Justin Morrison

Justin Morrison (born August 10 1979, in Los Angeles, California) is a professional ice hockey player currently playing for HC Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Last season he played for Lukko in Finland, and for Frölunda HC in the Swedish Elitserien. Morrison has also spent time on loan by Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in Switzerland.

Justin Morrison starting playing hockey late in his childhood -- around age 11 -- after seeing the sport at a local rink. His talent was quickly recognized as he moved from local Los Angeles teams to playing for the Omaha Lancers in the United States Hockey League. Soon thereafter, he became a member of the USA U-17 team that participated in the World U-17 Hockey Challenge. Morrison has since played for the United States World Junior Team in the 1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, and has been a recurring member of the USA Hockey Inline Team. As a teenager, Morrison appeared in the movie as a street hockey player.

Morrison's collegiate career consisted of four years at Colorado College playing in the WCHA. He is a current member of the university's Century Club, having tallied more than 100 collegiate points. Morrison was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft in the 3rd round, as the 81st pick overall. At the time, he was the second-highest NHL draft pick in the school's illustrious hockey history. He was also the first African-American hockey player from Los Angeles to be drafted into the NHL.

As a professional, Morrison spent four seasons with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL, and a season with the Chicago Wolves of the same league. Morrison's first season in the Swedish Elitserien (SEL) was with MODO Hockey, where he had 28 points in 34 games (18 goals, 10 assists), +9 rating, and helped lead MODO to an SEL Championship.

Morrison and his wife Haley live in San Diego, California, where she is a practicing attorney.

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