By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
As a whole, the four-game road trip to open the season for the Flyers was a modestly successful one, with two wins and strong performances in all four games.
The Flyers carried three rookie defensemen on the roster for the trip, but there was a common thread to all four games. Sam Morin watched them from the press box.
The 2013 first-round pick was sent back to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday, but isn't letting the demotion hurt his confidence.
"I'm sure I can play in this league," Morin said on Tuesday. "If I go back to the AHL, I'm going to just work my ass off like I do all the time. I just want to play in the NHL, honestly."
It's hardly Morin's fault that he's not sticking in the NHL, at least for now. The defenseman had a goal and an assist in five preseason games, but showed steady defensive play throughout. With plenty of competition — Robert Hagg and Travis Sanheim were also competing for spots — as well as two other young guns occupying the blue line in Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov, the Flyers simply didn't have room for Morin.
Not yet at least.
The thing about Morin going to the Phantoms is that his time will come. And soon. He's an NHL quality player. Simply put, when there's no room for regular play as a young, budding defenseman, you want to give that player as much ice time as possible. Sending Morin to the AHL allows that.
The first four games of the NHL season have still be a learning experience for Morin. He got to experience life on the road as an NHL player, and in watching the first four games with a bird's eye view, noted not only watching his teammates from a different perspective, but the opposition's defensemen like San Jose's Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
"I just want to play hockey. It’s my passion," Morin said. "I try to stay positive and learn from those guys out there. The guys have been great with me. I try to learn from those guys and see what they are doing on the ice, so I try to get the most out of that experience."
Being a healthy scratch was a new experience for Morin, and the 22-year-old noted that it was hard for him going through that. That said, Morin heads to the Phantoms knowing he can't control the roster situation, but can control his own performance. He certainly impressed in the preseason, even if there wasn't a spot for him. He'll look to do the same back in the AHL.
"As a player, you always want to be out there. It’s nothing that’s not normal," Morin said. "If I would be happy with the situation right now, I think it would be not normal.
"I just need to keep working hard and see what’s going to happen. There’s not much I can do now, honestly. It’s out of my control."
