Tim Kennedy: 2009-2010 Report Card

It's time to put the finishing touches on the 2009-2010 season for the Buffalo Sabres. Here is a complete report card of every single player that played any amount of time with the Sabres this season. The journey will begin with Chris Butler and conclude in almost a month with Thomas Vanek. Thanks to Japers Rink and Mile High Hockey for the inspiration.

It's Tim Kennedy's turn.

Tim Kennedy

#13 / Left Wing / Buffalo Sabres

Height: 5-10

Weight: 173

Born: Apr 30, 1986

Contract Situation: $850,00 cap hit in 2010, will be an upcoming restricted free agent

2009 Grade: None

Introduction: You think Tim Kennedy's favorite actor is Al Pacino? Just when we thought he was out, he pulled himself back in. The Buffalo native's season had more ups and downs than an elevator; there was the 12-game pointless slide followed by a stretch of seven points in nine games for example, but he finished on the top floor courtesy of his playoff scene. The moral of the story is to refrain from underestimating Kennedy because he is full of surprises. By the way Joe Beninati, it's Tim, not Tyler.

Key Stat: Kennedy was sent from line to line during the regular season, as Lindy Ruff often matched him with Mike Grier while Jochen Hecht and Thomas Vanek joined them for lengthy portions. The trio of Kennedy, Vanek and Derek Roy stood out with its moments, and when he was misbehaving, he played with Adam Mair and Matt Ellis.

Stimulating Stat: Seven of his goals and 16 points occurred on the road with a plus-6 rating. At home, Kennedy had just ten points and a minus-nine rating. Perhaps he's trying to do too much on home ice, being a local resident and all.

Famous For: Coming through in the postseason and not letting the first-time jitters get to him. Patrick Kaleta and Craig Rivet will testify to the notion of his soft hands, as he set them both up with great passes. And here we thought Roy was supposed to be the playmaking genius.

Thumbs Up: When it mattered to the maximum, the 24-year-old was all over the ice. His postseason plus-minus was second to Kaleta's and his three points were proficient as he averaged almost 14:30 minutes each game. With his linemates Kaleta and Mair, this trio got plenty of bang for their buck each and every shift. He capitalized on three game-deciding goals, trailing four teammates amidst the campaign and his lone powerplay marker is customary for someone who averaged just 38 seconds of time in 5-on-4 scenarios. Kennedy's quality of competition was middle-class but his teammates were slightly lower and his goals per 60 minutes were eighth highest behind Kaleta again. In addition, his 87 hits were decent, showing his willingness to finish checks. If you want to browse through these categories yourself, you'll quickly realize that Kennedy is at or near the center of the list in most of the sections; not showing off, but not slouching.          

Thumbs Down: Kennedy received 50 minutes in penalties, sixth most on the club, and his rating was fifth-worst. When he played, his line allowed more goals than it scored itself and his plus-minus per 60 minutes of play on the ice was lower than we'd prefer. Buffalo's plus-minus in terms of goals for and against with him off the ice was one of the best, but a bad sign for a player. The corsi rating referring to his presence on the ice was third-worst and his penalties against per hour were fourth-highest. Kennedy must learn to be disciplined and not earn himself penalty minutes for unnecessary plays (hooking, tripping) because those are normally harder to kill off.         

Voting: On a scale of one to ten, one being the lowest and ten being the highest, grade Tim Kennedy on his season according to the expectations you had for him. If he met them, give him a five or a six. If he eclipsed them, aim for a seven or beyond. If he failed to meet them, give him a lower number relating to how poorly he missed the target.

Topics Of Discussion: Is Kennedy ready for a break-out season as a sophomore, or does he need another year first? What type of contract would you like to see him sign, assuming you want him to stay aboard in Buffalo? Which linemates did he look most comfortable with over the course of the campaign? Was he that spectacular in the postseason, or did the failure of others make him look better?