With four forwards on the shelf and a defenceman also in recovery, the Kootenay Ice announced the call up of forward Reed Morison (1998) ahead of a four-game road trip, which begins Tuesday in Medicine Hat.
Morison, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound native of Calgary, was acquired by the Ice Nov. 29 in a deal that saw Austin Gray also come to Cranbrook from the Portland Winterhawks in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft.
Morison has spent the 2015-16 campaign with the Calgary Canucks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, registering seven goals and 19 points in 37 games.
The Ice (10-46-6-0) open a four-game eastern road trip Tuesday night (7 p.m.) when they visit the Medicine Hat Tigers (24-34-3-2).
Morison is expected to get into the lineup with River Beattie (illness, day to day), Austin Gray (illness, day to day), Roman Dymacek (lower body, week to week) and Dylan Stewart (concussion, week to week) all unavailable as of Monday.
Additionally, Jaedon Descheneau remains on the injured list after season-ending shoulder surgery, while defenceman Troy Murray is expected to miss one week after a scary incident saw him cut in the neck by the skate blade of forward Alex Schoenborn in Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Portland Winterhawks.
Following Tuesday's tilt in Medicine Hat, the Ice carry on east to visit the Regina Pats (30-26-3-4) Wednesday night at 6 p.m. (Mountain).