Brendan Morrison

Brendan Morrison
File:Brendan Morrison.JPG
Position	Centre
Shoots	Left
Height Weight	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 185 lb (84 kg)
NHL Team F. Teams	Washington Capitals Dallas Stars Anaheim Ducks Vancouver Canucks New Jersey Devils
Nationality	Canadian
Born	(1975-08-15)August 15, 1975, Pitt Meadows, BC, CAN
NHL Draft	39th overall, 1993 New Jersey Devils
Pro Career	1997 – present

Brendan Morrison (born August 15, 1975) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Former teams include the Dallas Stars, Anaheim Ducks, the Vancouver Canucks, who he has played the majority of his career for, and the New Jersey Devils, who had originally drafted him in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. During his college hockey career, he received the Hobey Baker Award with the Michigan Wolverines.

Playing career

Early career (1992–2000)

After a 94-point season in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League (BCJHL), Morrison was drafted by the New Jersey Devils 39th overall in the 2nd round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. After being drafted, he played four successful seasons of college hockey for the Michigan Wolverines of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). He was named the CCHA Rookie of the Year in 1994 after a 48-point freshman year in 38 games. He then received his first of three CCHA First Team All-Star selections following his sophomore year in 1995. The following year, he received the first of back-to-back CCHA Player of the Year honours, while leading Michigan to the 1996 NCAA Championship. He also received the tournament MVP award. In his senior year, he totalled 31 goals, 57 assists and 88 points in 43 games, culminating in a Hobey Baker Award, awarded annually to the best NCAA ice hockey player.

In 1997–98, Morrison began his professional career, playing mostly for the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League (AHL). He finished the season with 84 points – ninth overall in league scoring and second among rookies. He was edged out by Danny Brière, who recorded 92 points, for Rookie of the Year honours, but was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team. That same season, he made his NHL debut with the Devils. He was called up and played in his first NHL game on December 4, 1997, – a 4-0 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins – and scored his first NHL goal against Tom Barasso. He finished the season with 9 points in 11 games. The following year, he landed a full-time spot on the Devils' roster and came fifth in Calder Memorial Trophy voting, with one first-place vote. Morrison played in New Jersey until March 14, 2000, when he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks along with Denis Pederson in exchange for Alexander Mogilny.

Vancouver Canucks (2000–08)

Morrison with the Canucks during the 2005–06 season opener.

In Vancouver, Morrison established himself as the team's first line centre, joining Todd Bertuzzi and Markus Näslund to complete what was arguably the league's most effective line combination. As a result, Morrison's most productive seasons occurred in 2001–02 and the 2002–03, when he scored 67 and 71 points respectively. Morrison's linemates, Bertuzzi and Näslund both finished among the league's top five scoring in the same two seasons.

The following season, Morrison finished the regular season with 60 points as the Canucks entered the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the third seed. Perhaps Morrison's greatest play as a Canuck occurred in the sixth game of the opening round against the Calgary Flames. A little less than three minutes into the third overtime period, Morrison emerged from the corner boards, skated the puck around Calgary goalie Miika Kiprusoff, and scored to stave off elimination. However, despite Morrison's game six heroics, the Canucks were defeated in overtime in game seven.

Morrison with the Canucks in 2007.

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Morrison represented Linköpings HC of the Swedish Elitserien. He competed against Näslund, as well as other teammates Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who played for Modo. Before NHL play resumed the next season, Morrison re-signed with the Canucks at $9.6 million over three more seasons.

Going into the 2007–08 season, Morrison had played five consecutive seasons without missing a game. After Colorado defenceman Kārlis Skrastiņš was forced to miss a game with a knee injury on February 25, 2007, Morrison became the NHL's reigning ironman. Skrastiņš streak ended at 495 games, while Morrison, at the time, had played in his 492nd. On December 12, 2007, the ironman streak was snapped at 542 games when he decided not to play a game due to wrist complications. The streak, which had begun on February 27, 2000 with the Devils, was the eleventh longest in NHL history. He was succeeded by Calgary's Cory Sarich, who was at 419 consecutive games when Morrison went down. Out of Morrison's overall ironman streak, 534 were played as a Canuck, which is currently the franchise record for consecutive games played. After first succumbing to the streak-ending wrist injury, Morrison was re-injured, tearing his ACL. He completed the season with 25 points in 39 games, then underwent surgery on April 7, 2008.

