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Coyotes make Liam Kirk the 1st born-and-trained Brit selected in NHL draft history

Posted at 12:49 PM, Jun 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-24 15:49:52-04

Liam Kirk has become the first player born and trained in England to be selected in the NHL draft.

The Arizona Coyotes picked the 18-year-old left wing 189th overall on Saturday with their seventh-round pick.

Kirk was home, on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean about 4,600 miles away from Dallas, when he was drafted.

"A dream come true! Huge honour to be drafted to the @ArizonaCoyotes organisation. Massive thanks to my friends, coaches and especially my family. Also for the support from the British fans leading up to and after the draft. Thank you to everyone for the kind messages," Kirk tweeted Saturday night.

The 6-foot, 161-pound Kirk played this season for Sheffield Steelers in the Elite Ice Hockey League, the highest level of competition in the United Kingdom. He had nine goals and seven assists in 52 games for the Steelers in his second season with the team.

When Kirk attended this year's NHL scouting combine in Buffalo, he became the first player born and trained in Britain to attend that annual pre-draft event.

Coyotes fans can catch Kirk and other prospects in action beginning Monday during their prospect development camp at Gila River Arena in Glendale. Practices will take place from 2 to 5:45 p.m. on Monday, 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday and 9 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Thursday. The players will compete in an intra-squad game on Friday beginning at 6 p.m. All practices and the game are free and open to the public.