Arizona isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think of hockey. With triple-digit heat scorching the desert each summer sometimes pushing 120 degrees Fahrenheit — it’s easy to understand why. But that hasn’t stopped the game from carving out a place in the Valley.
Several high-profile NHL players have made it from the Arizona heat: Auston Matthews, Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, Tage Thompson, and recent Arizona State University (ASU) transfer Logan Morrell.
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“Honestly, I think a lot of people sleep on Arizona hockey,” Morrell said in a conversation with The Hockey Writers. “It’s been growing, and it’s been getting really good. There’s been a lot of players who have graduated and moved on to the NHL or just the high level of pro.”
His path, like many before him, is a testament to how far Arizona hockey has come, and how much further it can go, especially for Morrell at ASU.
Morrell’s Transfer Brings Arizona Hockey Ties Full Circle
The Mesa, Arizona product officially transferred to Arizona State on April 1 alongside a handful of others, but he’s the only one with deep ties to the Valley.
The 21-year-old grew up playing with the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes where the program saw rigorous levels travel due to the lack of teams in Arizona.
“It definitely made it harder growing up,” Morrell said. “We had to travel a lot and was missing a lot of days of school and stuff like that. It definitely was challenging, but it’s still really good hockey.”
On the surface, the transfer makes sense, especially given his proximity to home, but Morrell bleeds Maroon & Gold; he was practically born into it.
“My parents were ASU graduates, so it made it pretty easy for me as soon as I got the opportunity. It was one of the biggest reasons, and being able to play in front of family.”
With the 2025-26 season still a bit away, Morrell will join David Hymovitch as the only two Arizona-born players on the Sun Devils’ roster, barring any transfers before the season begins.
Growth at Michigan Tech Set the Foundation for Morrell
After playing youth hockey in Arizona, Morrell had a decision to make, and he ultimately committed to playing with the Michigan Tech Huskies in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA.)
“I thought I had a really good year last year, and I’m super grateful Michigan Tech gave me an opportunity, but I thought it was best for me to take my game somewhere else, develop more in a really good program like ASU,” Morrell said. “I’m super excited for next year. I want to help ASU and do whatever I can.”
Last season, he notched 11 goals and 21 points and was also named to the CCHA All-Rookie Team. Morrell also ranked second in the CCHA in faceoff percentage (.591) during the regular season. Morrell would’ve placed first in faceoff percentage had he been with ASU last season, an area the Sun Devils look to improve after ongoing issues last season.
At 6-foot-3, Morrell brings the size to be a bruiser along the boards and the skill to create danger through the middle of the ice, something every team in the NCAA desperately searches for in the portal.
“(I’m) Definitely a power forward that is really good on both sides of the puck,” Morrell said. “I take a lot of pride in my faceoffs, I can score, I can hit, I feel like I can contribute a lot physically as more of a power forward.”
With a year of college hockey under his belt, Morrell arrives in Tempe ready to make an impact.
Eyes on the Prize, Morrell is All In on the Sun Devils’ Championship Culture
Last season, many thought it would be a ‘down’ year for the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. In the end, the Western Michigan Broncos held the trophy high and hold the bragging rights until next season.
As for ASU, they were slated to finish in eighth place by media and experts and ended up finishing in second. It’s a movement that Morrell is excited to join alongside head coach Greg Powers.
“That’s part of a culture I wanna be a part of,” Morrell said. “I wanna win, I wanna be a winner, so as soon as he (head coach Greg Powers) started talking about that, it kind of felt like our views aligned a lot, and he’s a great coach, and I’m happy to play for him.”
The Sun Devils bring a resume that’s hard to match: Elite weather during hockey season, the energy of one of the nation’s largest public universities, and yes, a hockey program that’s steadily climbed into national relevance. It’s a rare combination, maybe even one-of-one.
“With where the program’s been in the last few years to now, getting ranked eighth in the preseason poll to finishing second, and they’re only getting better and better,” Morrell said.
ASU lost in the NCHC semifinals to the Denver Pioneers, who they had already played four times in the regular season (going 3-1-0), but have the momentum of a sleeping giant behind them.
Morrell Positions Himself for Big Year With Sun Devils
Morrell has played with three different teams during the past two years: Michigan Tech, the Coquitlam Express and Langley Rivermen of the British Columbia Hockey League, and now ASU. While his journey wasn’t perfect, he landed where it started, in Arizona.
