The Confluence
Does the Penguins’ Tyler Kennedy have a Secure Roster Spot?
by Tony on 08/19/10 at 03:54 PM ET
Comments (2)
Tyler Kennedy’s been a part of one of the better, if not the best, third lines in the NHL for the Penguins, along with center Jordan Staal and winger Matt Cooke.
But with Staal reportedly moving up to one of the top two scoring lines, it creates some interesting scenarios for Pens’ GM Ray Shero and Head Coach Dan Bylsma.
Without the two-way skills of Staal centering the third line, will that equate to diminishing stats for Kennedy? Let’s ask an even more succinct question: Is Tyler Kennedy’s spot on the Penguins’ roster completely secure?
Kennedy scored some of the biggest goals in the Penguins’ run to the Stanley Cup in the ‘08-‘09 season, especially in the Cup Finals vs. the Red Wings. In the Pens’ comeback Game Four win, he scored the Pens’ third goal in a 5:37 span on a beautiful tic-tac-toe play. He also scored the game-winning goal in Game Six.
This past season, as a member of that third line with Staal and Cooke, Kennedy scored 13 goals and 25 points while having a plus/minus of +10. It must also be noted that Kennedy missed 18 games during the year, mostly due to a groin injury suffered in late October. During the playoffs, he missed three games due to a leg injury as a result of a hard hit by the Senators’ Andy Sutton. He ended up scoreless in ten playoff games, while going -6.
It’s going to be an important year for Kennedy, with a $725,000 cap hit in his final contract year before becoming a Restricted Free Agent at season’s end.
How the third and fourth lines will eventually look this season is still up in the air, as GM Ray Shero still has not signed the third line center he stated he was looking for in mid-July. That may not only affect Kennedy, but also wingers like Cooke and Max Talbot as well. The Kennedy-Staal-Cooke line had so much chemistry, it’s hard to say right now what the effect of losing Staal on that line will be.
To answer my own question, I think Kennedy’s spot on the roster is secure, but the 3rd and 4th liners are surely going to have some competition from youngsters trying to win a spot such as Eric Tangradi, Chris Conner and Nick Johnson. While I don’t see Shero and Bylsma cutting any established veterans out of training camp, it would be wise on the veteran’s part not to take that roster spot for granted.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Comments
I think he has a secured spot for the beginning of the year. But if he does slump, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him scratched/sent down/moved. The Pens have plenty of 3rd/4th line types of forwards. It doesn’t help that he’s barely involved with special teams as well.
Posted by pens fan in baltimore on 08/19/10 at 04:33 PM ET
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I wouldn’t be surprised to see TK moved at the deadline this year. He’s had several chances to climb the depth chart on this team and every time it looks like he’s going to break through, he suffers an injury or slump. I like the opportunities his speed creates, but they already possess an abundance of smaller-ish forwards who cannot finish consistently.
Posted by Russian Rocket on 08/19/10 at 04:05 PM ET