Canes hire Mark Morris to coach Charlotte Checkers

Mark Morris once coached Erik Cole, a firebrand forward who helped the Carolina Hurricanes win a Stanley Cup.

A year ago, Morris interviewed for the Canes' head coaching job, which eventually went to Bill Peters.

But Morris became a member of the organization Friday when the Hurricanes announced he had been hired as the new head coach of the Charlotte Checkers, the Canes' American Hockey League affiliate.

Morris, 57, was an assistant coach for the Florida Panthers in the 2014-2015 season after eight seasons as head coach of the AHL's Manchester Monarchs.

"I'm really looking forward to the next, new chapter," Morris said Friday. "The Charlotte Checkers have a hockey history people are proud of, and I'm eager to get down there, get to work and be a part of it."

Checkers assistant coach Geordie Kinnear was re-signed Friday. Former Checkers coach Jeff Daniels did not have his contract renewed after last season.

Morris set Manchester franchise records for regular-season games coached (552), wins (338) and post-season wins (35), and his teams advanced to the Calder Cup playoffs in seven seasons. In his final season with Manchester in 2013-14, the Monarchs went 48-19-9.

Morris' players at Manchester, the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, included 13 members of the Kings' 2012 Stanley Cup champions.

Morris also coached at Clarkson University in Potsdam N.Y., building a 306-156-42 regular-season record and a playoff record of 39-19-1. He is the only coach with more than 300 wins at both the collegiate and professional levels.

Among his players at Clarkson was Cole, who was drafted by the Hurricanes in 1998, helped Carolina reach two Stanley Cup finals and won the Cup in 2006.

"He was a force, a great athlete, a real talent," Morris said. "Great speed. Went to the net, defended well. A complete player."

That will be Morris' task with the Checkers: develop young players into more complete players capable of not just getting to the NHL level with the Hurricanes but staying there.

"The ones who learn to be 200-foot players are the ones who make it," Morris said. "The offensive part often can be God-given talent but good defense is hard work, grit and determination. Combine the two and guys can realize their dream and reach the NHL level."

Morris worked with the Panthers defensemen last season, helping develop Aaron Ekblad, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2014 NHL Draft. Ekblad won the Calder Trophy this year as the NHL's best rookie.

"He was a sponge," Morris said. "He was like the dog who keeps dropping the ball at your feet and nudges it toward you for another throw. He stayed late after practice, always working. He wanted to be great."

At the AHL level, some players need more time to mature, physically and emotionally. There also can be egos to soothe.

"A lot were premier players with their former teams and were 'The Show,'" he said. "Some have to learn their biggest asset is being a good teammate.”

Morris said he does not know Peters, but will soon meet with him to discuss how to best mesh their systems, making the recall of players as seamless as possible. Morris will be in Raleigh next week for the Canes' prospects camp.

A Massena, N.Y., native, Morris was a college defenseman at Colgate, playing professionally for New Haven of the AHL and Dallas of the Central Hockey League before moving into coaching.

Willie Mitchell, Jonathan Quick, Matt Moulson, Brian Boyle and Teddy Purcell are a few of the players Morris has coached. Canes general manager Ron Francis, in announcing the hiring Friday, called Morris a “proven teacher of the game.”

Like most coaches, Morris has regrets. His tenure at Clarkson did not end well. Accused of having a physical confrontation with a player during practice, he was fired in November 2002.

Morris filed a civil suit against the university for breach of contract. The suit was settled in August 2003.

"That was my dream job as a young coach," Morris said. "It's tough the ways things ended, but in the end a lot of good things unfolded there. Those are the ones I choose to remember.

“It was one of the best times of my life, recruiting young men and then seeing some experience their dream of playing in the NHL. I'm proud of what we accomplished there."

This story was originally published July 3, 2015 at 2:41 PM with the headline "Canes hire Mark Morris to coach Charlotte Checkers."