Following up on a rumor that TSN’s Bob McKenzie broke from the NHL All-Star Game, Mac Engel of the Forth Worth Star-Telegram is asking the question: Could Brenden Morrow’s time with the Dallas Stars be over?
Morrow, 33, has served as Dallas’ captain since 2006-07 and is arguably the face of the franchise. But Engel notes that -- with the Stars in ninth place and just 10 games left before the trade deadline -- GM Joe Nieuwendyk doesn’t have much time left to figure out if he’ll be a buyer or a seller.
More, from the Star-Telegram:
With a new owner who has no real relationships yet with this team, you would have to think everybody is available. Owner Tom Gaglardi sounds like a man who is committed to a long-term look for this franchise, and is not going to make a trade just for the sake of doing it.
If the Stars and GM Joe Nieuwendyk elect to tank it and move their veterans to a contender, they have a number of solid players who should net some prospects. There is no greater asset than Morrow.
Given that Dallas’ (apparent) future lies with the 26-and-under core of Jamie Benn, Loui Eriksson, Alex Goligoski and prospects Scott Glennie and Jack Campbell, Morrow could be flipped for young talent and/or draft picks. Remember, Dallas didn’t have first-round picks in 2007 or 2008.
Trading Morrow would also complete the overhaul. What overhaul, you ask? Well...the one that’s been happening steadily and slowly over the last four seasons. Morrow is the only holdover left from the 1999-2000 Stars team that lost in the Stanley Cup finals; several other keystones of the Dallas organization -- Mike Modano, Marty Turco, Jere Lehtinen, Sergei Zubov -- have all been jettisoned in recent years.
Also, do consider that the trade market’s dwindling and if Carolina does re-sign Tuomo Ruutu, there’ll be a genuine lack of impact players available. Morrow’s value could be sky-high come Feb. 27.