Skip to content
Flyers
Link copied to clipboard

Flyers prospect Morin follows Pronger's lead

Someday, Flyers prospect Sam Morin hopes to remind folks of his idol, Chris Pronger. That's why Morin seeks advice from the former standout defenseman whenever he gets the chance.

Flyers defenseman Sam Morin. (Yong Kim/Staff Photographer)
Flyers defenseman Sam Morin. (Yong Kim/Staff Photographer)Read more

Someday, Flyers prospect Sam Morin hopes to remind folks of his idol, Chris Pronger. That's why Morin seeks advice from the former standout defenseman whenever he gets the chance.

After Saturday's opening day of rookie camp in Voorhees, Morin recalled a conversation he had with the once-menacing Pronger, who had a simple message: Play mean, but play smart.

"I got into an incident this past year with my stick, and he just told me not to do it again," said Morin, a 6-foot-6, 224-pound defenseman who has gained 13 pounds in the last year. He added: "I'm an intense guy, an emotional guy. I want to win. He told me to stay the way I am, that my mind-set is good."

Pronger, who technically is on the Flyers' roster but won't play again because of post-concussion syndrome, wants Morin to play with controlled aggression.

"We spoke about intensity and harnessing that intensity and passion and anger into a positive - and using it to be unpredictable on the ice and keep opponents off-kilter," Pronger said.

Morin, 19, probably will head back to his junior team after the rookie and veteran camps, but he says his goal is to play for the Flyers this year.

"Every time I come in here, I want to make a good impression," he said. "Like every player, I'm trying to make the team. I feel good on the ice. I think I played good last year in the exhibition games. I think I've improved since last year."

Morin said that he feels much stronger and quicker, and that opposing players "don't scare me. They know it's going to be hard in my corner."

It's difficult to watch Morin and the three other highly touted defensive prospects in camp - Shayne Gostisbehere, Robert Hagg, and Travis Sanheim - and not envision them being the Core Four of the Flyers' blue line in the not-too-distant future.

Gostisbehere starred in the Frozen Four, leading Union to the NCAA national title, and he was a staggering plus-7 in the championship game at the Wells Fargo Center.

Because of Gostisbehere's strong postseason, Flyers coach Craig Berube said, fans and the media are "definitely looking at it like, 'This guy's going to be a great player.' But on the other side of it, he's got a lot of work to do. Just like everybody else, you're coming out of college, OK? But this is the NHL. It's a big difference. It's a big step. I'm not sitting here telling you guys he's going to make the team or he's not going to make the team. It's up in the air. But it's a big, big jump."

Gostisbehere, in all likelihood, will start the season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

"He's done the right steps. . . . He's worked out hard during the summer, he's put weight on, he's stronger," Berube said. "We all know he can skate and handle the puck, but when you're in the NHL, the window is tight. There's not much room out there and things have to happen quick and it's physical. It's a harder position to play."

@BroadStBull