Playing Career
Kennedy, nicknamed "Little Tiger" was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 4th round, 99th overall of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. After being drafted, Kennedy played two seasons with Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL. He began playing for the AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in AHL. Both the AHL and the OHL are minor league hockey teams in the United States of America and Canada. He played his first game in the NHL on October 27, 2007, in a match versus the Montreal Canadiens. He scored his first NHL goal on November 3, 2007 against the New York Islanders. Kennedy is most commonly known among Penguin fans for his energy and effort on the ice, making hits and going hard along the boards. He is also known for scoring at sharp and inopportune angles.
Kennedy was named to the NHL's YoungStars Team in 2008 along with teammate, Kris Letang. Kennedy was unable to compete in the game because of mononucleosis. In September 2008, the Penguins signed an agreement with Kennedy through the 2010–11 season.
In the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals, Kennedy had a goal in Game 4, and added a game-winning goal in Game 6. The Penguins would go on to defeat the Detroit Red Wings in seven games to win the Stanley Cup. Currently Kennedy is ranked 43rd overall in points during the playoffs for the Pittsburgh Penguins. After winning the Cup, Tyler Kennedy appeared on KDKA news with Kris Letang. The boys did the weather, as well as talked about the Cup DVD.
Although to this point Kennedy has had a low profile in terms of hockey fame, he attracted some notoriety when Pittsburgh 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). Beginning in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Detroit Red Wings, the arena played a video made by "Mr. Kennedy" mimicking his WWE persona in which he announced Kennedy's goals by shouting "And that's a goal by Tylerrrrrrrrrr Kennedyyyyyyyyyyy!" then briefly disappearing from camera view before reappearing and growling "Kennedyyyyyyyy!" as the camera zoomed in. As of the 2013 season, this video is still in use by the Penguins whenever Kennedy scores a goal. A signed Tyler Kennedy jersey can also be seen in a series of Internet skits produced by Anderson in 2009.
Tyler Kennedy scored the first Pittsburgh Penguins goal at the Consol Energy Center in a 3-2 loss to cross-state rivals the Philadelphia Flyers. Kennedy was re-signed by the Penguins in the 2011 offseason, although his signing caused some controversy when it was reported that Pittsburgh may have deterred Penguin legend Jaromir Jagr by signing Kennedy. Jagr later signed with the Flyers.
Early in the 2011-2012 season Kennedy was sidelined by a concussion.
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