Sheffield Steelers' prospect gets GB call-up

Teenager Liam Kirk has been picked alongside Sheffield Steelers team-mates Ben O'Connor, David Phillips, Robert Dowd, and Jonathan Phillips in a 28-man squad for their pre-World Championship training camp and two GB international matches against Lithuania next month.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Mar 2018, 15:05 BST
Updated 13th Mar 2018, 15:25 BST
Liam Kirk: lionheartLiam Kirk: lionheart
Liam Kirk: lionheart

The much-in-demand Kirk, 18, who has been scouted in the past few weeks by NHL representatives, will be available when GB host Lithuania in Milton Keynes on Saturday 14th April (7pm) and the following day, Sunday 15th April, in Coventry’s Skydome Arena (5:15pm).After the games against Lithuania, the squad will be reduced to the 23 players who will represent GB at the World Championship in Budapest, Hungary from 22nd to 28th April.Britain will play in Division 1 Group A following their promotion and gold medal in Belfast last year and will face hosts Hungary, along with Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland and Slovenia in the Papp Laszlo Sportarena.Head coach, Pete Russell, said: “This was a tough 28-man squad to choose and a lot of talented players have been left out.“But I am happy with the roster for the training camp and the two Lithuania matches next month.“The competition for places in the GB squad is intense and that will continue to be the case ahead of cutting the squad to 23 players for the World Championship.“We did something very special last year in Belfast and that will live long in the memory, but that’s behind us now and we will face five very, very good teams in Budapest."NetmindersBen Bowns - Cardiff DevilsThomas Murdy - Cardiff DevilsJackson Whistle - Belfast GiantsDefenceDallas Ehrhardt - Manchester StormSteve Lee - Nottingham PanthersJeremy Lundin - Guildford FlamesEvan Mosey - Nottingham PanthersBen O’Connor - Sheffield SteelersDavid Phillips - Sheffield SteelersMark Richardson - Cardiff DevilsZach Sullivan - Braehead ClanPaul Swindlehurst - Manchester StormForwardsOllie Betteridge - Nottingham PanthersBrendan Brooks - Braehead ClanBen Davies - Guildford FlamesRobert Dowd - Sheffield SteelersRobert Farmer - Nottingham PanthersLuke Ferrara - Coventry BlazeMike Hammond - Manchester StormLewis Hook - Milton Keynes LightningLiam Kirk - Sheffield SteelersRobert Lachowicz - Nottingham PanthersCiaran Long - Manchester StormMatthew Myers - Cardiff DevilsJonathan Phillips - Sheffield SteelersBrett Perlini - Nottingham PanthersColin Shields - Belfast GiantsRoss Venus - Coventry Blaze

Related topics:Sheffield SteelersLiam KirkLithuaniaJonathan PhillipsRobert DowdPete RussellMilton KeynesBelfast