Dallas Stars Daily Links: Why The Dallas Stars Miss A Healthy Brenden Morrow

by Erin Bolen on Feb 14, 2012 6:00 AM CST in Dallas Stars Daily Links

It feels like I've been writing about Brenden Morrow a lot in this spot, especially relative to his production this season, but I finally figured out why Monday afternoon.

Daryl Reaugh pondered the effect the Dallas Stars captain's absence has had on the lineup this season, and he hit on something I hadn't been able to put into words yet.

A healthy Morrow is exactly what the Stars need on their top lines right now. If you were going to make up a prototypical guy to trade for, assuming of course, you had the assets you felt comfortable giving up for him, his combination of physical play, goal scoring and intimidation would be absolutely ideal.

The problem is, of course, he's not healthy, and he hasn't been for a while now. And that, whether you consider it an inevitable breakdown of a player of his style or just a bad injury that has lingered for far too long, is inescapable.

This season he's been a hollow shell of his former self, a facsimile. No longer able to be the alpha male in every corner and win every net front battle, he has appeared frustrated - which has led to penalties. And it has bothered him. He has felt like a bad teammate and leader when we all know he is the exact opposite. He used to be a pain to play against, now he's just in pain - constantly.

The Stars have missed his leadership. Not dressing room speeches or social co-ordinating but rather his style, drive, and passion. When healthy, Brenden invigorates the lineup, he changes momentum, he competes. He helps you win.

The scary part is given what we know about his injury, I'm suspicious it can't be fixed without something major like surgery with a prolonged recovery time. So no matter how much the team needs him and no matter how much he wants to be the guy he was in 2008, it's probably not going to happen for a while.

After the jump, more on tonight's game against the Detroit Red Wings, is Rick Nash on the trading block and the bobblehead you will never be able to get out of your mind.

Dallas_stars_news_and_notes_medium_medium_medium

The Red Wings have been really, really good at home lately, and we'll get to exactly how good later. But the Stars also desperately need to get on a roll. [ESPN Dallas]
In this paywalled advance, Mike Heika takes a look at why the Detroit Red Wings are such a success story over the past 20 years and what teams like the Stars can take from them. After all, it's nearly unheard of to be consistently this good in a 30-team era, though the number of Cups the Wings have won are far outmatched by the true dynasties. [DallasNews.com]
It was a fairly lightly attended optional practice before travel on Monday, so there's not a whole lot of new Stars information out there. The Stars, however, are there to fill your hockey information needs with a decent little feature about how Adam Burish is adding face offs to his arsenal of talents. [DallasStars.com]
Open up your rumor mills and checkbooks, Rick Nash of the Columbus Blue Jackets might be on the market this trade deadline. [Puck Daddy]
The Chicago Blackhawks are doing their best 2010-11 Stars impression by trying to go from comfortably in the playoff race at the All-Star break to completely out of it. But even though they've lost eight in a row, general manager Stan Bowman says coach Joel Quenneville's job is safe. [CSNChicago]
The Wheel O' Justice has spun again, landing on two games for Zac Rinaldo of the Philadelphia Flyers after his charge against Jonathan Ericsson. [NHL.com]
I'm not sure if I buy this idea that hockey is violent because it took on its modern form during an era where people were living fairly violent lives, because baseball, basketball and football all came into their modern forms in a fairly similar era. But this is still a really neat story about what one amateur team had to go through just to get back home. [Backhand Shelf]
Meet the enemy, part the first: Yeah, about that Red Wings consecutive home games winning streak. It's really really good. Record-setting type of good. [Detroit Free Press]
Meet the enemy, part the second: The Red Wings most recent win over the Philadelphia Flyers wasn't the most impressive of their streak, but as we've found out, style points really don't matter at this point of the year. Read a pretty solid breakdown of that game from our friends at Winging it in Motown. [Winging it in Motown]
Around the Pacific Division, the games: Even when they don't win, the Phoenix Coyotes keep finding ways to pick up points. Keith Yandle scored with about two minutes left in regulation as the Yotes fell 2-1 in the shootout to the Vancouver Canucks. The San Jose Sharks employed that dastardly "shooting from center ice" technique to score on the Washington Capitals in a 5-3 win. [TSN/San Jose Mercury News]
Around the Pacific Division, the roster moves: Even further back in the playoff hunt than the Stars are the Anaheim Ducks, who rearranged some deck chairs on Monday by trading Maxime Macenauer to the Winnipeg Jets for Riley Hozapfel (Gesundheit) and calling up Nate Guenin. [SB Nation]
I will warn you, once you see the Alice Cooper bobblehead to be given away by the Coyotes, it can't be unseen. [Puck Daddy]
Like I said, the optional practice means there wasn't a whole lot available from Monday. But coach Glen Gulutzan did speak to the media about the game tonight and the sense of urgency this team desperately needs to feed off of.

