By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor
It is draft night for the Flyers, but they have also reportedly chosen to lock up a previous first-round pick.
Defenseman Sam Morin will miss a majority of the 2018-19 season after suffering an ACL injury in the offseason. That said, it doesn't seem like the Flyers are letting the injury derail plans for the big defenseman.
According to a report by Marc Antoine Godin of The Athletic Montreal, the Flyers will sign Morin to a new three-year deal.
Morin was the Flyers first-round pick in 2013, but has played in just three NHL games. He has not recorded a point.
Morin is known for his size — all 6'7" of him — and his physicality, able to rough up opponents with crushing checks and his fists. Morin has grown substantially over the years as a player and was certainly going to be in play for a roster spot at training camp before his playoff injury with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Morin missed most of the 2017-18 season due to injury as well, playing in 15 games with one goal and six assists. In the 2016-17 season with the Phantoms, Morin played in 74 games with three goals and 13 assists.
Terms of the potential deal have not yet been reported or disclosed, but it's hard to see the Flyers having to hand over a large contract to Morin with just three NHL games under his belt. The object of a new deal is that Morin has shown the potential to be an effective player at the NHL level and just has not been able to get the opportunity due to injury.
The deal is a nod that the Flyers are not yet giving up on the prospect and hopeful he will make a full recovery and be able to play a role with the Flyers somewhere down the road.