Peterborough Petes coach Rob Wilson backs former Sheffield Steelers star Liam Kirk to keep on improving

The former Sheffield Steelers’ defenceman has overseen Kirk’s development since the Petes picked him eighth overall in the CHL import draft two years ago and, this past season, he has been impressed with the youngster’s ability to thrive once handed greater responsibility.

“He’s just grown, he’s getting more mature, more confident,” said Wilson. “I think he has handled the whole thing very, very well, given the expectations on him.

“By all accounts Arizona are happy with the progress he is making and next year, if he comes back with us and he stays injury-free, I believe he can have a 40-goal season.

“They are in no rush to make any hasty decisions with him and I’m convinced that they have still got him in their plans and still want to see how he progresses. I’m personally looking forward to seeing even more progress fro him.

“There are people watching his progress and seeing what he does but I think he owes it to himself to give it one more opportunity over here.

“I certainly don’t think anyone else has plans for it to be over for him - with both Arizona and Peterborough, he still has an opportunity over here that he has to try and still give it a good shot.”

Kirk, having spent two seasons in Ontario, feels he has blossomed under the watchful eye of Wilson, who went on to coach Newcastle Vipers in the EIHL before spells in both Italy and Germany, from where he moved to Peterborough the same year Kirk was selected to go there.

Having been handed his big opportunity to embark on a pro career when offered an apprenticeship by then Steelers’ head coach Paul Thompson in 2016, Kirk - currently back home in Maltby while he waits to see when the 2020-21 season in North America starts again - sees many similarities with his current coach.

Wilson worked as an assistant to Thompson between 2006-2011 when the latter was head coach of the Great Britain team before the Canadian’s club coaching career required him to head to Italy full-time.

“In the first season, Rob understood the changes I was making and he was good enough to give me the opportunity,” explained Kirk, who could yet spend a third season in Peterborough if his hopes of earning an AHL contract with Arizona affiliate Tucson Roadrunners are dashed.

“He was patient with me, especially in that first year and then he has given me an opportunity this past season to be more of a leader by handing me the ‘A’ - that was something I embraced.

“I know that he is a friend of Thommo’s and obviously I’ve also been coached by Thommo and I can see a lot of similarities between them. I really enjoyed the way Thommo coached me in Sheffield and it has been the same with Rob.

“It worked well with Rob, he took a Peterborough team, rebuilt it and turned it into a playoff-championship contending team - or one that looked like it could be - within two years.

“So I’ve got a lot of respect for Rob for all of that.”

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