After bouncing around Europe and Asia for the last seven years, 36-year-old Shaone Morrisonn has found a new home.
The Cardiff Devils of the UK’s Elite Ice Hockey League announced on Tuesday that they have signed former Capitals defenseman for the remainder of the 2019-20 season.
Welcome to Cardiff……. Shoane Morrisonn.
Our newest Devil played 500 NHL games & was part of the Zagreb team that played in Cardiff in 2016 😈#CroesoShoane | #MorrisonnIsADevil
🗞️ https://t.co/snZB8vJxW0 pic.twitter.com/m33xxBMTMu
— Cardiff Devils (@cardiffdevils) November 12, 2019
Over Morrisonn’s 480-game NHL career split between the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, and Buffalo Sabres, 377 of those were spent playing for the Caps. While Morrisonn did not put up many points with the Capitals, totaling 62 in his 377-game span, the stay-at-home defender was a strong, physical presence, racking up 405 penalty minutes during his tenure with the organization.
After leaving North America following the 2011-12 season, Morrisonn played in the KHL for Spartak and CSKA Moscow, before moving to Croatian team Zagreb. He played the 2018-19 season with a Japanese team, the Oji Eagles, of the Asia League.
Devils head coach Andrew Lord said of Morrisonn, “This is a very exciting signing, not only for our organization but also for the league. Shaone obviously brings a bunch of experience having played in the highest leagues in the world.”
He added, “He will bring a lot to our team. His skating ability for his size is very good and a big strength of his game. His defensive abilities are very solid, and his awareness and skill will allow him to help our team in all 3 zones.”
Lord also mentioned that the Devils had been close to signing Morrisonn over the offseason, but that it fell through due to some things that Morrisonn needed to “attend to back at home in Vancouver.”
The EIHL’s Cardiff Devils are the reigning playoff champions and have qualified for the Champions Hockey League — a European tournament run by the IIHF — for the last three years. In their 12 games played of the 2019-20 season, the Devils have secured 16 points, and sit in fourth with two games in hand over top of the league Glasgow Clan.
Headline photo: Ice Time TV
