Kevin Morrison

Last updated
Kevin Morrison
Born (1949-10-28) October 28, 1949 (age 75)
Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 202 lb (92 kg; 14 st 6 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for New York Golden Blades
Jersey Knights
San Diego Mariners
Indianapolis Racers
Quebec Nordiques
Colorado Rockies
NHL draft 35th overall, 1969
New York Rangers
Playing career 19691986

Kevin Gregory Joseph Morrison (born October 28, 1949) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 418 games in the World Hockey Association (WHA) and 41 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1973 and 1980, scoring a total of 97 goals and 235 assists.

Contents

Career

Morrison was scouted while playing high school hockey for Sydney Academy and junior hockey for Saint-Jérôme Alouettes. He was drafted in the third round of the 1969 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers. After two seasons in the Eastern Hockey League and Central Hockey League, he advanced to the American Hockey League (AHL), playing for the Rochester Americans and Tidewater Wings, scoring two goals for the former. Morrison spent the following season with the New Haven Nighthawks of the AHL, tallying 7 goals and 28 assists.

Despite solid offensive ability, Morrison was mostly known as an enforcer who was involved in many memorable hockey fights. During his season with the Nighthawks, he tangled with Rochester's J. Bob "Battleship" Kelly in what some, including Rochester coach Don Cherry, have called one of the greatest fights in hockey history.[ citation needed ] Both combatants fought furiously until exhausted, had a brief respite, then continued until neither man could punch anymore.

Morrison spent the next five seasons, from 1973 to 1978, exclusively in the World Hockey Association. He scored better than 20 goals in his first three seasons in the league and was selected to the one WHA All-Star game. He was involved in another memorable fight during the 1978–79 season against Steve Durbano of the Birmingham Bulls. In this skirmish, even after Morrison was assessed a penalty and was standing in the penalty box, Durbano continued to go after him. Durbano broke free of the linesman holding him back and took several wild swings at Morrison, who himself broke free of the other linesman and decked his opponent with a clean right that sent Durbano crumpling to the ice.

Splitting 1978-79 between the AHL and WHA, Morrison recorded the only assist on Wayne Gretzky's first professional goal on October 20, 1978, against Edmonton Oilers goalie Dave Dryden. Morrison spent half his final year in pro hockey playing in the NHL for the Colorado Rockies. In 41 NHL games, he scored 4 goals and added 11 assists.

Personal life

Morrison retired from senior hockey in 1986 and, as of 2016, lives in his hometown of Sydney, Nova Scotia.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1966–67 Drummondville Rangers QJAHL30004
1967–68Drummondville RangersQJAHL1011221
1967–68 Drummondville Rangers M-Cup 40116
1968–69 Saint-Jérôme Alouettes QJHL
1969–70 New Haven Blades EHL 4824184213611471153
1969–70 Omaha Knights CHL 520220
1970–71New Haven BladesEHL641144553481436967
1970–71 Fort Worth Wings CHL30000
1971–72 Tidewater Wings AHL 1102218
1971–72 Fort Worth WingsCHL2621356
1971–72 Rochester Americans AHL2920249
1972–73 New Haven Nighthawks AHL7472835154
1973–74 New York Golden Blades/Jersey Knights WHA 78244367132
1974–75 San Diego Mariners WHA78206181143100772
1975–76 San Diego MarinersWHA80224365561115612
1976–77 San Diego MarinersWHA75830386871348
1977–78 Indianapolis Racers WHA7517405749
1978–79 Indianapolis RacersWHA50220
1978–79 Quebec Nordiques WHA2725714
1978–79 Philadelphia Firebirds AHL231131415
1979–80 Colorado Rockies NHL 414111523
1979–80 Fort Worth Texans CHL335162145
1981–82 Stephenville Jets NFLD-Sr
1982–83Stephenville JetsNFLD-Sr
1983–84Stephenville JetsNFLD-Sr
1984–85Stephenville JetsNFLD-Sr
1985–86Stephenville JetsNFLD-Sr39182543110
WHA totals41893224317462282151722
NHL totals414111523