Hennes, 38, joins a beefed up development staff that has added player development coach Tom Kostopoulos and goaltending development coach Andy Chiodo this summer. The trio will work with Penguins' director of player development Scott Young and player development coach Jarrod Skalde, who were added to the organization prior to the 2017-18 campaign.
In his new role, Hennes will focus on skating and skill development with the Penguins, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Wheeling Nailers. Hennes will also travel with the Penguins' development staff to work with the club's junior and college prospects. Finally, Hennes will continue to assist the Penguins' strength and conditioning staff as they rehab injured players back into the lineup.
Hennes spent the past three seasons working as the skill development professional at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, the Penguins' practice facility. In addition to working with the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite AAA travel program, Hennes also worked with the Penguins' organization, fulfilling many of the same duties that he'll perform in his new role.
Hennes played four seasons of collegiate hockey at Boston College, where he was a member of the Eagles' 2001 national championship squad. An alternate captain as a senior, Hennes helped Boston College reach the NCAA Tournament three times, including twice advancing to the Frozen Four. Prior to joining the Eagles, Hennes played two seasons for the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League, serving as captain his final year.
After graduating from Boston College, Hennes signed with the Detroit Red Wings organization, playing three seasons of professional hockey. He skated for the Toledo Storm, Bakersfield Condors and Texas Wildcatters of the ECHL, and the Fort Worth Brahmas, Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs and Texas Brahmas of the Central Hockey League. Hennes earned his doctorate in 2011 from Parker College of Chiropractic Medicine in Dallas.
A native of Dickinson, North Dakota, who grew up in Kent, Washington, Hennes is heavily involved within the USA Hockey organization. He serves as a coach and evaluator at the various USA Hockey National Player Development Camps where USA Hockey formulates its roster for international tournaments that include the Five Nations Tournament and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Hennes is also a player development coach for the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), where he presents each year at that organization's player development symposiums. The IIHF is the worldwide hockey government body.
Before joining the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex staff, Hennes worked for USA Hockey as a regional manager for the Amateur Development Model between 2013-15. The American Development Model (ADM) is a joint initiative between the NHL and USA Hockey to develop the next generation of American born hockey players.
