{{Short description|Canadian ice hockey player (born 1986)}} {{Infobox ice hockey player | image = Tyler Kennedy - New York Islanders.jpg | image_size = 230px | caption = Kennedy in March 2015 | position = Centre | shoots = Right | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 11 | weight_lb = 185 | played_for = Pittsburgh Penguins<br>San Jose Sharks<br>New York Islanders<br>New Jersey Devils | league = NHL | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|7|15|mf=y}} | birth_place = Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada | career_start = 2007 | career_end = 2016 | draft = 99th overall | draft_year = 2004 | draft_team = Pittsburgh Penguins }} '''Tyler Kennedy''' (born July 15, 1986) is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey centre who played nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devils. He was selected by the Penguins in the fourth round, 99th overall, of the 2004 NHL entry draft.
==Playing career== ===Junior and Pittsburgh Penguins=== thumb|left|Kennedy with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2012 Kennedy was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fourth round, 99th overall, of the 2004 NHL entry draft.<ref name=draft>{{cite web|title=NHL Entry Draft Year by Year Results|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftsearch.htm?year=2004&team=PIT&position=&round=|work=National Hockey League}}</ref> After being selected, Kennedy played two seasons with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He then began playing for Pittsburgh's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, for the 2006–07 season. The next season, 2007–08, Kennedy then played in his first NHL game on October 27, 2007, against the Montreal Canadiens. He later scored his first career NHL goal on November 3 against the New York Islanders.
[[File:Tyler Kennedy.jpg|right|thumb|Kennedy with the Pittsburgh Penguins in February 2008.]] In his debut season, Kennedy was named to the NHL's YoungStars Team in 2008 alongside Penguins teammate Kris Letang. However, Kennedy was unable to compete in the game due to mononucleosis. In September 2008, just prior to the 2008–09 season, the Penguins signed Kennedy to a new contract effective through to the 2010–11 season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Penguins Re-Sign Forward Tyler Kennedy|url=https://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=567955|work=National Hockey League|date=September 26, 2008|accessdate=September 26, 2008}}</ref>
In the 2009 Stanley Cup Final against the Detroit Red Wings, Kennedy scored a goal in game four of the series,<ref name="Buker 2010">{{cite journal|last=Buker|first=Rick|title=Total Penguins: The Definitive Encyclopedia of the Pittsburgh Penguins|year=2010}}</ref> also adding the game-winning goal in game six.<ref name="LexisNexis Academic">{{cite web|last=Wharnsby|first=Tim|title=Going to Game 7; Staal and Kennedy score, Fleury bars the door, the Pittsburgh Penguins avoid elimination and the NHL final series is ....|work=The Globe and Mail|date=June 10, 2009}}</ref> The Penguins would go on to defeat Detroit in seven games to win the Stanley Cup.<ref name="Buker 2010"/>
Although up to this point Kennedy has had a low profile in terms of hockey fame, he attracted some notoriety when Penguins fans and ultimately the public address announcer at Mellon Arena would chant his name in the style of former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestler Mr. Kennedy (Ken Anderson).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://triblive.com//x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_557601.html#axzz3THLpHOvS|title=Pens' 'Mr. Kennedy' enjoys attention from fans|first=Rob|last=Rossi|work=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|accessdate=October 3, 2009|date=March 17, 2008}}</ref>
During the 2011 off-season, Kennedy signed a new contract with the Penguins, although his signing caused some controversy when it was reported that Pittsburgh may have deterred former Penguin legend Jaromír Jágr by signing Kennedy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2011/12/29/apparently-tyler-kennedy-prevented-jagrs-return-to-pittsburgh|title=Apparently Tyler Kennedy Prevented Jagrs return to Pittsburgh|last=Yerdon|first=Joe|date=December 29, 2011|accessdate=March 2, 2015}}</ref> Jágr later signed with the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh's state rivals.<ref>{{cite news|title=Flyers sign Jagr and Talbot, lose Leino.|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=July 2, 2011}}</ref> Early in the 2011–12 season with the Penguins, Kennedy was sidelined by a concussion. He finished the season with 33 points in 60 games.
===San Jose Sharks=== During the 2013 NHL entry draft, Kennedy was traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a second-round draft pick.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dubow|first=Josh|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/sharks-acquire-tyler-kennedy-from-penguins/article12901697/|title=Sharks acquire Tyler Kennedy from Penguins|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=2013-06-30|accessdate=2013-07-07}}</ref> His production declined upon arriving in San Jose, scoring only 4 goals and 17 points in 67 games.
===New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils=== The following season, Kennedy was traded to the New York Islanders in exchange for a conditional third-round pick in the 2016 NHL entry draft.<ref name="March2">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=756080|title=Islanders trade for Neuvirth, Kennedy: report|work=National Hockey League|date=March 2, 2015|accessdate=March 2, 2015}}</ref> He finished the season appearing in 13 regular season games for the club and three games during the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs.
