Players to Watch in 2015-16: Travis Morin
Aug 7, 2015
There is not much more you can say about the impact Travis Morin has had on the Texas Stars franchise.
He’s been a league MVP and a Calder Cup Playoff MVP. He’s won a league scoring title and been voted to two AHL All-Star Classics. He’s led the Texas Stars in overall scoring each of the past two seasons, and is the most decorated player in team history leading almost every major category in career stats.
“He’s been one of the best, if not the best, players in the AHL the past three years,” said Texas Stars General Manager Scott White back in January after Morin signed a two-year contract extension with the Dallas Stars organization.
“I just thought it was best to stay around here,” added Morin.
A ninth-round pick of the NHL’s Washington Capitals in 2004, Morin eventually found his way to Cedar Park and suited up for the Texas Stars’ inaugural season in 2009. Ever since then, he’s skated in every season of the team’s existence which makes him the last original Texas Star on the roster.
The numbers speak for themselves. Morin is the franchise leader in career games (408), goals (121), assists (237), points (358), power play goals (36), power play assists (107), and a handful of other categories. After winning the Les Cunningham Award two years ago as the AHL’s Most Valuable Player, the veteran forward continued his offensive pace last season averaging a point-per-game and finishing in the Top-10 in the league with 63 points.
“We kind of got off to a slow start,” added Morin at the end of the season. “We really turned things on after the halfway point there and had an amazing second half of the regular season to get ourselves into the playoffs.”
He still has work to do to chase down former Texas Star Colton Sceviour for the most career shorthanded and game-winning goals in franchise history. Morin’s seven shorthanded goals are still three shy of setting the mark, and he is 10 game-winners away from passing Sceviour’s 23.
The Brooklyn Park, Minn. native returns for his seventh season in Cedar Park as the key veteran leader of the team, and will be counted on again to lead the offensive charge. His 13 games of NHL experience combined with his impact at the AHL level make him the perfect example that the young crop of players advancing in the Dallas Stars’ system can look towards. Morin has been a model of consistency throughout his Texas Stars career, which is an important factor for any young player looking to make the jump to the NHL. Jason Dickinson, Devin Shore, Esa Lindell… Regardless of what position they play, Morin’s performance on and off the ice is the example of stability that can have a positive effect on the development of each of those players.
Amidst all the accolades, awards and numbers throughout his career, Travis Morin is also just 42 points shy of 400 in his Texas Stars career. Just one of many reasons he will be a player to watch for the Texas Stars