Lew Morrison

Lew Morrison was a high draft pick back in 1968. In fact he was selected 8th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers after demonstrating solid two way hockey ability with the Flin Flon Bombers of the WCJHL. He was a junior teammate of Bobby Clarke's, who of course the Flyers were already watching closely. They would draft Clarke the following year.

Lew immediately stepped into the Flyers farm system and was one of coach Vic Stasiuk's top performers with the AHL Quebec Aces. When Stasiuk was promoted to head coach of the Flyers the following year, he was quick to included Morrison on the team.

That 1969-70 season was one of Morrison's best seasons, at least statistically. He scored 9 goals and 19 points, both career highs. He gained instant recognition for his defensive abilities, and was reunited with Bobby Clarke to kill penalties that first in Philly.

"I'll tell you how good he (Morrison) and Clarke are," said coach Stasiuk. "They kill penalties for us. Imagine - a pair of rookies going out against the best power plays in the busines and doing not just an adequate job but a doggone good job."

However Morrison would never be able to shake the label as a defensive forward, and would toil for 564 games in the NHL in that limited capacity. After three years in Philadelphia he was claimed by the Atlanta Flames in their expansion draft. Two years later the Washington Capitals did the same, only to trade him back to Pennsylvania after 18 games. The Pittsburgh Penguins made good use of his services for 3 years before he was demoted to the minors for the 1977-78 season. That proved to be Morrison's final year of professional hockey.

Morrison was a dogged worker, a truly unappreciated hockeyist who was respected by his peers.