Free agent centre Brendan Morrison is off the free agent list, as the B.C. native is set to join the Anaheim Ducks. Morrison and the Ducks have agreed to a one-year deal worth $2.75 million.
"Brendan Morrison is a solid veteran with excellent foot speed," said Ducks Executive Vice President/General Manager Brian Burke in a statement. "He's an intelligent hockey player and is a tremendous addition to our top six forward group.”
Morrison is still rehabbing after undergoing knee surgery on April 7 to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. It is Morrison's fourth surgery in the past two years. Over the past week, Morrison has turned down offers from nine teams including the Minnesota Wild, Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings.
"I have lot to prove to people," said Morrison. "My injuries and that, some people don't know whether I can still play at a high level. I want to come back and prove that I can. ..
"I elected to take this one-year deal, come back and prove what kind of player I still can be. And going to a team that I feel has a chance to win. At this stage of my career I want to win and I think this is a good fit."
Last week, Morrison turned down a one-year, $1.9 million offer from the Vancouver Canucks, the team he has spent the past eight seasons with. It appeared that the Canucks were hoping Morrison would be their 'fall-back' position if they are unable to sign Mats Sundin. He wasn't prepared to wait.
"They came back with a one-year offer that obviously we didn't accept," said Morrison. "It was unfortunate it didn't work out in Vancouver but I'm excited about going to Anaheim."
The move will reunite Morrison with the former Canucks general managers Brian Burke and Dave Nonis, who both work in Anaheim's front office.
"[The Ducks] were a team that, over the course of the season, that I had thought about," Morrison told reporters on a conference call. "They were high on the list if things didn't go work out in Vancouver ..
"There were other offers out there that I turned down that were more lucrative."
Morrison, 32, scored nine goals and 25 points in 39 games with the Canucks last season and spent most of the campaign on the shelf with wrist and knee injuries. In 674 career games with Vancouver and the New Jersey Devils, he has 159 goals and 474 points. If he can stay healthy, Morrison could be Anaheim's second line centre behind Ryan Getzlaf.