Jeremy Morin is keeping his head down and going to work. Until something changes, it’s all he can do.
“I just come to the rink every day and try to get back in the lineup,” he said on Monday.
Two sources told the Sun-Times over the weekend that Morin has informed the Blackhawks that if there’s no spot for him in the lineup, then he’d like to be traded. Morin has been a healthy scratch for eight straight games, and barring anything unforeseen, will be out again Tuesday in New Jersey.
When asked directly Monday if he’d like to be traded, Morin said: “I’m not really thinking about that at all. I’m trying to work on my game and trying to get back in the lineup here and just improve every day.”
Morin said “it makes sense” that he’s been a consistent scratch given the fact that the Hawks have won six straight and nine of 10. But his frustration is evident, all the same. Joel Quenneville said he understood, and reiterated his frequent point that “things change quickly.”
“You’re trying to get established, you’re trying to get your foot in the door, you’re trying to get that spot, you’re trying to keep it,” Quenneville said. “It’s a competitive business. … Some guys obviously aren’t always going to get that spot. He’s looking to nail that. I understand where he’s at.”
NOTE: Scott Darling will make his second straight start Tuesday against the Devils. Quenneville wouldn’t say if Darling was making a run at Antti Raanta’s backup job while Corey Crawford (lower body) is hurt.
“There are a lot of guys pushing for jobs,” he said. “That’s why you want to keep yourself in that position of being ready.”
Email: mlazerus@suntimes.com
Twitter: @marklazerus
