Mark Morris -- AHL Coach

[joecct]

Manchester Monarchs name new coach (http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=220251bd-1684-463a-a6a3-6e05072aad9b&headline=Monarchs+tap+former+Clarkson+coach+for+to p+spot%22%27%25%3c%3e%3a%24)

[CUKnight]

No kiddin. Good for him. Look forward to seeing him around again

[MikeR]

Coach Morris is writing a series of articles for the Union Leader:

Inside Source (http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Inside+Source%3AA+coach's+st ory&articleId=fec14515-ff6d-4d99-9ff9-2c0127a0df72)

(just search for "Mark Morris" on their site for the other articles)

[Stemmer]

Mark's columns should be required reading for all his bashers...particularly the cornell ones. :p

[Todd '86]

Here's the article that followed, where he describes his college career.

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Inside+Source%3A+Hockey+road +leads+to+Manchester&articleId=12270980-7e87-4490-96e2-31804aab8587

[MikeR]

Didn't know where to put this, as it chronicles Chris Barnyard's (Bernard) start at Clarkson (http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Inside+Source%3A+Success+beg ins+with+attitude&articleId=67a752d1-6cb2-49ea-9d1d-5ee37698c0c0). Nice story.

[petal]

Thanks for the linky. Great column. Put it up at my desk.

[Stemmer]

Great story on "Yard."

His attitude and work ethic rival that of the best of those I've ever seen...Dave Taylor's.

[MikeR]

It gets even better Part II of the Yard story (http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Inside+Source%3A+Desire%2C+b elief+pay+off&articleId=e6b2218c-d295-4b19-beeb-6b9da16a47aa)

[Ron]

So Manchester is playing big-time right now with a huge lead in the conference. LA totally sucks. I'd say if Crawford doesn't right the ship within a year, we could be seeing a Morris appearance in the NHL.

[placid]

So Manchester is playing big-time right now with a huge lead in the conference. LA totally sucks. I'd say if Crawford doesn't right the ship within a year, we could be seeing a Morris appearance in the NHL.

I'd say that's highly unlikely for several reasons...

First, Morris and Crawford are GOOD friends. Remember it was Crawford who brought Morris in as a 'volunteer' coach the year he got fired. I can't see Mark taking that job.

Second, you can't compare the two teams. One is a minor league team. I mean whose to say you put Crawford in Manchester and Morris in LA right now that both teams wouldnt play the EXACT same way they are playing.

Also, the Kings, if they gave up on Crawford this fast, would be really criticized if they brought in a one-year coach with absolutely no NHL experience.

[Ron]

I'd say that's highly unlikely for several reasons...

First, Morris and Crawford are GOOD friends. Remember it was Crawford who brought Morris in as a 'volunteer' coach the year he got fired. I can't see Mark taking that job.

Second, you can't compare the two teams. One is a minor league team. I mean whose to say you put Crawford in Manchester and Morris in LA right now that both teams wouldnt play the EXACT same way they are playing.

Also, the Kings, if they gave up on Crawford this fast, would be really criticized if they brought in a one-year coach with absolutely no NHL experience.

I'm not saying Morris is going to PUSH Crawford out. I'm saying that you've got a Mike Sullivan situation here, where the best candidate might be the guy who is coaching all of the players that are going to be moving up. Crawford might even recommend him. Morris is definitely finding a way to stand-out at Manchester.

I just can't put ANYTHING by team president's and GM's these days. They don't wait more than two years for results anymore, and there certainly isn't a ton of loyalty left in that organization. There's a lot of big name coaches on the merry-go-around these days.

[Todd '86]

First of all, thanks Mike for posting the links to those articles. Some good insight into Coach Morris' relationships with some of his old players.


I'm not saying Morris is going to PUSH Crawford out. I'm saying that you've got a Mike Sullivan situation here, where the best candidate might be the guy who is coaching all of the players that are going to be moving up. Crawford might even recommend him. Morris is definitely finding a way to stand-out at Manchester.

I just can't put ANYTHING by team president's and GM's these days. They don't wait more than two years for results anymore, and there certainly isn't a ton of loyalty left in that organization. There's a lot of big name coaches on the merry-go-around these days.

I see your point Ron, but with only a partial year of coaching professional players under his belt, it would be a tough sell to recommend him as an NHL head coach at this point. He's succeeding now (and I think its great to see), but he is still unproven at that level. Anything can happen in LA, but I think its much more likely to see one of the merry-go-round coaches to end up behind the Kings' bench.

