Buffalo Sabers sign Tim Kennedy
The Buffalo Sabers have announced that they have signed forward Tim Kennedy to a one-year deal worth $1 million. The contract was awarded by an arbitrator, and the Sabers are required by the league to sign a player who is awarded less than $1.1 million in arbitration.
Tim Kennedy
Kennedy began his professional career playing with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Kennedy preformed well for the Musketeers, scoring 61 points in 54 games in his second and final season with the club.
Kennedy then elected to go to university, attending Michigan State and playing for the Spartans for three years. Kennedy did not miss a beat in his transition to colligate hockey, scoring 19 points in 29 games as a rookie. The next two seasons he continued to impress scoring 43 points in 42 games both seasons.
Kennedy’s impressive play in college helped him get drafted 181st overall by the Buffalo Sabers in the sixth round of the 2005 National Hockey League (NHL) entry draft.
In 2008-09, Kennedy played one game with the Sabers but spent the rest of the year with their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate the Portland Pirates.
Last season, Kennedy played his first full season in the NHL and managed 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points in 78 games. He also appeared in all six of the Sabers play-off games, notching three points.
Buffalo’s Perspective
The Sabers got a pretty good deal on Kennedy in arbitration. Kennedy was tied for 12th with Evander Kane in rookie scoring this season, and logged solid minutes for the highly successful Sabers club. In addition, Kennedy was ninth in points on the low scoring Sabers.
Kennedy is a very small forward, not entirely capable of engaging effectively in the physical game. Nevertheless, the speedy youngster seems to fit the Sabers mould fairly well. Buffalo has been a team that has prided themselves on their small stature, bringing speed and agility to the table.
Although Kennedy is not the most skilled forward for Buffalo, he filled a fairly major role for a player his age. He played third line minutes, but was asked to contribute on the second line occasionally throughout the campaign. In addition, it was not rare to see the winger on the power play or penalty kill.
Sabers General Manager (GM) Darcy Regier would have preferred to have tied Kennedy to a slightly longer contract, as now he will have to spend the duration of next year in talks with the youngster. The one advantage is that Kennedy is once again a restricted free agent (RFA) next year.
Kennedy’s Perspective
Arbitration did not go the way Kennedy had hoped. He played a pretty large role on the team as a 24 year-old. One can imagine that he was looking for a slightly more substantial deal. In addition, he now has to prove he is worth a long-term contract next season.
Nevertheless, Kennedy does get a great deal of ice time in Buffalo, and is with an organization that is known to stand by their young talent, developing them properly. Kennedy is likely to play the entire season again next year and can expect a little bit more responsibility as he continues to learn the league.
Expect Kennedy to see similar minutes next season, playing on the team’s third line, with short stints on the second. His speed and agility has made him a possible power play candidate, in which case, his point total should go up dramatically while getting to play with Derek Roy, Thomas Vanek, and Tyler Myers.
The arbitration hearing did no go as either side planned, and it will be another season before Kennedy’s future with the club is ultimately decided.
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