WHEELING, WV- The Wheeling Nailers, proud ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, are excited to announce that a 56th former Nailer/Thunderbird has made his National Hockey League debut. Morgan Ellis reached the NHL on Wednesday night, recording two shots on goal and two penalty minutes, as the Montreal Canadiens fell to the Anaheim Ducks, 3-2 in a shootout at Honda Center.
Ellis, 23, was selected by Montreal in the fourth round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, following his second season of junior hockey with the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. Morgan spent four years in the QMJHL, capping off his junior career with a Memorial Cup Championship in 2012 as a member of the Shawinigan Cataractes. The Ellerslie, PEI native turned pro at the start of the 2012-13 campaign, when he joined the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs. Ellis has played his entire professional career in the Montreal organization, spending parts of three seasons with Hamilton, as well as the 2015-16 season with the St. John’s IceCaps. During his AHL career, Morgan has appeared in 213 games, amassing 22 goals, 36 assists, and 58 points. This year has been his most productive, as he has racked up 12 goals and 31 points in 56 contests.
During the 2014-15 campaign, Ellis was assigned to Wheeling, where he had great success as an offensive defenseman for the Nailers. Morgan suited up in 39 regular season games with the club, totaling 13 goals, 13 assists, and 26 points. Three of his goals were game winners, he had multiple goals in a game on four different occasions, and he recorded multiple points in nine games. The blueliner also appeared in five playoff games, picking up two assists.
On Wednesday, Morgan saw 10:31 of ice time over the course of 16 shifts for the Canadiens. He received a minor penalty for boarding, and recorded two shots on goal. Fellow former Nailer Mike Condon was the starting goaltender for Montreal, who unfortunately fell in a shootout, 3-2 against Anaheim.
Morgan Ellis becomes the 56th Nailer/Thunderbird to reach the NHL and fourth this season, joining Condon, New Jersey’s Paul Thompson, and Pittsburgh’s Tom Kuhnhackl. Ellis is the first player from the 2014-15 team to reach professional hockey’s highest level.
