When the Flyers drafted Samuel Morin with the 11th overall pick of the first round of the 2013 NHL Draft, they did so with the knowledge that he was an intriguing bundle of raw materials. They knew there was going to be a multi-year process involved, even after Morin turned pro, to try to develop him into the type of player they envision.

Morin put forth strong showings in each of his first two NHL training camps, and was one of the final preseason cuts in 2014. This raised many fans' hopes and expectations that he would fast-track to the NHL. However, the organization's plan for him did not change. He played two additional seasons of junior hockey and each of the last two in the American Hockey League with the Phantoms.

"Sam is coming along at a steady pace. So far, he is developing as we hoped he would. There's definitely room to keep growing as a player, but we like what he's doing. No one is more committed to improving that Sam is. Along with his size and athleticism, his character is one of his biggest strengths," Flyers assistant general manager Chris Pryor said.

This season, Morin has taken further strides toward becoming a shutdown-caliber defenseman. On a more consistent basis than even in his promising rookie year with the Phantoms, Morin has shown the elements the Flyers want to see. The 6-foot- 7, 225 pound defenseman has above-average straight ahead mobility for a man his size, a mean streak, and underrated puck-moving ability. His defensive position and footwork has also improved over the course of the last two seasons.

"In my first year [in the pros] I was still adapting so I was still doing my juniors stuff that I was running everywhere," Morin said to the Morning Call in January.

"But [positioning], it's really important because when your positioning is good you don't have to over-skate. You don't get tired. That's a huge part of the game."

"Less is more" is a mantra that Phantoms head coach Scott Gordon, assistant coach Kerry Huffman and Flyers defenseman development coach Kjell Samuelsson have often stressed to Morin. In the past, he has sometimes been overaggressive in trying to make plays and ended up on the wrong side of the puck. When Morin keeps things simple and takes advantage of his size and reach, he is highly effective. He also has the ability to get the puck quickly to the forwards.