Mark Morris became just the 17th coach in American Hockey League history to reach 300 career victories when his Manchester Monarchs defeated the Norfolk Admirals, 3-1, at the Verizon Wirelss Arena in Manchester, N.H., on Wednesday.
Morris needed 567 games to reach the milestone, and now owns a career record of 300-232-34 (.559), all with the Monarchs. The 55-year-old native of Massena, N.Y., joined the Los Angeles Kings organization in 2006 as head coach of their top affiliate in Manchester and has guided the Monarchs to the postseason in six of his first seven seasons, including trips to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2007 and 2010.
Morris has also assisted in advancing many NHL careers and turning Monarchs players into Stanley Cup champions; more than half of the Kings’ 2012 championship team was coached by Morris in Manchester, including Jonathan Quick, Slava Voynov, Dwight King, Jordan Nolan, Kyle Clifford and Jonathan Bernier.
Morris, who was 306-156-42 in 14-plus seasons at Clarkson University from 1988-2002, also becomes the first coach ever with at least 300 wins at both the professional and U.S. collegiate levels.
Prior to coaching, Morris played three seasons professionally, mostly in the AHL with the New Haven Nighthawks from 1981-84.
| AHL Head Coaches, 300+ Wins | |||
| Coach | Wins | Seasons | |
| 1. | Fred "Bun" Cook | 636 | 1937-56 |
| 2. | Frank Mathers | 610 | 1956-73, 84-85 |
| 3. | John Paddock | 589 | 1981-82, 83-89, 90-91, 1999-2005, 08-09, 10-11 |
| 4. | *Roy Sommer | 543 | 1998- |
| 5. | Terry Reardon | 362 | 1947-53, 65-68, 70-73, 75-76 |
| 6. | Robbie Ftorek | 353 | 1985-88, 89-90, 92-96, 2003-06 |
| 7. | Randy Cunneyworth | 350 | 2000-08, 10-11 |
| 8. | Bruce Boudreau | 340 | 1999-2008 |
| 9. | John Van Boxmeer | 337 | 1984-90, 92-95 |
| 10. | Johnny Crawford | 333 | 1950-52, 55-60, 61-62, 64-66 |
| 11. | Tom McVie | 329 | 1982-91, 97-98 |
| 12. | Don Lever | 322 | 1990-92, 2005-11 |
| 13. | *John Anderson | 312 | 2001-08, 13- |
| 14. | Joe Crozier | 305 | 1963-68, 71-72, 79-80, 83-84 |
| 15. | Al MacNeil | 304 | 1969-70, 71-77 |
| 16. | Greg Gilbert | 302 | 1996-2000, 2006-11 |
| 17. | *Mark Morris | 300 | 2006- |
| *active | |||
