Colin Kennedy bloodlines
He is projected to be an early first round pick at the upcoming June 12-13 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft. And Sault Ste. Marie product Colin Kennedy, who moved away from home to spend the past two seasons with the Detroit Little Caesars AAA program, has deep hockey bloodlines through his dad and both of his grand fathers.
As a 2010 birth year forward, Kennedy has been a productive two points per game performer over two full seasons with Little Caesars. To be sure, he is being touted as a sure fire first round pick at the looming OHL Draft. In fact, some insiders have the 5 foot 10, 170 pound Kennedy being among the top six to 12 players selected in the first round.
Then there are those family bloodlines.
Craig Kennedy. The father of Colin went on to personify consistency and captaincy after the Windsor Spitfires took him in the second round, 28th overall, of the 1999 OHL priority selections draft. A balanced, hard working right winger, Kennedy played five full seasons in Windsor, totalling 113 goals along the way, playoffs included. Known for his smarts and leadership qualities, Kennedy quietly rose to become an assistant captain and then captain for the Spitfires before playing at the University of Western Ontario and later returning home to Sault Ste. Marie to become a school teacher.
Craig Hartsburg. He is Colin’s grand father on his mother’s side. And Hartsburg’s association with hockey has been both lengthy and noteworthy. As a player, Hartsburg had a world class career as an all-star defenseman with both the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL and the erstwhile Minnesota North Stars of the National Hockey League. Hartsburg also holds the distinction of being both a first round OHL pick (third overall) to the Greyhounds in 1975 and a first round NHL pick (sixth overall) to Minnesota in 1979. Hartsburg was the captain of the Greyhounds for two of his three OHL seasons and was captain of the North Stars for seven of his 10 NHL seasons before a series of knee injuries ended his spectacular playing career and led him on a high level coaching path that would span more than 25 years with stops in the OHL and the NHL.
George Kennedy. Colin’s paternal grand father who was no slouch in his hockey playing days as a fearsome, formidable left winger who used his hands to score and scrap with the best of them. He is George Kennedy, a hulking hombre who menacingly patrolled the port side with the old Thessalon Flyers of the International Jr. B Hockey League during the mid to late 1970s as one tough customer.
