Robert Dirk
Encyclopedia
Robert Dirk is a retired Canadian ice hockey
defenceman who played in the National Hockey League
between 1987 and 1996.
by the St. Louis Blues. He would turn pro in 1986 and spend the next 5 seasons bouncing between the NHL club and the Peoria Rivermen
, the Blues IHL affiliate. He would finally stick on the Blues roster full-time in 1990–91, appearing in 41 games before being moved to the Vancouver Canucks
in a 6-player deal at the trade deadline.
Dirk would find a home on an up-and-coming Vancouver team. While his skating and skill level were limited, he was a big, bruising defensive defender well thought of for his heart and grit. He appeared in a career-high 72 games in 1991–92, recording 2 goals and 9 points along with 126 penalty minutes. In 1992–93, he set career bests with 12 points and 150 penalty minutes in 69 games. He spent his third full season with the Canucks in 1993–94, but the acquisition of Jeff Brown and Bret Hedican
in a deal with St. Louis left Vancouver with too many bodies on defence, and he was dispatched to the Chicago Blackhawks
for a draft pick at the trade deadline.
After only 6 games for Chicago, Dirk was moved again, this time to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks
, for the 1994–95 campaign. After a season and a half with the Ducks, he was dealt to the Montreal Canadiens
in 1996. However, he would fracture his shoulder in his debut for Montreal and was never able to establish himself, appearing in only 3 games for the team.
Released by the Habs following the 1995–96 season, Dirk spent a year in the IHL before retiring and moving into coaching. He finished his career with 13 goals and 29 assists for 42 points in 402 career games, along with 786 penalty minutes.
for two more years. He spent the 2000–2002 seasons with the WCHL
Tacoma Sabercats
, before being hired as the first head coach of the Texas Wildcatters
of the ECHL
.
Following his release from the Wildcatters in 2005, Dirk remained in Beaumont, Texas
to take a job as the director of the Montagne Center
, the home venue of the athletic squads for Lamar University
. He then traveled to and from Houston, Texas to coach his son's bantam AA team. He is now a coach for the miget AAA hockey team for the Okanagan hockey school.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenceman who played in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
between 1987 and 1996.
Playing career
Dirk was selected 53rd overall in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft1984 NHL Entry Draft
The 1984 NHL Entry Draft took place on June 9, 1984, at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec.The 1984 Entry Draft was noted for the unusually high number of future Hall of Famers picked, particularly in lower rounds. In addition to Mario Lemieux being taken first overall, Patrick Roy was chosen...
by the St. Louis Blues. He would turn pro in 1986 and spend the next 5 seasons bouncing between the NHL club and the Peoria Rivermen
Peoria Rivermen
The Peoria Rivermen are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Peoria, Illinois, USA at the Carver Arena.-History:...
, the Blues IHL affiliate. He would finally stick on the Blues roster full-time in 1990–91, appearing in 41 games before being moved to the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
in a 6-player deal at the trade deadline.
Dirk would find a home on an up-and-coming Vancouver team. While his skating and skill level were limited, he was a big, bruising defensive defender well thought of for his heart and grit. He appeared in a career-high 72 games in 1991–92, recording 2 goals and 9 points along with 126 penalty minutes. In 1992–93, he set career bests with 12 points and 150 penalty minutes in 69 games. He spent his third full season with the Canucks in 1993–94, but the acquisition of Jeff Brown and Bret Hedican
Bret Hedican
Bret Michael Hedican is a retired American professional ice hockey player and a two-time US Olympian.-Playing career:Hedican was drafted 198th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. A product of St. Cloud State University, Hedican made his NHL debut in the 1991–92 season with...
in a deal with St. Louis left Vancouver with too many bodies on defence, and he was dispatched to the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
for a draft pick at the trade deadline.
After only 6 games for Chicago, Dirk was moved again, this time to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, for the 1994–95 campaign. After a season and a half with the Ducks, he was dealt to the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
in 1996. However, he would fracture his shoulder in his debut for Montreal and was never able to establish himself, appearing in only 3 games for the team.
Released by the Habs following the 1995–96 season, Dirk spent a year in the IHL before retiring and moving into coaching. He finished his career with 13 goals and 29 assists for 42 points in 402 career games, along with 786 penalty minutes.
Coaching career
On his retirement as a player in 1997, Dirk accepted a head coaching job in the UHL with the Winston-Salem Icehawks. He would spend three seasons in the UHL, one in Winston-Salem before joining the Saginaw GearsSaginaw Gears (UHL)
The Saginaw Gears were a minor-league ice hockey franchise that played in the United Hockey League . The Gears existed one season and part of another, from 1998 to December 19, 1999. On December 20, 1999, the team left Saginaw, Michigan in the middle of the night and moved to Massillon, Ohio to...
for two more years. He spent the 2000–2002 seasons with the WCHL
West Coast Hockey League
The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington...
Tacoma Sabercats
Tacoma Sabercats
The Tacoma Sabercats were an American professional minor league ice hockey team based in Tacoma, Washington. The team began play in the West Coast Hockey League as of the 1997-98 season....
, before being hired as the first head coach of the Texas Wildcatters
Texas Wildcatters
The Texas Wildcatters, who took their name from Texas wildcatters, were an ECHL team based in Beaumont, Texas. They played their home games at the Ford Arena. They were the affiliate of the Florida Panthers in 2004–2005. The team played in Huntington, West Virginia and were known as the Huntington...
of the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
.
Following his release from the Wildcatters in 2005, Dirk remained in Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
to take a job as the director of the Montagne Center
Montagne Center
Montagne Center is a 10,080-seat multi-purpose arena in Beaumont, Texas. It was built in 1984. It is home to the Lamar University Cardinals basketball team. The area floor can host sporting events like basketball, volleyball, wrestling, boxing and martial arts tournaments. With stadium and floor...
, the home venue of the athletic squads for Lamar University
Lamar University
Lamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public research university located in Beaumont, Texas, United States. Lamar confers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher...
. He then traveled to and from Houston, Texas to coach his son's bantam AA team. He is now a coach for the miget AAA hockey team for the Okanagan hockey school.