Sharks Sign Bay Area Native Matt Tennyson to Entry-Level Contract by Staff Writer / San Jose Sharks





SAN JOSE, California – San Jose Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson announced today that the team has signed unrestricted free agent defenseman Matt Tennyson to an entry-level contract. In keeping with club policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.



Tennyson, 21, just recently completed his junior season for Western Michigan University of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association where in 41 games he led all team defenseman in points (24), goals (11) and assists (13), earned Second Team All-CCHA and was named as a finalist for CCHA Best Offensive Defenseman.



“We are very excited to add a player of Matt’s caliber to our organization,” said Wilson. “To have Matt become a Shark after playing for the Jr. Sharks program is very special to this organization and it speaks volumes for the work that Jon Gustafson and his staff do to make the Jr. Sharks an elite program.”



Tennyson played in 112 games for WMU the last three seasons, posting 49 points (20 goals, 29 assists) and 92 penalty minutes.



A native of Pleasanton, CA, Tennyson becomes the first player in the Sharks system who was developed at Sharks Ice at San Jose in the Jr. Sharks system.



“Each year we continue to see the growth of hockey in the Bay Area and the impact that the Sharks Ice facilities are having on our local youth hockey players,” said Sharks Ice General Manager Jon Gustafson. “More and more players are graduating from our Junior Sharks program and advancing their hockey careers at the D-I University or Canadian and United States Junior levels and several have earned NHL contracts. Having our first Jr. Shark to sign with San Jose is a big accomplishment and something we are all very excited about. We wish Matt the best of luck as he takes the next step in his hockey career.”



The 6-foot-2, 210-pound defenseman previously played for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League in 2008-09 and the Texas Tornado of the North American Hockey League in 2007-08 after completing his time with the Jr. Sharks.





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