Former Spartan Tim Kennedy Named to Team USA For World Championships

 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - - USA Hockey announced today that former Spartan Tim Kennedy is among 11 players who have been added to the 2010 U.S. Men’s

 

Former Spartan will get first international experience. Photo courtesy of MSU SID

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - - USA Hockey announced today that former Spartan Tim Kennedy is among 11 players who have been added to the 2010 U.S. Men’s National Team that will compete at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Men’s Championship, May 7-23, in Cologne, Gelsenkirchen and Mannheim, Germany. In addition, Joe Sacco, head coach of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche and a finalist for the 2010 Jack Adams Award as the league’s coach of the year, joins the coaching staff as an assistant coach.

 

Kennedy, a second-year pro who skated at MSU from 2005-08, just finished his first full NHL season, skating for his hometown Buffalo Sabres. He appeared in 78 of 82 regular-season games for Buffalo, putting together a 10-16-26 scoring line with 50 PIM’s. In the playoffs, Kennedy had a goal and pair of assists and was second on the team with a +3 in the Sabres first-round loss to the Boston Bruins. This will be Kennedy’s first chance to wear a Team USA jersey in his hockey career.

 

Among the additions is defenseman Jack Johnson (Ann Arbor, Mich./Los Angeles Kings/Univ. of Michigan), who was a member of the silver medal-winning 2010 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team. A Team USA veteran, Johnson is making his third appearance on a U.S. Men’s National Team (2007, 2009). In addition to his recent silver at the Olympic Winter Games, Johnson has captured three medals at IIHF World Championships, including the gold medal with the 2005 U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team, the silver medal with the 2004 U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team and the bronze medal with the 2007 U.S. National Junior Team. Johnson was also a member of the 2006 U.S. National Junior Team.

 

Other members of Team USA with U.S. Men’s National Team experience include defenseman Matt Greene (Grand Ledge, Mich./Los Angeles Kings/Univ. of North Dakota/2007, 2008) and forwards Nick Foligno (Buffalo, N.Y./Ottawa Senators/2009) and T.J. Oshie (Warroad, Minn./St. Louis Blues/Univ. of North Dakota/2009). Greene was also a member of the 2003 U.S. National Junior Team and the 2001 U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team, while Oshie played for the 2006 U.S. National Junior Team. In addition, Chris Kreider (Boxford, Mass./Boston College), who helped the U.S. to the gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship, will make his first U.S. Men’s National Team appearance. Â

 

Kennedy is among players will be making their Team USA debuts, including goaltenders Ben Bishop (Des Peres, Mo./Peoria Rivermen/Univ. of Maine) and David Leggio (Buffalo, N.Y./TPS Turku/Clarkson Univ.); defensemen Andy Greene (Trenton, Mich./New Jersey Devils/Miami Univ.) and Keith Yandle (Boston, Mass./Phoenix Coyotes); and forwards and T.J. Galiardi (Denver, Colo./Colorado Avalanche/Dartmouth College).