Donald McSween explained

Position:Defense
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:5
Height In:11
Weight Lb:197
Played For:Buffalo Sabres
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Birth Date:June 9, 1964
Birth Place:Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Ntl Team:USA
Career Start:1987
Career End:2002
Draft:84th overall
Draft Year:1983
Draft Team:Buffalo Sabres

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.

Playing career

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

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

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
1980–81Little Caesars U18 AAAU18 AAA
1981–82Redford RoyalsGLJHL
1982–83Redford RoyalsGLJHL37 9 33 42
1983–84Michigan State UniversityCCHA46 10 26 36 30
1984–85Michigan State UniversityCCHA44 2 23 25 50
1985–86Michigan State UniversityCCHA45 9 29 38 18
1986–87Michigan State UniversityCCHA45 7 23 30 34
1987–88Buffalo SabresNHL5 0 1 1 6
1987–88Rochester AmericansAHL63 9 29 38 1086 0 1 1 15
1988–89Rochester AmericansAHL66 7 22 29 45
1989–90Buffalo SabresNHL4 0 0 0 6
1989–90Rochester AmericansAHL70 16 43 59 4317 3 10 13 12
1990–91Rochester AmericansAHL74 7 44 51 5715 2 5 7 8
1991–92Rochester AmericansAHL75 6 32 38 6016 5 6 11 18
1992–93San Diego GullsIHL80 15 40 55 8514 1 2 3 10
1993–94Mighty Ducks of AnaheimNHL32 3 9 12 39
1993–94San Diego GullsIHL38 5 13 18 36
1994–95Mighty Ducks of AnaheimNHL2 0 0 0 0
1995–96Mighty Ducks of AnaheimNHL4 0 0 0 4
1995–96Baltimore BanditsAHL12 1 9 10 2
1996–97Grand Rapids GriffinsIHL75 7 20 27 663 0 1 1 8
1997–98Grand Rapids GriffinsIHL2 0 0 0 4
1997–98Milwaukee AdmiralsIHL76 4 21 25 12810 0 0 0 14
1998–99Muskegon FuryUHL6 0 3 3 48 2 2 4 10
1999–00Muskegon FuryUHL6 1 3 4 5
2001–02Muskegon FuryUHL3 0 0 0 0
AHL totals360 46 179 225 31554 10 22 32 53
IHL totals271 31 94 125 31927 1 3 4 32
NHL totals47 3 10 13 55

International

Awards and honors

AwardYear
All-CCHA First Team1984–85[2]
CCHA All-Tournament Team1985[3]
All-CCHA First Team1985–86[4]
AHCA West Second-Team All-American1985–86[5]
All-NCAA All-Tournament Team1986[6]
All-CCHA First Team1986–87[7]
AHCA West Second-Team All-American1986–87[8]
CCHA All-Tournament Team1987[9]
All-NCAA All-Tournament Team1987[10]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA. 2018. Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2019-01-13. 2019-03-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf. dead.
  2. News: All-CCHA Teams. College Hockey Historical Archives. 2013-07-27.
  3. News: 2012-13 CCHA Media Guide. ISSUU.com. 2014-04-23.
  4. News: All-CCHA Teams. College Hockey Historical Archives. 2013-07-27.
  5. News: Men's Ice Hockey Award Winners. NCAA.org. June 11, 2013.
  6. News: NCAA Frozen Four Records. NCAA.org. 2013-06-19.
  7. News: All-CCHA Teams. College Hockey Historical Archives. 2013-07-27.
  8. News: Men's Ice Hockey Award Winners. NCAA.org. June 11, 2013.
  9. News: 2012-13 CCHA Media Guide. ISSUU.com. 2014-04-23.
  10. News: NCAA Frozen Four Records. NCAA.org. 2013-06-19.