CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Morgan Ellis is heading back to Europe for his sophomore season in the KHL.
The 28-year-old hockey player received a contract offer from Dinamo Riga late last week. The team announced on Monday the two sides had agreed to a deal, and he leaves today for the Latvian capital.
“It’s a beautiful city,” he said Monday afternoon. “It’s nice to get a contract and kind of have an idea of where I will be this coming season. …
“I am very fortunate to have the job that I do and get to travel and see the things that I do,” he added. “When you’re younger and coming up, you would never think you’d be playing in Russia, but things change over the years.”
After 3 ½ seasons with the Cape Breton Eagles, Ellis completed his junior career by winning the Memorial Cup with the host Shawinigan Cataractes in 2012.
Professional hockey took him from Hamilton, Ont., to West Virginia, St. John’s, N.L., and Chicago, Ill., and included a three-game stint in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens in 2016. He ventured overseas in 2017, playing two seasons in Sweden and one in Germany before playing last season in Sochi, Russia, in the KHL, widely considered the second-best league in the world.
“I kind of just decided to go to Europe and see different parts of the world and try and play in the top leagues over there,” he said, “and I’ve been fortunate enough to do that.”
The reliable two-way defenceman had a goal and 16 assists in 54 games last season with H.C. Sochi while playing in the same venue that hosted the 2014 Olympic hockey competition.
“I lived in the Olympic village where all the athletes would have lived,” said Ellis, who said the city is a tourist destination. “Great weather, great restaurants and just a nice spot to be.”
The team just missed the playoffs, and Ellis returned back to his Charlottetown home on March 2, meaning he was home for about two weeks before the coronavirus (COVID-19 strain) pandemic shut down Prince Edward Island.
“I was really fortunate enough to kind of get out just in time,” he said.
He has trained at home and skated with other professionals to prepare for the upcoming season, which is slated to begin Sept. 2. He doesn’t have any serious concerns with COVID-19, noting he will wear his mask, keep his distance, stay out of high populated areas and follow the advice of the professionals.
He is heading to Latvia by himself to get a sense of the situation while his wife, Britanny, and two boys – two-year-old Nash and 10-month-old Bowen – remain on the Island for now.
Ellis was playing in the KHL when tragedy struck close to home. The Tyne Valley Community Sports Centre was destroyed by fire in late December.
“That’s where I learned how to skate and that’s where I started my minor hockey,” Ellis said.
He only played there until novice as AAA teams were hosted in different communities, but Ellis has many fond memories of the building. They include family skates on Sundays and watching senior hockey.
“The main thing is no one got hurt and fortunately enough people are doing a great job raising money, and there’s going to be a great facility for years to come that the people will be able to use there.”
Go and vote for Tyne Valley Community Sports Center for this years KraftHockeyVille. Voting begins August 14th to 15th. Any support would be greatly appreciated! #KrafthockeyvilleTyneValley #RalleyForTheValley2020 pic.twitter.com/JugPEUeDM5
— Morgan Ellis (@MorganEllis4) August 5, 2020
A new facility, estimated to cost about $10 million, was announced in mid-July and the community has made the final four in the Kraft Hockeyville competition. The winning community will receive $250,000 for arena upgrades and host an NHL pre-season game.
