Law feels at home on family farm

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This article was published 03/06/2011 (5496 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Kirby Law has not only returned to his roots. He’s also planting roots.

Back home in McCreary, Law has settled into farming life after a long pro hockey career that has come to an apparent end.

"We’re trying to (farm)," Law said with a slight laugh Thursday night. "We’re under water right now, so things aren’t looking good right now, but that’s what I’m doing."

While the flood fight is a short-term challenge, Law’s career change is a long-term decision. With his children growing and pro opportunities not as plentiful as they once were, he has moved on to the next phase in his life.

Law, 34, spent the past winter playing senior with the Tiger Hills Hockey League champion Neepawa Farmers, who went on to win the Manitoba Senior A title.

Next season, he plans to skate with his hometown team in the NorthCentral Hockey League.

"By the looks of it, the McCreary Mustangs are going to start back up this year, so it’s looking like I’ll be playing for them and helping them along and trying to raise some money for the McCreary arena," he said.

"Obviously, I would have loved to have gone and played somewhere else, professionally or whatever, but it didn’t work out and I ended staying the full season in Neepawa. But I enjoyed my time in Neepawa very much."

Law and his wife, Candace, have a 15-year-old daughter and five-year-old twins.

"Our three kids are basically all in school right now, so that was starting to become a challenge as well," said Law, who finished his 12-year pro career in the 2009-10 season after four years in the Swiss-A league and a Russian stint in the Kontinental Hockey League.

"Being overseas and with the language barrier and what not, it was getting a little bit difficult, so that had a little bit to play into it when it came to the decision of last year."

That decision was good news for Neepawa and a treat for fans across the Tiger Hills league, which named Law its most sportsmanlike player.

"We ended up having a fairly good team this year," he said. "It was a lot of fun, driving around and playing hockey this year and playing with some old friends that I grew up with and what not. It was a great experience. Neepawa treated us very well.

"Fortunately, we had a chance to get the team back in McCreary and help McCreary along, and we’re going forward with that."

Law played with the Brandon Wheat Kings in the fifth and final season in the Western Hockey League. He played minor-pro in the American and International leagues and won the AHL scoring title in the 2005-06 season, with 43 goals and 110 points in 80 games with the Houston Aeros. He also skated with the Philadelphia Flyers for nine NHL games and picked up his lone NHL career point in the 2003-04 season.

"I’ve been all over the U.S. and I’ve been across the seas and over to Switzerland and I’ve seen a lot of the world," Law said. "I’ve seen Russia. I’ve seen a lot of people. We’ve had a lot of friends and players I’ve played with who have gone on and played in the NHL and done some great things. Obviously, getting to play a few games in the NHL was a huge highlight. Playing for Team Canada in the Spengler Cup up in Davos (Switzerland) is another one. Things like that, when you look back on them, you feel like you’ve kind of accomplished something and have been around the world and enjoyed it."

He reflected on his career this week with the announcement that the NHL is returning to Winnipeg. He hopes to share the excitement with his family.

"Being from Manitoba here, with the Jets coming back and having the opportunity to take our kids into an NHL game and explain to them the reasons why they left and why they’re back and all that great stuff, and why there’s this big excitement around the province, it’s kind of neat," he said.