Morin traded to Columbus

photo from zimbio.com

Earlier today, Jeremy Morin was traded to Columbus in return for defenceman Tim Erixon.

Jeremy Morin had no points in fifteen games with the Blackhawks this season. Erixon has six points in nineteen with Columbus. He will report directly to Chicago

Chicago's third defensive pairing has been shuffled around half a dozen times since the injury to Trevor van Riemsdyk. It seems like Quenneville can't decide on which pairing works best, calling up a couple of Rockford players to fill in before settling on Klas Dahlbeck and Michal Rozsival for the last few games. With Erixon reporting directly to the Blackhawks, it's likely that that will change, with Dahlbeck or David Rundblad being sent to Rockford, and Erixon slotting in as the sixth or seventh defenceman.

As for Morin, this is a good trade for him. He was never going to get the playing time he needed to fully develop into a good player in Chicago; they're too deep at the wing, and he's just not a fourth line player. He's a scorer, not a checker or a possession guy, and short of another huge injury to one of the top six wingers, he was never going to get that opportunity with the Blackhawks. He's going to go on and be a ten to fifteen goal scorer for another team, like Brandon Pirri, or Jimmy Hayes, or potentially Kevin Hayes. The Blackhawks organisation is deep, and this is just another case of that being a problem for developing their young players, but I think Morin could easily have a hugely successful season with the Blue Jackets. He probably deserves it, after five seasons of bouncing up and down from Rockford to Chicago.

Morin: Play Him or Trade Him

photo from bleacherreport.com

Earlier today, Jeremy Morin was sent to Rockford for a conditioning assignment. It's a two week reassignment, maximum, and is a way of getting Morin some playing time without having to put him through waivers.

Morin has reportedly told the Blackhawks that if they aren't going to play him, he wants to be traded. It's the same story as Brandon Pirri last season, or Kevin Hayes during the offseason. The Blackhawks roster is just so deep, that they really only have room for one or two additions each season. This season, it looks like Daniel Carcillo is getting a second chance with the organisation he won a Stanley Cup with.

That has to sting if you're Jeremy Morin, who's played parts of the last five seasons with the Blackhawks, and whose play late last season, after injuries to Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, was good enough for a two year contract extension during the offseason. He's done everything he can this season to earn his spot on the roster, especially after an injury to Carcillo left a gap in the fourth line for Morin to slot into. However, he's been held pointless so far this season, despite playing fifteen of the twenty seven games, and Quenneville seems to be reluctant to play him in place of Carcillo, who has five points in seventeen games.

Earlier on twitter, Chris Kuc reported that five or six teams have been in contact with the Blackhawks, asking about a possible trade, which sounds like sneaking Morin through waivers just isn't going to work.

I like Morin. I like him on the roster, and I especially like him on a line with Marcus Kruger and Ben Smith. But if the Blackhawks won't play him, then he deserves to play for someone who will. Pirri has played twelve games so far in Florida, and has four points, and Hayes is having a great rookie season in New York (ten points in twenty three games with the Rangers). Morin would be a great pick up for a team struggling with their depth on the wing. There are no shortage of teams out there who are interested in that.

Other news

• Patrick Sharp returns to the lineup tonight, after missing twelve straight games with a lower body injury. 
• Corey Crawford will miss his third straight game with a lower body injury. Scott Darling will make his second consecutive start after allowing only one goal against Nashville on Saturday.

Gibson, Ducks Shut Out Blackhawks at Home

photo from suntimes.com

After a strong game against the Senators on Sunday, the Blackhawks seem right back where they started, their inability to score goals leading to a 1-0 shutout for Anaheim.

Carcillo Out For Four Weeks After Collision With Oshie

photo from nhl.com

Last night, Daniel Carcillo took a hip check to the knee, and left the game. Joel Quennville has just announced he'll be out for four weeks. They have yet to call anyone up from Rockford, Chicago's AHL affliate.