Matt Tennyson

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = Matt Tennyson

| image = Matt Tennyson 3 12-2.jpg

| image_size = 230px

| caption = Tennyson with the Coachella Valley Firebirds in 2023.

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|4|23}}

| birth_place = Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 2

| weight_lb = 205

| position = Defense

| shoots = Right

| prospect_team =

| prospect_league =

| played_for = San Jose Sharks
Carolina Hurricanes
Buffalo Sabres
New Jersey Devils
Nashville Predators
HC Lugano

| ntl_team = USA

| draft = Undrafted

| career_start = 2012

| career_end =

}}

Matthew Thomas Tennyson (born April 23, 1990) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played for 8 seasons in the National Hockey League for the San Jose Sharks, Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, and Nashville Predators.

Early life

Tennyson is the son of Tom and Ann Tennyson, and was born on April 23, 1990, in Minneapolis. Tennyson graduated from Amador Valley High School in 2008.{{cite web |title=Matt Tennyson - Men's Ice Hockey |url=https://wmubroncos.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/roster/matt-tennyson/3204 |website=Western Michigan University Athletics |access-date=15 January 2021 |language=en}}

Playing career

File:Matt tennyson (cropped).jpg.]]

Undrafted, Tennyson attended Western Michigan University where he played three seasons of NCAA Division I college hockey with the Western Michigan Broncos men's ice hockey team. On March 30, 2012, Tennyson, a native of Pleasanton, California, signed a two-year entry-level contract with his hometown San Jose Sharks.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/sharks/news/sharks-sign-bay-area-native-matt-tennyson-to-entry-level-contract/c-624884 | title = Sharks sign Bay Area Native Matt Tennyson | publisher = San Jose Sharks | date = 2012-03-30 | accessdate = 2012-03-30}} He immediately turned professional to join the Worcester Sharks for the final games of their 2011–12 AHL season.{{cite web | url = http://www.sharksahl.com/Story.asp?story_id=3080 | title = Worcester Sharks sign Matt Tennyson to ATO | publisher = Worcester Sharks | date = 2012-04-02 | accessdate = 2012-04-02 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130630075638/http://www.sharksahl.com/Story.asp?story_id=3080 | archive-date = 2013-06-30 | url-status = dead }}

Tennyson was the first player from the San Jose Junior Sharks youth hockey program to play in the NHL, let alone with the Sharks.{{cite web| url = http://www.sjjrsharks.com/news_article/show/248459?referrer_id=794232 | publisher = San Jose Jr Sharks | date = 2014-02-03 | accessdate = 2014-02-03 | title = Former Jr. Sharks player debuts with NHL Sharks}}

On July 3, 2016, Tennyson signed as a free agent to a one-year, two-way contract with the Carolina Hurricanes.{{cite web| url = http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=888532 | title = Canes agree to terms with Matt Tennyson | publisher = Carolina Hurricanes | date = 2016-07-03 | accessdate = 2016-07-03}} Beginning the 2016–17 season with AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, Tennyson was recalled after recording 7 points in 9 games to remain with the Hurricanes for the remainder of the season. He appeared in a career best 45 games, collecting 6 assists.

On July 1, 2017, Tennyson was on the move as a free agent, agreeing to a two-year contract with the final year on a one-way basis with the Buffalo Sabres.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/sabres-ink-tennyson-to-2-year-deal/c-290255050 | title = Sabres ink Tennyson to two-year deal | publisher = Buffalo Sabres | date = 2017-07-01 | accessdate = 2017-07-01}} On November 30, the Sabres placed Tennyson on waivers after 14 scoreless games with the club.{{cite web|last1=LaBarber|first1=Jourdon|title=Bogosian inches closer to return following physical practice|url=https://www.nhl.com/sabres/news/sabres-zach-bogosian-injury-linus-ullmark/c-293526756|website=National Hockey League |accessdate=November 30, 2017|date=November 30, 2017}} He went unclaimed and was reassigned to AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans.

On July 1, 2019, Tennyson left the Sabres as a free agent to sign a two-year, two-way contract with the New Jersey Devils.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/devils/news/release-devils-sign-defenseman-matt-tennyson/c-308147268 | title = Devils sign defenseman Matt Tennyson | publisher = New Jersey Devils | date = July 1, 2019 | accessdate = July 1, 2019}} In the opening stages of the 2019–20 season, on October 11, Tennyson was called up from the Binghamton Devils to the New Jersey Devils in place of Andy Greene who was put on the injured reserve list with an upper body injury.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

On July 28, 2021, Tennyson signed as a free agent to a two-year, two-way contract with the Nashville Predators.{{cite web |title=Predators Sign Matt Tennyson to Two-Year, Two-Way Contract |url=https://www.nhl.com/predators/news/predators-sign-matt-tennyson-to-two-year-two-way-contract/c-325851068 |website=NHL.com |access-date=July 29, 2021 |date=July 28, 2021}} Tennyson featured in 8 regular season games with the Predators through the {{NHL Year|2021}} season, posting 3 assists. He played the majority of the season with AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, adding a veteran presence to the blueline in 53 games.

