Sheldon Kennedy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sheldon Kennedy
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| Born | June 15, 1969 Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
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Sheldon Kennedy (born June 15, 1969) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is famous for his career in the National Hockey League (NHL) and for his important work helping to protect children.
Kennedy played for several NHL teams, including the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, and Calgary Flames. Before turning pro, he had a successful junior hockey career with the Swift Current Broncos. He helped them win the 1989 Memorial Cup, a major championship in Canadian junior hockey. He also won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 1988 World Junior Championships.
After his hockey career, Kennedy became a well-known spokesperson for preventing abuse and violence. He has dedicated his life to raising awareness and creating programs to keep young people safe in sports and schools. For his incredible work, he has received many awards, including the Order of Hockey in Canada.
Contents
Hockey Career
Sheldon Kennedy's journey in hockey was filled with exciting moments and big achievements, from his early days in junior leagues to playing in the NHL.
Junior Hockey
Kennedy began his junior hockey career in 1985. He soon joined the Swift Current Broncos in the Western Hockey League (WHL). He was a star player for the Broncos and helped lead the team to win the 1989 Memorial Cup. His great performance earned him a spot on the Memorial Cup All-Star Team.
During his time with the Broncos, Kennedy was also a passenger in the Swift Current Broncos bus crash in 1986. It was a tragic accident where four of his teammates died.
Professional Hockey
In the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, the Detroit Red Wings selected Kennedy. He began his professional career playing for both the Red Wings in the NHL and their minor league team, the Adirondack Red Wings.
Over the next few years, he played for several NHL teams. After the Red Wings, he was acquired by the Winnipeg Jets, but soon joined the Calgary Flames. He played two seasons in Calgary before signing with the Boston Bruins.
His last season in the NHL was in 1996–97. He later played one more season of professional hockey in Germany and with the Manitoba Moose before retiring.
A Voice for Children's Safety
After retiring from hockey, Sheldon Kennedy took on a new and important role. He bravely spoke up about difficult experiences from his past to help others. This led him to become one of Canada's most important advocates for child safety.
In 1998, Kennedy rollerbladed across Canada to raise awareness and support for young people who have experienced abuse. Today, he runs an organization called Respect Group with his business partner, Wayne McNeil. This group provides training to sports teams, schools, and workplaces to help prevent bullying, harassment, and abuse.
The Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre
On April 13, 2013, the Calgary Child Advocacy Centre was renamed in his honor. The Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre is a special place that helps children and families dealing with abuse.
The centre brings together experts from different fields, like police officers, doctors, and social workers. They all work together in one place to support children and help them feel safe. Sheldon Kennedy is an active member of the centre's board.
Books and Movies
Kennedy's life story has inspired many people. A television movie called The Sheldon Kennedy Story was made in 1999. In 2006, he released his autobiography, Why I Didn't Say Anything. A documentary called Swift Current was also released in 2016, which tells the story of his life and his work as an advocate.
Awards and Recognition
Sheldon Kennedy has received many honors for his courage and his work to protect children. These awards show how much his efforts are valued across Canada.
- In 2012, he received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Fraser Valley.
- In 2015, he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Calgary.
- In 2014, he was named a Member of the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest honors.
- In 2016, he was appointed to the Alberta Order of Excellence.
- In 2020, he was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.
- In 2020/21, he received the Order of Sport, which inducted him into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| WHL East Second All-Star Team | 1989 |
| Memorial Cup Tournament All-Star Team | 1989 |
| Order of Hockey in Canada | 2020 |
| Order of Sport | 2020/21 |
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1984–85 | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | Winnipeg South Blues | MJHL | 43 | 37 | 38 | 75 | 103 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Swift Current Broncos | WHL | 49 | 23 | 41 | 64 | 43 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1987–88 | Swift Current Broncos | WHL | 59 | 53 | 64 | 117 | 45 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 12 | ||
| 1988–89 | Swift Current Broncos | WHL | 51 | 58 | 48 | 106 | 92 | 12 | 9 | 15 | 24 | 22 | ||
| 1989–90 | Adirondack Red Wings | AHL | 26 | 11 | 15 | 26 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989–90 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 20 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | Adirondack Red Wings | AHL | 11 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | Adirondack Red Wings | AHL | 46 | 25 | 24 | 49 | 56 | 15 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 12 | ||
| 1991–92 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 27 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 68 | 19 | 11 | 30 | 46 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1993–94 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 61 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 30 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1994–95 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 30 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 45 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 16 | ||
| 1995–96 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 41 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 36 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1995–96 | Saint John Flames | AHL | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Providence Bruins | AHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 56 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Manitoba Moose | IHL | 24 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | EV Landshut | DEL | 13 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| AHL totals | 89 | 41 | 43 | 84 | 109 | 15 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 12 | ||||
| NHL totals | 310 | 49 | 58 | 107 | 233 | 24 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 20 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Canada | WJC | 7 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 6 | |
| 1989 | Canada | WJC | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 14 | |
| Junior totals | 14 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 20 | |||
