Liam Kirk will make his Czech Extraliga debut on Friday [15 September], with the Team Great Britain star expected to skate key minutes in HC Verva Litvínov’s season-opening clash versus Dynamo Pardubice.
The 23-year-old, who was released from his contract with the Arizona Coyotes earlier this month, is the latest landmark addition for Litvínov, who also acquired former NHLer Ondřej Kaše in a bid to transform their roster into a championship contender.
“The arrival of Kirk in Litvínov was significantly helped by the increase in financial support from the main partner of the club, the company STEBAL, just as in the case of the arrival of Kaše,” explained CEO Pavel Hynek.
Kirk is set to become the first Team GB player to feature in the Extraliga, which is sure to pique the interest of British Ice Hockey readers.
With that in mind, here are three key facts to know about Kirk’s new team, the quality of competition he will face in Czechia, and the status of his career.
HC Verva Litvínov presents an interesting opportunity for Liam Kirk
Litvínov’s roster includes a number of recognisable figures in addition to Kase, including Slovak goaltender Matěj Tomek, Canadian blueliner Kevin Czuczman, and Czech youth international Michal Gut.
They also have the benefit of being coached by the highly-regarded Karel Mlejnek, who rose from division three to the Extraliga in relatively short order.
“At the end of August, Litvinov quickly came up with an interesting offer,” said Kirk. “I liked how the opportunity was presented by the managers and coaches and also what role it should be for me in the squad. The development plan and the possibilities for improvement were also important to me.”
With that in mind, Litvínov approach the new season expected to compete at the upper end of the table, which hasn’t often been the case for a club that has one national championship to its name and last recorded a top-five finish in 2016-17.
Why was Liam Kirk attracted to the Czech Extraliga?
The Czech Extraliga was founded after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia and is currently ranked as Europe’s third-strongest league behind the Swedish Hockey League and Finland’s Liiga, which Kirk played in last term.
The Extraliga is a 14-team competition, with the top dozen qualifying for the play-offs to determine the national champion.
Czechia’s postseason follows a series format, with the top four regular-season squads advancing directly to the quarter-finals, while the teams ranked fourth through eleventh contest best-of-five qualifying battles to make the final eight.
The Extraliga’s worst-performing regular-season club enters a relegation playoff, creating an extra opportunity to avoid demotion to the second tier.
Followers of the Champions Hockey League will be familiar with many of Czechia’s top teams, with five-time champions Oceláři Třinec facing the Belfast Giants in the tournament last year.
The Extraliga also includes arena outfit Sparta Prague, Jaromir Jagr’s Rytíři Kladno, and historic powerhouse HC Kometa Brno.
Kirk’s decision to join the Extraliga is built on the foundation of the league’s quality.
While still some way off its Swedish and Finnish equivalents, Czechia’s top tier is a high-quality competition with high training standards, impressive facilities, and a 54-game regular-season schedule.
Kirk will benefit from playing regular minutes in a rigorous league and could use his time with Litvínov as a launching pad for the rest of his career in Euroep.
What does Liam Kirk’s transfer to Litvínov mean for his career?
While a move to Finland or Sweden would have been preferable, Kirk has landed on his feet with an ambitious organisation in Czechia.
Liam Kirk, HC Litvinov (Image: HC Litvinov)
Litvínov are widely tipped to improve on their performance from last season, with a deep run in the playoffs plausible for Kirk and his new teammates.
The Maltby-born forward has parachuted into a well-balanced roster, which raises the possibility that he will be asked to perform in all situations.
Kirk, who is primarily an offensive-minded forward, will be stapled alongside Litvínov’s top talents, meaning he will have ample opportunities to find twine and hone his craft in one of Europe’s most competitive leagues.
There is no doubt that Kirk would have preferred for his North American adventure to continue, but his transition to life on the continent represents the start of an exciting new chapter in his career.
Stay tuned, this could be a breakout campaign for Kirk.