On July 3, 2022, Tennyson was mutually released from the remaining year of his contract with the Predators after he was placed on unconditional waivers.{{cite web| url = https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2022/07/predators-place-matt-tennyson-on-unconditional-waivers.html | title = Matt Tennyson clears unconditional waivers | publisher = prohockeyrumors.com | date = July 3, 2022 | accessdate = July 3, 2022}}

On September 1, 2022, it was announced that Tennyson signed for the Coachella Valley Firebirds inaugural season in Palm Desert, California, for the 2022–23 season.{{cite web |title=COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS SIGN CALIFORNIA NATIVE MATT TENNYSON |url=https://cvfirebirds.com/2022/09/01/coachella-valley-firebirds-sign-california-native-matt-tennyson/ |website=Coachella Valley Firebirds |date=September 2022 |access-date=4 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904232744/https://cvfirebirds.com/2022/09/01/coachella-valley-firebirds-sign-california-native-matt-tennyson/ |archive-date=4 September 2022}}

On January 30, 2024, it was announced via Instagram that Tennyson would be joining the Coachella Valley Firebirds broadcast team as an analyst and brand ambassador,{{cite web |title=Tenny's Coming to TV! |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C2v_w5ErsM6/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== |publisher=Coachella Valley Firebirds |access-date=31 January 2024}} effectively ending his playing career.

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Regular season

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

2007–08

| Texas Tornado

| NAHL

| 58

| 4

| 10

| 14

| 80

| 3

| 0

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2008–09

| Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

| USHL

| 57

| 4

| 6

| 10

| 51

| 5

| 0

| 2

2009–10

| Western Michigan University

| CCHA

| 34

| 2

| 7

| 9

| 30

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2010–11

| Western Michigan University

| CCHA

| 42

| 9

| 12

| 21

| 38

| —

2011–12

| Western Michigan University

| CCHA

| 41

| 11

| 13

| 24

| 28

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2011–12

| Worcester Sharks

| AHL

| 7

| 1

| 2

| 0

| —

2012–13

| Worcester Sharks

| AHL

| 60

| 5

| 22

| 27

| 44

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2012–13

| San Jose Sharks

| NHL

| 4

| 0

| 2

| —

2013–14

| Worcester Sharks

| AHL

| 54

| 7

| 14

| 21

| 33

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2014–15

| Worcester Sharks

| AHL

| 43

| 4

| 11

| 15

| 30

| 4

| 0

2014–15

| San Jose Sharks

| NHL

| 27

| 2

| 6

| 8

| 16

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2015–16

| San Jose Sharks

| NHL

| 29

| 1

| 3

| 4

| 0

| —

2015–16

| San Jose Barracuda

| AHL

| 5

| 0

| 1

| 0

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2016–17

| Charlotte Checkers

| AHL

| 9

| 3

| 4

| 7

| 5

| —

2016–17

| Carolina Hurricanes

| NHL

| 45

| 0

| 6

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2017–18

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 15

| 0

| 8

| —

2017–18

| Rochester Americans

| AHL

| 50

| 3

| 8

| 11

| 40

| 3

| 0

| 6

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2018–19

| Rochester Americans

| AHL

| 47

| 4

| 17

| 21

| 42

| 3

| 0

2018–19

| Buffalo Sabres

| NHL

| 4

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2019–20

| Binghamton Devils

| AHL

| 25

| 1

| 8

| 9

| 20

| —

2019–20

| New Jersey Devils

| NHL

| 20

| 0

| 3

| 6

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2020–21

| New Jersey Devils

| NHL

| 21

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 2

| —

2020–21

| Binghamton Devils

| AHL

| 5

| 0

| 2

| 4

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2021–22

| Milwaukee Admirals

| AHL

| 53

| 3

| 11

| 14

| 44

| 3

| 0

2021–22

| Nashville Predators

| NHL

| 8

| 0

| 3

| 4

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2022–23

| Coachella Valley Firebirds

| AHL

| 71

| 0

| 18

| 66

| 26

| 0

| 3

| 28

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 173

! 4

! 25

! 29

! 44

! —

{{MedalCountry|{{ih|USA}}}}

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em"

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! Result

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

2021

| United States

| WC

| {{bronze3}}

| 10

| 2

| 4

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="4" | Senior totals

! 10

! 2

! 4

Awards and honors

class="wikitable"

! Award

! Year

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

| colspan="3" | College

All-CCHA Second Team

| 2011–12

| {{Cite web| url = http://sharks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=624884 | title = Sharks sign Bay Area native Tennyson to entry level deal | publisher = San Jose Sharks | date = 2012-03-09 | accessdate = 2012-03-09}}