Kevin Morrison

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.

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	1969–1986

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^[update], lives in his hometown of Sydney, Nova Scotia.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1966–67	Drummondville Rangers	QJAHL		3	0	0	0	4		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Drummondville Rangers	QJAHL		10	1	1	2	21		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Drummondville Rangers	M-Cup		—	—	—	—	—		4	0	1	1	6
1968–69	Saint-Jérôme Alouettes	QJHL		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	New Haven Blades	EHL		48	24	18	42	136		11	4	7	11	53
1969–70	Omaha Knights	CHL		—	—	—	—	—		5	2	0	2	20
1970–71	New Haven Blades	EHL		64	11	44	55	348		14	3	6	9	67
1970–71	Fort Worth Wings	CHL		3	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Tidewater Wings	AHL		11	0	2	2	18		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Fort Worth Wings	CHL		26	2	1	3	56		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Rochester Americans	AHL		29	2	0	2	49		—	—	—	—	—
1972–73	New Haven Nighthawks	AHL		74	7	28	35	154		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	New York Golden Blades/Jersey Knights	WHA		78	24	43	67	132		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	San Diego Mariners	WHA		78	20	61	81	143		10	0	7	7	2
1975–76	San Diego Mariners	WHA		80	22	43	65	56		11	1	5	6	12
1976–77	San Diego Mariners	WHA		75	8	30	38	68		7	1	3	4	8
1977–78	Indianapolis Racers	WHA		75	17	40	57	49		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	Indianapolis Racers	WHA		5	0	2	2	0		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	Quebec Nordiques	WHA		27	2	5	7	14		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	Philadelphia Firebirds	AHL		23	1	13	14	15		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	Colorado Rockies	NHL		41	4	11	15	23		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	Fort Worth Texans	CHL		33	5	16	21	45		—	—	—	—	—
1981–82	Stephenville Jets	NFLD-Sr		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	Stephenville Jets	NFLD-Sr		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1983–84	Stephenville Jets	NFLD-Sr		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1984–85	Stephenville Jets	NFLD-Sr		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	Stephenville Jets	NFLD-Sr		39	18	25	43	110		—	—	—	—	—
WHA totals				418	93	224	317	462		28	2	15	17	22
NHL totals				41	4	11	15	23		—	—	—	—	—

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database