The Statistical Case for Jeremy Morin

Oct 9, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Chicago Blackhawks left wing Jeremy Morin (11) watches from the bench during the game against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center. The Blackhawks defeat the Stars 3-2 in the overtime shootout. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

What does Jeremy Morin have to do? I mean, seriously.

Morin, who was brought to the Chicago Blackhawks via the Dustin Byfuglein trade with the, then, Atlanta Thrashers, in 2010. Since then, Morin has mostly played in the AHL, for the Rockford Ice Hogs with mini-stints, in the NHL, with the Hawks. Morin, who wasn’t NHL ready when he first came to the Hawks organization, 4 years ago, but he has progressed into what should be an every night NHL player.

Here’s a look at Morin’s progression, at Rockford.

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As you can see, Morin progressively improved every season, as he became a more consistent offensive producer. With Morin, though, it isn’t just about the counting stats. Morin also adds a chippy, physical wrinkle to his solid offensive game. He is a very solid all-around player.

For whatever reason, Coach Q does not totally trust Morin, out on the ice. He prefers a player like Dan Carcillo, a physical player, who fights, adds very little offense, and take untimely penalties. Nothing against Carcillo, but there is little logic in him being on the ice instead of Morin. Had Carcillo not gotten injured, he would likely be holding Morin’s spot on the Hawks’ roster. Since he is injured, it is an opportunity for Morin to showcase his skills, and he has. It would be outrageous if Carcillo retakes Morin’s roster spot, when he’s healthy again. Morin has only solidified his place on the Hawks, and he has done nothing to jeopardize that.

Last season, in his limited NHL service time, Morin put up 11 points in 24 games and had a Corsi For Percentage around 60%, which says that when he was on the ice, he was driving puck-possession, for the Hawks, something Carcillo does not typically do. This season, Morin has yet to record a point, in 10 games played. While that isn’t ideal, the Hawks have not been scoring many goals as a team. However, Morin boasts a 64.3% Corsi For Percentage, which is 5th best on the team. Morin also has less beneficial zone-starts than the 4 players in front of him, which should make his contributions to the possession game on par, if not better than the rest of his teammates. So far, this season, Morin has only had one game where his Corsi For Percentage has been below 50%.