Donald Kennedy McSween (born June 9, 1964) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for two clubs in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Donald McSween
Born (1964-06-09) June 9, 1964 (age 60)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 197 lb (89 kg; 14 st 1 lb)
Position Defense
Shot Left
Played for Buffalo Sabres
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
National team  United States
NHL draft 84th overall, 1983
Buffalo Sabres
Playing career 1987–2002

Playing career

edit

A defenseman known for his adept puck-handling skills as well as his quick mobility, McSween, a two-time All American, was successful during his college career at Michigan State University, leading the team to the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey National Championship in 1986.

He was quite successful while playing in the minor league. Following his impressive college career, McSween went on to play for the Buffalo Sabres (NHL). He was selected 84th in the 1983 NHL Draft, with a height of 5'11" a weight of 197 lb, and shooting left. After this stint, he played for the Rochester Americans (AHL), and the San Diego Gulls (IHL). In fact, McSween continues to hold American records for points scored by a defenseman in a career: 215 goals. In 1989–90 McSween was selected as an AHL First-Team All-Star. McSween also won myriad awards playing as a member of the Americans. He won five straight team Defensive Player of the Year awards (1987–92).

He also had a short but notable career as a player for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. However, his chances of becoming a prominent National Hockey League player were severed after a serious arm injury in January 1995 at Winnipeg, when involved in a fight with another player, Keith Tkachuk. The tendons in McSween's left wrist were severely damaged after being severed by Tkachuk's skate. The nerve and tendon injury never fully healed, preventing him from being able to fully close his left hand, his shooting arm, effectively ending McSween's professional career. Ironically, McSween had severed the Achilles tendon of another promising player, Teemu Selänne, earlier in his career (Selänne would go on to make a full recovery, playing for 2 decades). After his injury McSween went on to play in the AHL (American Hockey League) for the Baltimore Bandits; in the IHL (International Hockey League) for the Grand Rapids Griffins and later Milwaukee Admirals; and in the UHL (United Hockey League) for the Muskegon Fury.

Personal life

edit

McSween lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, working as an electrical engineer and a volunteer coach for local Youth Hockey Leagues. He is raising two boys and a daughter with his wife. As a youth, he played in the 1977 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Detroit.[1]

Career statistics

edit

Regular season and playoffs

edit
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1980–81 Little Caesars U18 AAA U18 AAA
1981–82 Redford Royals GLJHL
1982–83 Redford Royals GLJHL 37 9 33 42
1983–84 Michigan State University CCHA 46 10 26 36 30
1984–85 Michigan State University CCHA 44 2 23 25 50
1985–86 Michigan State University CCHA 45 9 29 38 18
1986–87 Michigan State University CCHA 45 7 23 30 34
1987–88 Buffalo Sabres NHL 5 0 1 1 6
1987–88 Rochester Americans AHL 63 9 29 38 108 6 0 1 1 15
1988–89 Rochester Americans AHL 66 7 22 29 45
1989–90 Buffalo Sabres NHL 4 0 0 0 6
1989–90 Rochester Americans AHL 70 16 43 59 43 17 3 10 13 12
1990–91 Rochester Americans AHL 74 7 44 51 57 15 2 5 7 8
1991–92 Rochester Americans AHL 75 6 32 38 60 16 5 6 11 18
1992–93 San Diego Gulls IHL 80 15 40 55 85 14 1 2 3 10
1993–94 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 32 3 9 12 39
1993–94 San Diego Gulls IHL 38 5 13 18 36
1994–95 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 2 0 0 0 0
1995–96 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 4 0 0 0 4
1995–96 Baltimore Bandits AHL 12 1 9 10 2
1996–97 Grand Rapids Griffins IHL 75 7 20 27 66 3 0 1 1 8
1997–98 Grand Rapids Griffins IHL 2 0 0 0 4
1997–98 Milwaukee Admirals IHL 76 4 21 25 128 10 0 0 0 14
1998–99 Muskegon Fury UHL 6 0 3 3 4 8 2 2 4 10
1999–00 Muskegon Fury UHL 6 1 3 4 5
2001–02 Muskegon Fury UHL 3 0 0 0 0
AHL totals 360 46 179 225 315 54 10 22 32 53
IHL totals 271 31 94 125 319 27 1 3 4 32
NHL totals 47 3 10 13 55

International

edit
Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
1994 United States WC 8 1 1 2 0
Senior totals 8 1 1 2 0

Awards and honors

edit
Award Year
All-CCHA First Team 1984–85 [2]
CCHA All-Tournament Team 1985 [3]
All-CCHA First Team 1985–86 [2]
AHCA West Second-Team All-American 1985–86 [4]
All-NCAA All-Tournament Team 1986 [5]
All-CCHA First Team 1986–87 [2]
AHCA West Second-Team All-American 1986–87 [4]
CCHA All-Tournament Team 1987 [3]
All-NCAA All-Tournament Team 1987 [5]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2019-01-13.
  2. ^ a b c "All-CCHA Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved 2013-07-27.
  3. ^ a b "2012-13 CCHA Media Guide". ISSUU.com. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
  4. ^ a b "Men's Ice Hockey Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  5. ^ a b "NCAA Frozen Four Records" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
edit