Post-Vancouver (2008–present)

Becoming an unrestricted free agent in the off-season, Morrison signed with the Anaheim Ducks on July 7. He left the Canucks ninth overall in all-time franchise scoring with 394 points in 543 games. About a month into the 2008–09 season, Morrison scored his first goal as a Duck on November 7, 2008, in a 5–2 loss to the Dallas Stars. Morrison's tenure with the Ducks, however, was short-lived. Thought to be still recovering from off-season surgery, he managed just 22 points in his 62-game stint with the club. Initially intended to replace the departed Andy McDonald as the second-line centre, he had been relegated to the fourth line and made a healthy scratch during the season for the first time since 1999–00, while he was still with the Devils. Morrison was placed on waivers and claimed by the Dallas Stars on March 4, 2009. He scored his first goal with the Stars in his fourth game since being picked up on March 12, 2009, in a 3–2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes. With the exception of the previous season's injury-shortened campaign and his 11-game 1997–98 season, however, Morrison's combined 31-point total with both the Ducks and Stars was the lowest output of his career.

In the off-season, he was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Washington Capitals to a one-year, $1.5 million contract on July 10, 2009.

International play

Morrison has competed for Team Canada in three World Championships. The first of which, in 2000, he recorded 1 goal and 3 assists as Canada finished fourth, losing the bronze medal game to Finland. Four years later, Morrison was joined by Canucks' teammate Matt Cooke, as Canada captured gold at the 2004 World Championships in the Czech Republic. Morrison contributed 1 goal and 6 assists in 9 games.

The next year, Morrison played in the 2005 World Championships, in which all NHL players were eligible to participate. On account of the 2004–05 NHL lockout, the playoffs did not interfere with the World Championships, as it otherwise would. Reaching the gold medal game for the second consecutive year, Canada was, however, shutout by the Czech Republic. Morrison contributed 4 goals in 9 games.

Shortly thereafter, on August 14, 2005, Morrison was invited to Team Canada's Olympic Orientation Camp, a selection process for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. He was a late addition, replacing Mario Lemieux, who had pulled out at the last minute. However, Morrison did not make the final roster.

Awards and achievements

College

• CCHA Rookie of the Year - 1994
• CCHA First All-Star Team - 1995, 1996, 1997
• CCHA Player of the Year - 1996, 1997
• NCAA West First All-American Team - 1995, 1996, 1997
• NCAA Championship MVP - 1996
• NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team - 1996
• Hobey Baker Award - 1997

Professional

• AHL All-Rookie Team - 1998
• Active NHL Ironman - 542 games (11th longest in NHL history)

Transactions

• June 26, 1993 - Drafted in the second round, 39th overall, by the New Jersey Devils.
• March 14, 2000 - Traded to the Vancouver Canucks with Denis Pederson in exchange for Alexander Mogilny.
• August 5, 2005 - Re-signed by the Vancouver Canucks to a three-year, $9.6 million contract.
• July 7, 2008 - Signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract as an unrestricted free agent with the Anaheim Ducks.
• March 4, 2009 - Claimed off waivers by the Dallas Stars.
• July 10, 2009 - Signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract as an unrestricted free agent with the Washington Capitals.

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1990–91	Ridge Meadows Knights	BCAHA		77	126	127	253	88		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Ridge Meadows Lightning	BCAHA		55	56	111	167	56		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	Penticton Panthers	BCJHL		56	35	59	94	45		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Michigan Wolverines	NCAA		38	20	28	48	24		5	2	7	9	2
1994–95	Michigan Wolverines	NCAA		39	23	53	76	42		5	1	11	12	6
1995–96	Michigan Wolverines	NCAA		35	28	44	72	41		7	6	9	15	4
1996–97	Michigan Wolverines	NCAA		43	31	57	88	52		6	6	8	14	8
1997–98	Albany River Rats	AHL		72	35	49	84	44		8	3	4	7	19
1997–98	New Jersey Devils	NHL		11	5	4	9	0		3	0	1	1	0
1998–99	New Jersey Devils	NHL		76	13	33	46	18		7	0	2	2	0
1999–00	SK Horacka Slavia Trebic	CZE-2		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1999–00	HC Pardubice	CZE		6	5	2	7	2		—	—	—	—	—
1999–00	New Jersey Devils	NHL		44	5	21	26	8		—	—	—	—	—
1999–00	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		12	2	7	9	10		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		82	16	38	54	42		4	1	2	3	0
2001–02	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		82	23	44	67	26		6	0	2	2	6
2002–03	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		82	25	46	71	36		14	4	7	11	18
2003–04	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		82	22	38	60	50		7	2	3	5	8
2004–05	Linköpings HC	SEL		45	16	28	44	50		6	0	2	2	10
2005–06	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		82	19	37	56	84		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		82	20	31	51	60		12	1	3	4	6
2007–08	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		39	9	16	25	18		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Anaheim Ducks	NHL		62	10	12	22	16		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Dallas Stars	NHL		19	6	3	9	16		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				755	175	330	505	384		53	8	20	28	38

External links

• Brendan Morrison's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• NHLPA bio

Preceded by Brian Bonin	Winner of the Hobey Baker Award 1997	Succeeded by Chris Drury
Preceded by Karlis Skrastins	Active NHL Ironman 2000 – 2007	Succeeded by Cory Sarich