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Kit Kirkstone Scouting Report
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Former GM and SHL goalie Jeff Kirkstone had two children, one of whom is starting to turn some heads in the world of hockey scouting. Jeff’s eldest, Kit, has developed into a well rounded goalie prospect, soon to make their debut in the SMJHL. While it’s too late to declare for the S57 SHL Draft Class, it’s not too late for Kit to find a temporary home with one of the SMJHL teams as they prepare for the playoffs. A good opportunity to audition before being drafted by a team this coming offseason. As we said, Kit is a well rounded goalie, but that’s not to say they don’t have any strengths or weaknesses. We’ll take a look at what makes them an intriguing prospect, and what’s got scouts talking about a new hockey family in the SHL.

The Good

Kit relies primarily on a great glove hand, finding it relatively easy to snag any shot they get a clear view of. Shooters often pay close attention to this when making pre-game adjustments. Aiding with the quick glove is Kit’s strong reflexes, which in turn boosts many of their other physical capabilities. Being naturally quick to react is obviously a huge asset for a goaltender, and a crucial part of Kit’s game they’ll need to keep sharp. They’re also constantly working on cardio in the gym, and building a strong internal battery to keep them going game in and game out. If a team is looking for a workhorse, then Kit surely should be on their shortlist. Finally, Kit has a certain mental toughness that you find in many star goalies, an ability to shut out negative thoughts and focus on the task at hand. A soft goal or a pesky opposition player in the crease won’t get Kit off their game at all.


The Bad

There’s still a lot of room for improvement, and these areas will all need to be worked on before Kit will be ready to see an SHL game from the crease. First of all, scouts are unanimous in noting Kit’s trouble with rebound control, which stems from an inability to absorb shots properly rather than merely stopping them from entering the net. Kit also struggles with the handling of the puck, and subsequently passing the puck to teammates. Some drill work during the offseason should be enough to raise these skills to the level of a regular in the SHL, but if they neglect to address these issues then it may be a long time before they ever see an SHL game.


The Questions

Kit recently suffered a high ankle sprain, and this can be one of the more devastating injuries for a goalie, but recovery has gone smoothly according to Kirkstone. Will the injury affect their potential career? They’ve been a standout for their local San Francisco Sabercats, but it’s not exactly known as a program that turns out big name stars, making some scouts question Kit’s pedigree. Will teams not want to gamble on a goalie from a lesser known hockey program? Lastly, some question whether Kit rides the coattails of the Jeff Kirkstone name, a well known figure in the SHL community who spent 10 seasons as a player and 19 as a GM for Montreal (now Carolina) and San Francisco. Will Kit be forced to live in their father’s shadow?


The Intangibles

Kit is one smart cookie, and will fall back on a scholarship to play for the Golden Bears at UC Berkley if no SMJHL teams take an interest in the young netminder at the draft. It’s quite surprising that Kit would even be considering playing professional hockey over pursuing a higher education, but that is indeed the dream for them. They’ve also gained a reputation as a player that gives back to their community, and seeing Kit volunteering is quite common around San Francisco. Kit often leads volunteer groups for teammates to get involved as well, earning Kirkstone a leadership role with most teams they’ve played with now. A player of high character and high education is sure to impress scouts ahead of the draft.

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