Forbes Kennedy, an undersized but rugged forward in the National Hockey League and on the 1960-61 Spokane Comets, died Monday. He was 90 years old.
Kennedy, listed at 5-foot-8 and 150 pounds, led Spokane with 165 penalty minutes in his lone season with the Comets, a member of the original (pro) Western Hockey League. Kennedy ranked third in the WHL in penalty minutes and third on the Comets with 61 points, including 23 goals.
Kennedy spent 11 seasons in the NHL with Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Philadelphia and Toronto. He compiled 70 goals, 178 points and 888 penalty minutes in 603 games in the NHL. A skilled fighter, Kennedy led the NHL with a career-high 219 penalty minutes in 1968-69 with Philadelphia and Toronto.
The Philadelphia Flyers released a lengthy tribute to Kennedy after learning of his death.
“Although he was never the biggest player on the team, Kennedy brought toughness, energy and a fearless style that would become synonymous with the Flyers,” the post read. “Above all else, he was a loyal teammate.”
A longtime resident of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (Canada), Kennedy is enshrined in the PEI Sports Hall of Fame.