The Philadelphia Flyers have decided that it’s not quite time for Samuel Morin in the NHL. The team loaned the young defenseman to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms today in a move that will allow him to get back into game action. In the first four games of the Flyers’ season, Morin has been a healthy scratch.
Morin made his NHL debut last season, playing in just a single game in March. He showed then what Flyers’ fans had hoped to see, and flashed that same impressive potential in the preseason again this year. The 6’6″ defender has immense upside, able to shut down attackers and provide capable outlet passes. Still, he’ll have to put his head down and keep working in the AHL until his chance comes.
The Flyers are already icing three young defensemen, as Ivan Provorov (20), Travis Sanheim (21) and Robert Hagg (22) all suited up in their most recent game. While Brandon Manning will likely work his way back in at some point, the team clearly didn’t want to add another rookie to the mix. Morin, apparently the odd man out, could be the first call-up should the Flyers face an injury at some point.
With the move, the team is down to 22 players on the roster meaning they could make a corresponding move before Saturday night’s matchup with the Washington Capitals. It even technically could be Morin, as the Phantoms play once before the weekend (Friday versus Wilkes-Barre/Scranton). Perhaps they just wanted to get him into a game and keep his legs fresh.