Tyler Kennedy
A fourth-round draft pick who became a gritty, two-way forward and a key depth piece for the Pittsburgh Penguins' 2009 Stanley Cup championship team.
Born 1986 (age 40)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: July 15·Millennials
Biography
Tyler Kennedy's path to the NHL was not that of a can't-miss prospect. Drafted 99th overall by Pittsburgh in 2004, the Sault Ste. Marie native carved out a nine-season career with sheer tenacity and a hard-nosed style. He broke into a Penguins lineup stacked with superstar talent and found his niche as an energetic, agitating presence on the third and fourth lines. His best statistical year came in 2010-11 when he potted 21 goals, but his true value was measured in playoff shifts and relentless forechecking. After his time in Pittsburgh, Kennedy became a journeyman, bringing his experience to San Jose, New York, and New Jersey before retiring. His legacy is that of a player who maximized every ounce of his ability, embodying the workmanlike spirit essential to any championship puzzle.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Tyler was born in 1986, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tyler Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Tyler's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Turned 21
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.
- Scored a career-high 21 goals and 45 points during the 2010-11 NHL season.
- Played in 527 regular-season NHL games, amassing 91 goals and 207 points.
- Represented Canada at the 2006 World Junior Championships, winning a gold medal.
Did You Know?
He holds dual Canadian and American citizenship.
His junior hockey career was spent entirely with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL.
He scored his first NHL goal against future Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur.
After retirement, he became a player development coach for the OHL's Sudbury Wolves.
“I made a career out of being hard to play against.”
