Scott Morrow is getting another opportunity to prove himself with the New York Rangers after the team placed Adam Fox back on long-term injured reserve.
In December ,during Fox’s 14-game absence, Morrow was thrust into the lineup and played in 12 games for the Blueshirts.
Throughout that stretch, Morrow’s game was inconsistent, showcasing his impressive skating while also being prone to committing costly turnovers and making critical mistakes, a sign of difficulty in adjusting to the NHL’s pace of play.
The 23-year-old was also presented with an opportunity to quarterback the first power-play unit before ultimately being replaced by Vladislav Gavrikov.
Upon being sent back down to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, Morrow reflected on what went wrong during that 12-game stretch and how he can better position himself to carve out a permanent role with the Rangers.
The conclusion that Morrow came up with to why he was sent down was his lack of offensive production.
Coming out of his time playing at UMass Amherst, Morrow was highly touted as being a defenseman with strong offensive instincts and intangibles. Morrow believes he didn’t make enough of an impact offensively, which ultimately impacted his standing with the Rangers.
“When Foxy came back, I got sent back down, on my own, the thing I came to was I got to produce more,” Morrow emphasized. “If you’re the same as everybody else defensively, but you’re not adding a ton of offense, it’s easier to make the case to send me down, whereas if I had 7,8,9 points in that stint, it makes it a lot harder for them to get rid of me.
“I’m just going to try and keep the same defensive game and try not to add a ton of risk offensively, but I definitely need to push myself to get more involved in the offense because that’s something I’ve done at every other level. If I can do that more here then it’ll help the team, and also help me stick around.”
With a clear head and fresh perspective, Morrow finds himself back with the Rangers after Fox suffered a lower-body injury that will keep him sidelined for at least 10 games.
The Connecticut native hopes to make an impact, as his sights are set on earning a permanent NHL role.
“Just another opportunity for me to prove what I can bring to the team and try to make myself a part of the short and long-term future in the organization’s eyes,” Morrow said on what this opportunity back in the NHL means. “Just anytime I get in the lineup, I want to show my 200-foot game, keep improving. I have a lot of things I can get better at, so just keep my head down and stick to the process and take it game-by-game.”
It’s been a hectic time for Morrow since July, between being traded from the Carolina Hurricanes to the Rangers, on top of being sent up and down from the AHL to the NHL multiple times.
This experience has taught Morrow to live in the moment and focus on the task at hand.
“You learn that you have to stick with the grind. You can’t predict things like going up, going down, getting traded, but you just have to stick with it no matter where you are,” Morrow said.
“Every time you go back down, you’re disappointed, but even when I’m there (Hartford), I try to have a positive attitude, bring enthusiasm, passion for the game, try and get better, get something out of every day. I believe if you do that long enough, things will work out. I’m just trying to work my butt off, try and improve at something every day, and keep a positive attitude.”
