Dave Morrison (ice hockey)

Did You Know?

• He was hired by the Vancouver Canucks as an amateur scout in 1999 and served until 2004.
• On July 28, 2015, the Leafs announced Morrison had changed jobs from Director of Amateur Scouting to Director of Pro Scouting.

Playing career

Dave Morrison, a Toronto native, got his start in hockey at the youth level, playing in the 1975 Quebec International Pee-Wee Tournament with a team from Mississauga. He moved up to junior hockey with the Peterborough Petes, and the Los Angeles Kings picked him in the second round, 34th overall, of the 1980 NHL draft. The Kings had already taken his Petes teammate, future Hall of Famer Larry Murphy, with their first pick. Morrison stayed in Peterborough for two more seasons, though he got a taste of the NHL with short call-ups in both 1980-81 and 1981-82, skating in seven games total for Los Angeles. He also suited up for Canada at the 1982 World Junior Championships, helping the team capture the country’s first gold medal in that tournament.

Turning pro in 1982-83, Morrison split time between the Kings and their AHL affiliate, the New Haven Nighthawks. In 24 NHL games, he notched three goals and six points, while adding 23 goals in 59 minor-league contests. After a sluggish start the following season, the Kings let him go, and he signed with the Vancouver Canucks. He spent most of his two years with the Canucks organization in the minors, appearing in just eight NHL games in 1984-85 without recording a point.

Released by Vancouver in 1985, Morrison headed overseas. Over the next 14 seasons, he played in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Britain. His best run came with the Kassel Huskies of the DEL, where he served as captain from 1994 to 1997. He later captained the Manchester Storm in England from 1997 until 1999. Morrison retired as a player in 1999 and became a scout for the Vancouver Canucks. In total, he played 39 NHL games, scoring three goals and three assists for six points, with four penalty minutes.