The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Shane Frederick

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January 15, 2007

Out of Backes’ shadow: Morin developing into special player in his own right

By Shane Frederick

The highlight clip is making the rounds on YouTube, and you don’t just have to be a Minnesota State men’s hockey fan or a St. Louis Blues fan to log on and appreciate it.

It’s a highlight of a pretty play by former Mavericks star David Backes: a backwards, no-look, between-the-legs, cross-crease pass to longtime National Hockey League veteran Keith Tkachuk for a goal.

It’s the kind of play that should make Mankato hockey fans remember just how special a player Backes was in his three seasons at MSU and, perhaps, make them ponder just how different this year’s team would be had he stayed for his senior year.

But Backes left for the NHL, and he’s in The Show now. He’s played in 12 games for the Blues since his call-up, scoring one goal and getting two assists, including that ready-for-prime-time pass to Tkachuk, who now has 900 points in his career.

With the Mavericks, Backes made his teammates better, so much so that other players’ success was attributed to Backes’ great play.

When he turned pro, many, including myself, wondered just how much his departure would affect Travis Morin, Backes’ trusty center for two seasons.

Backes had 13 goals and 29 assists last season and was named second-team All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association and second-team All-American. Morin had 20 goals and 22 assists, tying Backes for the team scoring title, and got jack squat.

When the college season began, Morin downplayed any disrespect he might have been feeling or any chip that might have been sitting there on his shoulder.

“It was going to be pressure either way,” Morin said. “It’s my senior year. The last three years I improved every year in points. Even with (Backes), it was going to be hard. But that doesn’t mean it still can’t happen.”

Well, it has happened.

Two-thirds of the way through the season, Morin leads the WCHA in overall scoring with 30 points and is tied atop the race for the conference scoring title (league games only) with 20.

He logs a ton of ice time, playing power play and killing penalties. He’s fired 104 shots on goal, 44 more than his next teammate on the list.

Morin had two assists in the third period of the Mavericks’ come-from-behind win over St. Cloud State Friday and then capped the comeback with a wicked, game-winning wrist shot that had nowhere to go but a tiny opening above the goaltender’s left shoulder.

That should be Morin’s YouTube moment.

“I didn’t think it was going in,” sophomore forward Mick Berge said. “Nobody else could put that in besides T-Mo.”

Said Mavericks coach Troy Jutting: “Great shot by a great player. And I’m biased, but I think (Morin’s) a big-time player in college hockey right now.”

Now that Morin is out of Backes’ shadow, there are a lot more people figuring that out, too.



Shane Frederick is a Free Press staff writer. Call him at 344-6373 or e-mail sfrederick@mankatofreepress.com.

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Shane Frederick