DENNY KEARNEY

Yale

Jr. | F | Hanover, N.H.

Denny Kearney

Key Statistics: Denny Kearney has been a consistent point producer through his first two campaigns. He was fourth on Yale in scoring with 31 points as a sophomore and had 22 points as a freshman. He’s never missed a game in his Yale career, and had two seven-game point streaks in 2008-09.

What He Does: Kearney is equally adept at scoring and setting up teammates. He’s used on the penalty kill and fits the mold of the type of forwards that seem to run 12-deep on Yale’s four lines. He’s a great skater and has good offensive sense without sacrificing defensive responsibility. He fashions himself as a playmaker and sets up on the half-wall and down low on Yale’s power-play units. Kearney had four points on six total Yale goals in the ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series win over Brown.

The Bigger Picture: As Yale increased its talent in recent years, players like Kearney helped get the Bulldogs back to the NCAA Tournament as part of the best year in program history. Now that he’s a junior, he and other classmates will be expected to take on a bigger leadership role and develop consistency in New Haven. The Bulldogs’ challenge this year is to prove that last year wasn’t a fluke. Growing up in an Ivy League town and following ECAC Hockey throughout his life has given Kearney an appreciation for the tougher times in recent Yale history.

Yale head coach Keith Allain on Kearney: “He was good as a freshman and even better as a sophomore. The great thing about him is that he’s an offensively talented player but he can also kill penalties.”