The MJHL's Neepawa Titans swung a deal that adds 20-year-old Ty Kirk to their team for the upcoming season and the Hamiota product couldn't be happier to be playing closer to home.
"It was a really exciting moment," Kirk says about finding out he was being traded to Neepawa. "It was all fast and smooth. Thrilled to be closer to home with my family being able to watch me more, it'll be good."
Family was a big reason Kirk loves the move and he can't wait to suit up for the Titans with them in the stands at the Yellowhead Centre. "It was the biggest part. I want to have a great last year and having my family closer will make it even better."
Neepawa is a team looking to take that next step and Kirk says wanting to win is huge and wanting to be a piece that helps with that success is even bigger. "My first year in junior, we won it all. We went to the Centennial Cup and that experience was amazing. Hopefully, coming to a team that has some younger guys that are developing, I'm hoping to bring some of that experience and it'll be good."
Going back over his career, Kirk smiles when thinking about coming back home for this season. "I grew up in the Yellowhead area and grew up playing for Hamiota, my hometown. I started playing AAA in the Yellowhead system up to U18. I moved to Sioux Lookout and played my first two years of junior there and now I'm heading to Neepawa."
Coming up through the Yellowhead Chiefs programs, Kirk credits that time as a big reason he's had a solid junior career. "I feel like I've developed a lot there. Nothing but good things to say. I play with a lot of energy."
Moving to Sioux Lookout was a big step for Kirk but he loved his time there. "I was trying to decide what to do with my first year of junior and I had a buddy that used to play Yellowhead, he's up there and he said they had a strong group that was making a push for it. He thought I should come, so I talked to my family and we decided to go for it. It was hard, but I got used to it. It was a great group there and we ended up winning it all."
That time was huge for Kirk when it came to learning how to be a junior hockey player both on and off the ice. "Both on and off the ice I learned a ton. All those good players, getting to learn from them, the systems, what it takes to win, it was a great thing for me."
Last season, Kirk put up a career high 14 goals and he says he's really looking to build on it heading into this year. "Learning and playing so many games, I got way more confidence. Getting to practice every day, working at it and developing my game. It really helped me become a better all-around player."
Kirk says Titans fans can expect him to always work hard and put it on the line for his team. "I'm a gritty, two-way player that always brings a lot of energy. I'm always hard on the forecheck and throw my body around. I'm not afraid to visit the penalty box whether it's at home or anywere, that's for sure."
While it's all still fresh, Kirk admits he did a little look at who perhaps might have his preferred number, but it looks like it might work out for him. "Not too worried but going back to my Yellowhead days, I was 24 and recently, that became available, so hopefully it's still there."
No matter what number he wears, it won't take Titans fans long to to point out Ty Kirk when he's on the ice.