[Canada 02]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Wonder if Morin is more committed this year when he gets to camp. Didn't get a look in any exhibition games last year when he came in out of shape and by some reports fell out of favor with management.

https://calgaryherald.com/sports/hoc...-etienne-morin

“He has taken it up to a different level,” praised Ray Edwards, the Flames’ director of player development.

While you never would have eye-balled Morin and accused him of being out of shape, his testing scores heading into last season didn’t show the sort of progress that was expected. If the NHL is your aim, you can’t plateau before you turn pro.

When this young defenceman was reassigned in September to Moncton, left to explain to family and friends why he wasn’t tapped for a single exhibition audition, the Flames and Wildcats connected to come up with an ambitious workout plan.

About a month into the season, they cranked it up a little further, a nod to the commitment he was showing.

As Edwards told Postmedia while Morin was helping the Wildcats to a league championship and a trip to the Memorial Cup: “What Etienne did is he dug in and he did the work, and his game is reaping the benefits.”