Joe Morrow, Penguins' 1st-round draft pick in 2011, signs in Poland

Defenseman Joe Morrow, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ first-round draft pick (No. 23 overall) in 2011, has signed a one-year contract with Unia Oswiecim of the Polska Hokej Liga (PHL) in Poland.

That team announced the transaction with a press release on Friday.

Morrow, 32, spent the past two seasons in the United Kingdom playing for the Manchester Storm of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EHIL). During the 2024-25 campaign, the left-handed Morrow appeared in 52 games and scored 34 points (nine goals, 25 assists).

While drafted by the Penguins, Morrow never played for the organization at the NHL level but has suited up for the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets. His most recent NHL games came in 2018-19.

Since then, Morrow has played in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), Finland’s Liiga, Switzerland’s National League as well as the EIHL.

In March of 2013, the Penguins traded Morrow and a fifth-round pick in the 2013 NHL Draft to the Dallas Stars in exchange for veteran forward Brenden Morrow — no relation — and a third-round pick (No. 77 overall) in that same draft, which was used to select future All-Star forward Jake Guentzel.