Sheldon Kennedy

**Sheldon Kennedy** (born on June 15, 1969 in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins and the Calgary Flames.

## Playing Career

### Junior Playing Career

Kennedy started playing junior hockey with the Winnipeg South Blues of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) in 1985.

After being noticed by Graham James at a hockey camp, he joined the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League for the 1986–87 season.

Kennedy spent the rest of his WHL career with the Broncos, helping the team capture the 1989 Memorial Cup.

For his play during the tournament, he was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team. He was also named to the WHL's Eastern Conference Second All-Star Team.

Kennedy (along with fellow future NHLer Joe Sakic) was a passenger in the Swift Current Broncos bus crash that occurred in December of 1986, killing four members of the team.

### Professional Playing Career

Kennedy was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the fourth round (80th overall) of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. His first professional season was split between the Red Wings in the NHL and their minor league affiliate Adirondack Red Wings of the American Hockey League.

At the NHL level, he scored two goals and added seven assists in 20 games.[1][2] Kennedy spent the next four seasons bouncing between the AHL and NHL within the Red Wings organization.

After the 1993-94 season, the Winnipeg Jets acquired Kennedy from the Red Wings; however, the NHL lock-out meant that he didn't play for the Jets. He was later picked up on waivers by the Calgary Flames.

He spent two seasons in Calgary, then the Flames decided not to renew his contract in 1996, shortly after his sexual abuse revelation.

He signed as a free agent with the Boston Bruins for the 1996–97 season, but also spent time with the Providence Bruins, Boston's AHL affiliate.

The 1996–97 season was Kennedy's last campaign in the NHL but he later resurfaced in the 1998–99 season with the Manitoba Moose of the now-defunct International Hockey League. He also played for EV Landshut of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany during the 1998–99 season.

## Personal Life

Kennedy devoted his post hockey career to child abuse prevention and education. Along with his business partner, Wayne McNeil, he owns and operates Respect Group Inc. which provides training to millions of people with messages and tools of empowerment to help people involved in amateur sport and education systems prevent bullying, harassment, and abuse.

On June 15, 2012, Kennedy was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Fraser Valley for his work supporting victims of child abuse and promoting education and awareness of the topic.

On June 8, 2015, he was awarded with an Honorary degree, Doctor of Laws, from the University of Calgary for his extraordinary commitment to violence and abuse prevention programs in Canada.

On April 13, 2013, the Calgary Child Advocacy Centre was renamed the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre at a ceremony hosted by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The centre provides services to children and their families using a coordinated, multi-disciplinary approach.

The Centre houses 95 professionals from Calgary Police Services, Alberta Health Services, Child and Family Services, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Alberta Education and crown prosecutors who work together to assess, treat, and seek justice for physically and sexually abused children. He currently serves as a board member.

Kennedy was named as a Member of the Order of Canada on December 26, 2014 for “his courageous leadership in raising awareness of childhood sexual abuse and his continued efforts to prevent abuse in schools, sports and communities.”

Kennedy received the Lincoln Alexander Outstanding Leader Award at the University of Guelph, March 25, 2015.

In 2016, he was appointed to the Alberta Order of Excellence.

A television movie about his life, "The Sheldon Kennedy Story" aired on CTV in 1999. Jonathan Scarfe starred as Kennedy.

In 2006, he released his autobiography, "Why I Didn't Say Anything - The Sheldon Kennedy Story". In the book, he revealed that nightmares of James still continue to plague him. He also wrote frankly about his battles with cocaine addiction.

The 2016 feature-length documentary, "Swift Current" details Kennedy's life from abuse to advocacy.