The story of Brenden Morrow, the captain of the Dallas Stars, is an interesting one. He has been part of the Stars organization since his 1997 drafting by Dallas and has been on their roster since 1999-2000. Last season, though, he struggled with neck and shoulder injuries that held him to 57 games (11 goals, 15 assists), and though Stars general manager Joe Nieuwendyk said he intends to keep Morrow in Texas, that too could change.
While fellow veteran goal-scorer Shane Doan, of the Phoenix Coyotes, is still on the market, that could change depending on a potential resolution of the team’s ownership situation. If Doan finds the new ownership scheme suitable, he will most likely get off the trade market and stay with the sole NHL team he’s ever known–which is much like Morrow’s backstory.
In that case, if Doan’s off the market, Morrow could become an attractive alternative. He has just one year left on his $4.1 million contract and, as someone who’s been in the league for more than a decade, his leadership skills could be especially intriguing to teams loaded with young talent and a hunger for a Stanley Cup championship.
He does, however, have a no-trade clause on his contract. As we have seen before, though, especially in the case of Rick Nash, those can be waived. Nieuwendyk might find himself willing to at least listen to offers.
Don’t expect to see Morrow traded tomorrow–pardon the slight pun–however. Unless someone comes forward with an offer Nieuwendyk simply cannot resist, Morrow will still be with the Stars when the season starts. But then things could change quickly for the Stars, a team that has often missed the playoffs by just a hair. If Morrow is clutch and a big part of a Stars push to the playoffs, he’s staying in Texas. But if the Stars are struggling by the trade deadline, and Morrow is not producing well, he could find himself possibly helping lead a team in a different market.