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Comments

Hmm... If Morrow will be gone for a while... So be it...

He needs to get healthy, even if it would take rest of the season.

Trevor Daley is my cup of tea.

by Henri Muroke on Feb 14, 2012 6:37 AM CST reply actions

Sad, but true.

He needs to get healthy asap.

by Travis Drybread on Feb 14, 2012 7:51 AM CST up reply actions

If he needs a surgery and plenty of recovery time, then do it now and make sure he's ready to play and

completely healthy before the start of the next season. Why wait? If he’s not going to be a contributor this season – fine. But do something about it!

by iHorses on Feb 14, 2012 8:54 AM CST up reply actions

Agreed

I’d rather have him back healthy next year with a rebuilt team than have him never really recover and limp (literally) into the playoffs and aggrevate an injury.

by jabudi on Feb 14, 2012 9:03 AM CST up reply actions

Yeah, I'm thinking that if he needs surgery...then let's do it now.

Then he can have until the beginning of the next season to recover.

by WingnutInStarsCountry on Feb 14, 2012 9:20 AM CST up reply actions

We need him badly right now.

Although Vincour has been playing well. I think if Morrow was healthy it would be smart to leave Vincour in the top 6 and put Ott on the 3rd or 4th line.

"The Dallas Cowboys announced they have released Jerry Jones."

by T-rom on Feb 14, 2012 8:17 AM CST reply actions

Like....

Vincour – Benn – Ryder
Eriksson – Ribeiro – Morrow

or something?

If you left Eriksson up with Benn/Vincour, that’d be cool, but Ribs would have no defense with him.

by Travis Drybread on Feb 14, 2012 8:20 AM CST up reply actions

Poor Q. GMs always say that coach job is safe when they start loosing. But they all have a limit.

I bet if Hawks loose 7 out of next 10 he’ll change his tone.
Nash to Stars? Do we even need Nash? Do we have what it takes?
I’d love to have him, but what can we give up? Grossman, Bachman and a 2 & 3 rd pick for Nash and Mason?

by iHorses on Feb 14, 2012 8:59 AM CST reply actions

I suspect Nash would only want to go to a true Contender

I’ve always loved his game, but he is aging and can’t keep it up forever. If we were top 10 in the league I would say go for him but he’s not worth what we’d give up for a rental.

by jabudi on Feb 14, 2012 9:01 AM CST up reply actions

Well, he is playing for Columbus. Any other team is an improvement for him :-)

And who’s sayign we are not top 10 in the league next year (with Nash) ? :-) Joking.

by iHorses on Feb 14, 2012 9:10 AM CST up reply actions

Nash wouldn't be a rental though.

Isn’t he signed to a really long contract?

"The Dallas Cowboys announced they have released Jerry Jones."

by T-rom on Feb 14, 2012 9:11 AM CST up reply actions

Through 2018 I believe?

by iHorses on Feb 14, 2012 9:49 AM CST up reply actions

I don’t want Nash (or Carter), I think they are both too meek. I would like Stars to trade for Dmitri Orlov from Capitals.

Realistically we won’t be able to get Weber or Suter. I think Orlov will develop into #1 D.

by Supernova10 on Feb 14, 2012 9:35 AM CST up reply actions

38, 40, 33, 32 goals in the last 4 seasons, playing for Columbus. I don't care how meek he is, as long as he keeps on scoring.

by iHorses on Feb 14, 2012 9:45 AM CST up reply actions

If we're going to pay him 7.8 per year for that long

He better average at least 40 goals and 80 points per season. And I don’t think he will do that.

by StarzenheimerSchmidt on Feb 14, 2012 10:26 AM CST up reply actions

I think Nash is going to the Capitals. They were showcasing Holtby last night with Columbus assistant GM and pro scouts watching.

