With the 8th overall pick in the 2018 CHL Import Draft today (Thursday June 28, 2018), the Peterborough Petes selected left winger Liam Kirk.

It’s yet another milestone for the English born and trained forward, who was selected by Arizona Coyotes in the recent NHL Entry Draft on June 23.
Since then his story has spread across the hockey world and the young prospect is currently in Arizona taking part in the Coyotes development camp having jetted across the ocean at the beginning of the week.

So what do we know about the Peterborough Petes?

They a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, which is comprised of twenty teams; seventeen in Ontario, two in Michigan, and one in Pennsylvania..

Peterborough Petes have played at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.

Notable alumni include including Bob Gainey, Steve Yzerman, Mickey Redmond, Larry Murphy, Dick Todd, Roger Neilson and Scotty Bowman, who all have banners hung at the PMC honouring their contributions.

Peterborough’s newest head coach is Rob Wilson, which is a name many UK hockey fans will recognise.
Wilson played for Sheffield from 1994-2000 and is well versed in the British game having been behind the bench with the Newcastle Vipers and as an assistant coach with the GB national team.

Since then he’s spent four years in Italy and Germany respectively before taking on his new role with Peterborough. Wilson’s involvement with the selection of Kirk had been well touted leading up to today.

However, it’s not set in stone that Kirk will play for Peterborough next season with options in Europe (including with Sheffield) open to him.
It’s also worth considering that the Coyotes organisation will have some input into the decision but the following tweet indicates it’ll be the OHL for the former Sheffield forward.

Kirk would certainly benefit from the experience on the smaller ice surface and the better training facilities available to him. He may also get the opportunity to play centre on occasion which should also benefit his game long-term.

If making the trip to Ontario in late August for camp, Kirk will be part of a roster that features Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, who was selected 76th Overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs five days ago.

For Peterborough fans especially, here’s a little look at what Liam Kirk can do.