After spending last season in Finland, Joe Morrow isn’t on his way back to North America. Instead, the veteran defenseman has signed a one-year contract with Barys Nur-Sultan of the KHL.
Morrow, 28, played 162 NHL games before heading overseas last year, suiting up for the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, and Winnipeg Jets. After terminating his contract with the New Jersey Devils at the end of 2019, he joined Dinamo Minsk for what was left of the KHL season. He managed just three points in 22 games there, but will now test the waters again with another club.
It’s been quite the ride to this point for the 23rd overall pick from 2011. Morrow was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins but traded to the Dallas Stars for Brenden Morrow (no relation) before the end of his first professional season. Just a few months later he’d be flipped again, this time to Boston in the Tyler Seguin deal, after playing just 17 games in the Dallas system. After a few years in Boston he was left unqualified and signed with Montreal, just to find himself traded again to the Jets at the deadline.
Six different NHL organizations and now three overseas clubs by the age of 28, it’s been a roller coaster for the Edmonton native. There’s still time for Morrow to return to North America before his prime years are over (though a chance in the NHL is unlikely at this point), so he remains a name to keep in mind the KHL season ends next year.
This guy had more talent than anyone I’ve seen flame out so badly. He showed flashes of being peak-Paul Martin but who could hit and shoot, too. I was so mad at Ray Shero (my bad, Ray) when he traded him. And then…basically nothing.
Wonder what happened.
yep
Morrow, Pouliot, Bennet .. all 3 seemed to have endless potential, and all 3 became longterm 2-way contracts
Honorable mentions Angelo Esposito, Simon Depres, Luca Caputi, Sprong & Eric Tangradi , none of which had such ceilings, but surprised they couldn’t find regular ice time at the NHL level.