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Morrow ‘worried’ he’ll miss Blues opener to visa issue

Brenden Morrow

Dallas Stars left wing Brenden Morrow speaks to reporters in the locker room during NHL hockey training camp in Frisco, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

AP

Brenden Morrow is supposed to be in the St. Louis lineup on Thursday when the Blues open the season at home against Nashville.

Just one problem -- his paperwork still isn’t in order.

Morrow, a Canadian citizen, couldn’t apply for a working visa until he signed a contract with an NHL club -- which he did on Sept. 23.

The 34-year-old had applied for a green card in May through his wife (who is a U.S. citizen), but hadn’t heard back on where that process stood.

Hence, the work visa application...which has also yet to come through.

“Obviously I’m worried,” Morrow told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I’m going to be really disappointed if it doesn’t get worked out. I’ve paid this government a lot of money. You’d think they’d be able to get the paperwork done.

“I’ll be disappointed, (but) I’m still very hopeful that it’s going to get done. But I don’t know.”

Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock has Morrow penciled in for second line duty alongside Derek Roy and Chris Stewart but, should Morrow not be able to go, Vladimir Sobotka will jump up from the fourth line, and Magnus Paajarvi will draw into the lineup to replace Sobotka.