The Chicago Blackhawks can't seem to make up their mind when it comes to Jeremy Morin.
The team traded him on Sunday evening to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a minor deal that saw the Blackhawks acquire Richard Panik. On the surface, it's not a huge move. Neither player was on an NHL roster at the time of the trade, though Panik is expected to join the Blackhawks to add some forward depth to their lineup.
What is so noteworthy about this trade is the fact that the Blackhawks made yet another trade involving Morin.
It's something that is starting to become a habit for them.
Sunday's move marks the fourth time in five years, including three times in the past 13 months, that they have made a trade involving the 24-year-old forward.
They keep trading for him. Then trading him. Then trading for him. Then trading him. It seems inevitable that he will find his way back to Chicago in the coming years, one way or another.
It all started in June, 2010, when the the Blackhawks acquired him, along with Marty Reasoner, Joey Crabb and a first-round draft pick (used to select Kevin Hayes) in the trade that sent Dustin Byfuglien to the Atlanta Thrashers. At the time, Morin was a 19-year-old prospect that seemed to have some potential. He ended up spending parts of five seasons in the Blackhawks organization bouncing back-and-forth between the AHL and NHL and putting up some huge numbers with the Rockford IceHogs.
But after a few years of that, the Blackhawks traded him to Columbus last December for Tim Erixon, where he would play 28 games over the remainder of the season, scoring two goals.
In June, the Blackhawks acquired him again as part of the seven-player blockbuster that sent Brandon Saad to the Blue Jackets.
Then on Sunday they made the fourth trade involving him when they sent him to Toronto for Panik.
On the plus side, they really seem to like him if they keep including him in these deals. At least until they trade him again.