Besides for Morris to go from coaching prep school to behind an NHL bench in one year...?

[Ron]

First of all, thanks Mike for posting the links to those articles. Some good insight into Coach Morris' relationships with some of his old players.



I see your point Ron, but with only a partial year of coaching professional players under his belt, it would be a tough sell to recommend him as an NHL head coach at this point. He's succeeding now (and I think its great to see), but he is still unproven at that level. Anything can happen in LA, but I think its much more likely to see one of the merry-go-round coaches to end up behind the Kings' bench.

Besides for Morris to go from coaching prep school to behind an NHL bench in one year...?

I would say two-three years is all he needs if things go sour in LA. It seems like this is the standard requirement before a lot of these guys that weren't part of the "network" are considered and/or hired, and also the same time-frame Crawford will be expected to turn around the team.

Lets not forget, sure he was at a prep-school for a couple of years, but he was at Clarkson for a very long time. He's got about 17 years of coaching experience between NCAA, Prep, AHL, and NHL aready.

I'm not saying that this is likely, but guys like Mike Sullivan (one season), Wayne Gretzky (no experience), and Garth Snow have been elevated to positions of power very very quickly without rhyme or reason. At least this seems plausible!

[Todd '86]

...Garth Snow...

I don't know about plausible, but you are right, stranger things have happened. :D Nobody saw the Isles promoting Snow from backup goaltender to GM (if I remember correctly) coming.

[FireKnight]

Thanks for those links Mike. I was at Clarkson for part of Yard's career, before he got a real chance to play and I can remember him as one of the more personable and engaging members of the Knights. I can only remember him playing in the "Green and Gold" game, but he was a fan favorite.

I'm excited to see that Chris is the coach at WNEC and maybe I'll venture for a game when he comes closer to me than Springfield. I see he's not having a great season, but if he puts the effort in he did as a goaltender, I'll bet there will be results.

[Ron]

I believe this is the first season that WNEC has had a full-time coach. So I'd say not doing so bad right now. Hopefully he can build that program up and make it a power, which would be quite an honor for a coach in a new program.

[Earl_Leatherland]

That is an excellent article by Coach Mark Morris about Chris Bernard. I knew some of it, but not to that extent.

[FireKnight]

Coach Morris' Manchester Monarchs won the Atlantic Division of the AHL with a 51-21-7 record. They are facing the Worcester Sharks in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs.

Morris recently received Boston College Captain Brian Boyle and UMass goaltender Jon Quick (grrrrrr!!) on his roster. Most will remember Brian spent the season as a center for the Eagles and moved to defence for the NC$$ tourney. He is listed on the Monarchs roster as a center. All will remember Jon Quick, who I'm sure is a nice guy, but grrrr!!!

Other college hockey alumni on his team include UW's Jeff Likens, BC's Brendan Buckley, Ryan Murphy, and Jeff Giuliano, CC's Noah Clarke and Richard Petiot, DU's Gabe Gauthier, Maine's Peter Harrold, Mankato's Tim Jackman, Mercyhurst's T.J. Kemp, Colgate's Joey Mormina, Cornell's Matt Moulson, Lowell's Doug Nolan, Niagara's Matt Ryan, Merrimack's Bryan Schmidt, Michigan's Eric Werner, Princeton's Kevin Westgarth, and SLU's John Zeiler.

It's interesting to note that 20 players from his roster are college hockey alums, where some other AHL teams have less than 10. Does that tell you a bit about what the Kings think about college hockey versus juniors?

[placid]

Anyone else see the irony of Mark's team playing in Worcester?
I swear Clarkson was about 0-200 in Worcester in NCAA tourneys when Mark was coach ;)


Coach Morris' Manchester Monarchs won the Atlantic Division of the AHL with a 51-21-7 record. They are facing the Worcester Sharks in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs.

Morris recently received Boston College Captain Brian Boyle and UMass goaltender Jon Quick (grrrrrr!!) on his roster. Most will remember Brian spent the season as a center for the Eagles and moved to defence for the NC$$ tourney. He is listed on the Monarchs roster as a center. All will remember Jon Quick, who I'm sure is a nice guy, but grrrr!!!

