Photo Credit: Jamey Baskow
This is not the news anyone wanted to hear, but Chuck Fletcher provided an update on Samuel Morin:
“He won’t be able to return to play. Too many knee injuries. Unfortunately, too much damage to the knee.”
Fletcher did say the hope is to move him within the organization somehow, but he has to give Sam some time on this. This is just a darn shame, especially after he told me at training camp in 2019-20, “I just have to remain healthy, and work my butt off for a spot. This might be my last shot.” Unfortunately, that isn’t the case, as the number 11th pick in the 2013 draft has to medically retire.
His season came to a halt on October 3, 2018 as a member of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, as he tore his ACL in his right knee. A prized 6’7,” first-round selection was down for the count. Somehow he returned in February, and managed to play in five games with the Flyers in 2018-19. Unfortunately, he managed to tear it again in November of 2019, as he hit a player in the corner while playing for the Phantoms.
The 2013 first round selection in Morin found himself in a log jam at defense last season (Finally healthy), but he managed to play in 20 games for the orange and black in 2020-21. Morin was originally used as a forward, until he played defense again for the Phantoms under the direction of former Head Coach Scott Gordon.
Unfortunately, Morin missed the entire season, as he needed to have a small surgery to clear out some particles in his knee. This is an unfortunate situation, and very fluid. Let’s hope he becomes a scout, or gets involved in player development somehow in the future. What a shame for a class act, and bubbly person.
Class act, fought thru adversity. Hold your head high Sam, you will find that there are more important things in life than hockey.