In September 2015, Kennedy attended the New Jersey Devils' training camp on a professional try-out (PTO) contract; he was released after appearing in three pre-season games.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2015/10/03/devils-give-kennedy-the-ax-from-pto/ | title = Devils give Kennedy the Ax from PTO | publisher = NBC Sports | date = 2015-10-03 | accessdate = 2015-10-03}}</ref> Unsigned after the first quarter of the 2015–16 season played, Kennedy returned to the Devils in training with the club on another PTO contract on November 18, 2015.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://twitter.com/NHLDevils/status/667048800373067776 | publisher = Twitter | author = New Jersey Devils | author-link = New Jersey Devils | title = Devils invite Kennedy to train on PTO | date = 2015-11-18 | accessdate = 2015-11-18}}</ref> On November 27, Kennedy signed a one-year, two-way contract with New Jersey worth $600,000. Appearing in 50 games for the team, Kennedy scored 3 goals and 16 points.
===Retirement=== Kennedy announced his retirement from professional hockey on January 3, 2017.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://northernontario.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1027493&binId=1.1142344&playlistPageNum=1 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170104162417/http://northernontario.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1027493&binId=1.1142344&playlistPageNum=1 | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 4, 2017 |title = CTV Northern Ontario: That's a wrap|date = 2017-01-03}}</ref> He finished his NHL career with 89 goals and 215 points in 527 games, as well as one Stanley Cup win.
==Personal life== Kennedy married Brandi Engel on May 9, 2014, in Maui, Hawaii.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Pittsburgh-Magazine/Weddings/February-2015/Brandi-Engel-Tyler-Kennedy/|title=Brandi Engel & Tyler Kennedy|last=Sinichak|first=Jessica|work=Pittsburgh Magazine|date=May 9, 2014|accessdate=March 2, 2015}}</ref> The couple has three children.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/brandiengel/posts/10150609677109949|work=Facebook|first=Brandi|last=Engel|title=Brandi Engel - Cookie G Kennedy ❤ Born 10/28/15 at 7:50 am. 6 lbs, 14oz, 20.25 in.|date=November 1, 2015|accessdate=June 12, 2016}}</ref> He obtained American citizenship in December 2022.
==Awards== *Stanley Cup champion – 2009
==Career statistics== upright|thumb|150px|Tyler Kennedy, April 2011. {| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em" |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! colspan="5" | Regular Season ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! colspan="5" | Playoffs |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM |- | 2002–03 |Sault Ste. Marie Jr. Greyhounds |NOJHL | 6 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 4 |— |— |— |— |— |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |2002–03 |Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds |OHL |61 |5 |10 |15 |33 |4 |0 |0 |0 |0 |- |2003–04 |Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds |OHL |63 |16 |26 |42 |28 |— |— |— |— |— |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |2004–05 |Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds |OHL |61 |21 |36 |57 |37 |4 |1 |3 |4 |4 |- |2005–06 |Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds |OHL |64 |22 |48 |70 |60 |4 |1 |2 |3 |2 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |2006–07 |Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins |AHL |40 |12 |25 |37 |20 |— |— |— |— |— |- |2007–08 |Wilkes–Barre/Scranton Penguins |AHL |10 |5 |4 |9 |10 |— |— |— |— |— |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |2007–08 |Pittsburgh Penguins |NHL |55 |10 |9 |19 |35 |20 |0 |4 |4 |13 |- |2008–09 |Pittsburgh Penguins |NHL |67 |15 |20 |35 |30 |24 |5 |4 |9 |4 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |2009–10 |Pittsburgh Penguins |NHL |64 |13 |12 |25 |31 |10 |0 |0 |0 |2 |- |2010–11 |Pittsburgh Penguins |NHL |80 |21 |24 |45 |37 |7 |2 |1 |3 |2 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |2011–12 |Pittsburgh Penguins |NHL |60 |11 |22 |33 |29 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 |- |2012–13 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 46 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 19 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |2013–14 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 67 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — |- |2014–15 | Worcester Sharks | AHL | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |2014–15 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 25 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |- | 2014–15 | New York Islanders | NHL | 13 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" |2015–16 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 50 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |- |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" | NHL totals ! 527 ! 89 ! 126 ! 215 ! 239 ! 79 ! 12 ! 15 ! 27 ! 27 |}
==References== {{Reflist|40em}}
==External links== *{{Ice hockey stats}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kennedy, Tyler}} Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian ice hockey centres Category:New Jersey Devils players Category:New York Islanders players Category:Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks Category:Pittsburgh Penguins players Category:San Jose Sharks players Category:Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States Category:Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds players Category:Ice hockey people from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Category:Stanley Cup champions Category:Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins players Category:Worcester Sharks players Category:21st-century Canadian sportsmen