick and headed back across the pond. He has admitted to regretting his decision afterwards.

It's too bad. He was an elite player and could have been dynamite on those Oilers teams! Had he remained in North America, I feel like Britain would have produced more players for professional leagues around the world, not only the NHL.

Hopefully young Liam Kirk can do what Tony Hand decided against - stick in North America, play in the NHL, make a name for himself, and help British hockey grow and produce more talent worldwide.

[Devlin]

kenny hodge started with the blackhawks, traded to B's along with espo

[Devlin]

Hodge born in england, 1944, one of 53 nhl players to be born in uk.
Never played there, grew up in Canada, finished career in 79-80 in AHL.

Lives in Boston area.

[bto3105]

Hodge born in england, 1944, one of 53 nhl players to be born in uk.
Never played there, grew up in Canada, finished career in 79-80 in AHL.

Lives in Boston area.

Ken Hodge JR not SR.

Kenny Hodge JR played with Cardiff. He finished his career there. Looking up his stats it wasn't Gretzky like but but I did remember watching a show back in the day on how well he was playing there and they did a feature on the league. As kids,we never knew hockey was played in England ,only Football