Salmon Kings' Morrison Gets Nod As All-Star Coach

January 6, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Victoria Salmon Kings News Release


Victoria, BC - The Victoria Salmon Kings, proud affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks and Manitoba Moose, announced today that General Manager and Head Coach Mark Morrison has been named as co-coach of the National Conference for the 2009 ECHL All-Star Game presented by Guardian Wear.

Morrison received the nod as the co-coach along side Stockton Thunder head coach Matt Thomas. The Victoria, BC resident was awarded this honor as the Salmon Kings hold the top winning percentage amongst National Conference teams. Thomas was selected through a vote of National Conference coaches.

"The opportunity to coach in an all-star game is a direct result of having a team full of hardworking and skilled players," Morrison said. "This honour is shared with the players and the entire Salmon Kings' organization as it has been a collaborative effort that has gotten our team to this point."

Morrison is currently in his second season as the Salmon Kings head coach. He took over two seasons ago on December 28th, 2006. He led the team to a 27-15-3 finish including a club record nine-game winning streak, a 15-point improvement from the previous season and the team's first ever ECHL playoff berth.

In his first full season as head coach in 2007-08, Morrison led Victoria to the West Division regular season title and their first Kelly Cup Playoffs series win while also being selected to coach in the ECHL All-Star Game. The Salmon Kings set regular season team records in 2007-08 with 42 wins, 24 home wins, 18 road wins and 91 points.

This year Victoria is off to their best start ever. The team is currently riding a 13 game winning streak and sits atop of the ECHL in points with 50 and is in first place in the National Conference with a 24-9-1-1 record.

Morrison joins forward Wes Goldie and defenseman Dylan Yeo who were named starters for the all-star game as well as forward Dan Gendur who was named to the National Conference roster.

The Reading Royals, the City of Reading and the Sovereign Center will host the 17th Annual ECHL All-Star Game on Jan. 21, 2009 and the 12th Annual All-Star Skills Competition on Jan. 20, 2009.

There have been four coaches and 46 players from the All-Star Game who have advanced to the National Hockey League. Twenty-nine players from the All-Star Game have gone on to play in the NHL since 2002 when the lineups began having players who coaches felt were prospects to move up to a higher level.

The Stanley Cup and the Patrick J. Kelly Cup will both be on display throughout the event, marking the ninth time in the last 10 years that the NHL championship trophy and the ECHL championship trophy have been displayed together at the All-Star Game.

The Salmon Kings welcome the Pacific Division leading Ontario Reign to the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre this weekend for a two-game set. The first game goes on Friday night and the second on Saturday evening. Both games start at 7:05 p.m.

This series will also be the Coca-Cola Whiteout Weekend! The first 2500 fans into the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre wearing white will be given a coupon or a free medium Coca-cola fountain drink on both Friday and Saturday nights. Come out and support the Salmon Kings as the look to continue their 13-game winning streak! Visit www.selectyourtickets.com for tickets!



ECHL Stories from January 6, 2009


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