Ka cika wannan magana: An haifi Dirk a Regina, Saskatchewan. An zabi shi a matsayin na 54 a cikin
1984 NHL Entry Draft ta St. Louis Blues. Zai juya pro a 1986 kuma ya ciyar da kakar wasa biyar masu zuwa tsakanin kulob din NHL da Peoria Rivermen, ƙungiyar Blues IHL. A ƙarshe zai tsaya a kan jerin Blues na cikakken lokaci a cikin 1990 <unk> 91, yana bayyana a wasanni 41 kafin a tura shi zuwa Vancouver Canucks a cikin yarjejeniyar 'yan wasa 6 a ranar ƙarshe na musayar.