Brad Morrison is heading to one of the NHL’s most historic franchises.
The Prince George product was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday (Oct. 4) in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings that sent two-time Stanley Cup-champion Olli Maatta to southern California.
TRADE ALERT: The #Blackhawks have acquired forward Brad Morrison from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for defenseman Olli Maatta.
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 4, 2020
Release: https://t.co/2RWtj8WiPO pic.twitter.com/GUQZoKf0su
Morrison played four full seasons with the Cougars and was part of the 2017 BC Division-winning core, combining for 85 goals and 187 points in 260 games with his hometown hockey team.
The now 23-year-old centre finished his WHL career in Lethbridge, traded to the Hurricanes from the Vancouver Giants at the midway mark of the 2017-18 season.
His major junior career finished with 262 points in 334 games between the three clubs.
Despite a remarkable run, Morrison has yet to play on hockey’s biggest stage.
He was drafted by the New York Rangers in the fourth round, 113th overall of the 2015 NHL Draft, but went unsigned and was picked up by Los Angeles in May 2018 on a three-year entry-level deal worth $2.23 million, according to CapFriendly.
After one year in the AHL with the Ontario Reign, where he tallied 20 points in 50 games, Morrison was relegated last season to the Fort Wayne Komets in the ECHL.
He only played 17 games, but scored 19 points altogether, including 13 assists.
Morrison's current contract has a salary cap hit of $743,333 and he is signed through the 2020-21 season, the Blackhawks explain, reporting to their AHL team, the Rockford IceHogs.
Chicago drafted current Prince George Cougar Cole Moberg in 2019 in the seventh round.
TRADE : Here's Olli Maatta with the @LAKings and Brad Morrison wit hthe @NHLBlackhawks pic.twitter.com/UQsXTsMXRn
— TradedNHLPortrait (@NHLPortrait) October 4, 2020
