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.