Other college hockey alumni on his team include UW's Jeff Likens, BC's Brendan Buckley, Ryan Murphy, and Jeff Giuliano, CC's Noah Clarke and Richard Petiot, DU's Gabe Gauthier, Maine's Peter Harrold, Mankato's Tim Jackman, Mercyhurst's T.J. Kemp, Colgate's Joey Mormina, Cornell's Matt Moulson, Lowell's Doug Nolan, Niagara's Matt Ryan, Merrimack's Bryan Schmidt, Michigan's Eric Werner, Princeton's Kevin Westgarth, and SLU's John Zeiler.

It's interesting to note that 20 players from his roster are college hockey alums, where some other AHL teams have less than 10. Does that tell you a bit about what the Kings think about college hockey versus juniors?

[placid]

We now have a Mark Morris vs. one of his former players series

Sharks sign forward Chris Blight to PTO
04/21/07 - American Hockey League (AHL) Worcester Sharks

WORCESTER - Worcester Sharks General Manager Wayne Thomas announced today that the club has signed forward Chris Blight to a PTO. Per club policy, terms of the deal were undisclosed.

Blight, a 6-foot, 190-pound right wing, completed his second season with the Toledo Storm of the ECHL, compiling 26 goals and adding 28 assists. Blight was the second leading scorer for the storm, notching 54 points this season.


In his two seasons with Toledo, Blight recorded 55 goals and added 60 assists, for a total of 115 points.


The Cambridge, Ontario native spent four seasons with Clarkson University and registered 96 points (40+56=96) in 144 games

[FireKnight]

BC's Brian Boyle scored the double OT winner in Worcester to send the Manchester Monarchs to the Atlantic Division finals against the Providence Bruins. It seems Coach Morris is a little happier about playing in the Centrum these days.

[FireKnight]

Coach Morris and the Monarchs have made it to the Calder Cup semifinals against the Hershey Bears!

[placid]

Coach Morris and the Monarchs have made it to the Calder Cup finals against the Hershey Bears!

No, they made the Eastern Conference Final. The Calder Cup Final is where the winner of this series goes against the winner of the Western Conference Final.

[Stemmer]

It's interesting to note that 20 players from his roster are college hockey alums, where some other AHL teams have less than 10. Does that tell you a bit about what the Kings think about college hockey versus juniors?

Makes perfect sense when we consider who the Kings' former GM and Dir of Player personnel are. ;)

[FireKnight]

No, they made the Eastern Conference Final. The Calder Cup Final is where the winner of this series goes against the winner of the Western Conference Final.

Jeez... the AHL playoffs take forever!!! I'll edit my other post :o

[placid]

Makes perfect sense when we consider who the Kings' former GM and Dir of Player personnel are. ;)

not bashing college hockey here, honest, but the Kings are hardly a model organization of how to be successful. They are basically the Kansas City Royals of the NHL. So I wouldn't necessarily follow their model as my chosen pathway to success.

[MikeR]

Morris opens up in book (http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20080504/SPORTS01/675465953/-1/sports)

[MikeR]

Zach Bogosian and Mark Morris (http://www.faceoff.com/hockey/nhlnews/story.html?id=b709171b-b762-4add-a828-e700387555ea&add_feed_url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.faceoff.com%2ftopfea tures.atom)

[MikeR]

Morris coaching rookie (http://kings.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=381938)s at Kings training camp

[MikeR]

Passing the test (http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Untried+Morris+has+passed+te st&articleId=7ee6f590-0724-4cdc-9da7-845b638129f3)

[Gus]

OFF TO PORTLAND... Head coach Mark Morris and assistant coach Scott Pellerin of the Manchester Monarchs have been named the coaches of the PlanetUSA AHL All-Star team for the 2010 Time Warner Cable AHL All-Star Classic.

Morris and Pellerin have earned the honor because the Monarchs own the second-best points percentage in the AHL as of the pre-determined deadline, the end of play on Sunday. Following their 2-0 win over Providence, the Monarchs are 23-9-1-2 (.700) for 49 points and first place in the Atlantic Division. Hershey (.727) owns the league's top points percentage, but the Bears' staff of Mark French and Troy Mann are already guiding the Canadian AHL All-Stars in Portland courtesy of Hershey's 2009 Calder Cup championship.

Morris, 51, is in his fourth season as the Monarchs' head coach and shows a record of 150-109-16 (.575) in 275 games at the helm. A native of Massena, N.Y., Morris has taken the Monarchs to the playoffs in two of his first three campaigns, including an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2007. He is the second Monarchs head coach to go to the AHL All-Star Classic, following Bruce Boudreau in 2005.