Washington can put a nice package of young players and picks for Nash (they have COL 1st and 3rd).

by Supernova10 on Feb 14, 2012 10:39 AM CST up reply actions

So, you're saying that no one is worth 7.8 a year

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by Josh Lile on Feb 14, 2012 10:57 AM CST up reply actions

Only a handful of players

Just think Nash is a little overrated and the contract is too long.

by StarzenheimerSchmidt on Feb 14, 2012 11:15 AM CST up reply actions

If Nash were a UFA right now

You wouldn’t give him a 6 year contract at 7.8 per?

by Josh Lile on Feb 14, 2012 11:18 AM CST up reply actions

He usually ends up with around 60-70 pts a year.

Is that seriously worth 7.8 mil? I think not.
Although to his credit, he doesn;t have the greatest supporting cast.

"The Dallas Cowboys announced they have released Jerry Jones."

by T-rom on Feb 14, 2012 11:39 AM CST up reply actions

70 points is about top 20 in the league

Everyone in that group is 6 mil + (quick scan) outside of Loui and Patrick Sharp.

If he’s overpaid it isn’t by much, and not enough to make 6 years at 7.8 a burden.

by Josh Lile on Feb 14, 2012 11:45 AM CST up reply actions

I still don't think a massive trade like it would take would be worth it.

Not at where the Stars are now and what it would take to get him.

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by Brandon Worley on Feb 14, 2012 11:53 AM CST up reply actions

Didn't say it about be.

The contract was the issue in question.

It isn’t a bad contract.

by Josh Lile on Feb 14, 2012 12:03 PM CST up reply actions

Weird...

“Didn’t say it would be worth it”

by Josh Lile on Feb 14, 2012 12:03 PM CST up reply actions

Keep in mind

We “could” afford him. It’s not like we’re near the cap.

by jabudi on Feb 14, 2012 12:57 PM CST up reply actions

Possibly

as a FA, but we’d be giving up a ton to get him too. I just think he’s overrated. Doesn’t score at the rate of the level of player people think he is(granted where he plays may have something to do with it), and he seems like a loafer to me. He’s big but doesn’t play a true power forward game, doesn’t play defense. I’d only play a complete player that money.

by StarzenheimerSchmidt on Feb 14, 2012 12:18 PM CST up reply actions

Agree on the caveats vis-a-vis Nash.

He is CLB’s franchise player, not ours.

by Dallas_Stars74 on Feb 14, 2012 12:21 PM CST up reply actions

I didn't say it would necessarily be worth it.

The contract isn’t bad though. He isn’t signed through the twilight of his career. You’d be getting the prime of his career at a fixed rate that, with inevitable inflation, is going to continue to look better.

by Josh Lile on Feb 14, 2012 12:48 PM CST up reply actions

I agree on the inflation part....

but whether the money is worth it rests eventually on his production, considering the glaring drawbacks in his game. If he pots 35-40 goals consistently throughout his contract (a couple of 40-50 would be even better) and thus provides the kind of legitimate goal-scoring threat this team has lacked since Hull left, it would definitely be worth it. But can he provide that for us and would it be worth sending 2-3 prospects for him?

by Dallas_Stars74 on Feb 14, 2012 1:34 PM CST up reply actions

I never made a comment about the price to acquire him.

It wouldn’t be worth it in that sense for the Stars.

I don’t think theres any question he’d get over 6 years at 7.8 per on the FA market right now though so I don’t think the contract is a big problem.

With that being said…he isn’t the Jacket I’d want the most.

by Josh Lile on Feb 14, 2012 2:14 PM CST up reply actions

I didn't say you made the comment about the price to acquire him.

My question was largely rhetorical in nature, but that is the obvious follow-up to acknowledging that he may be worth the dollars he’s being paid. I know we may not be ready to part with CLB’s asking price, but I’d be curious to hear from other posters think they’d be ready to part with.

by Dallas_Stars74 on Feb 14, 2012 2:22 PM CST up reply actions

$6.8 million is the normal range for a player like that.

Get ready to see Benn get something similar.

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by Brandon Worley on Feb 14, 2012 2:44 PM CST up reply actions

That would depend on the term-length...

..I personally wouldn’t dole out that much money without Benn (his agent, that is) agreeing to sacrifice 2-3 UFA years.

by Dallas_Stars74 on Feb 14, 2012 3:07 PM CST up reply actions

Need to be long like 5-6 years

around 6 mil, I’d be Ok with that.

by StarzenheimerSchmidt on Feb 14, 2012 3:26 PM CST up reply actions

Do they need Nash? Of course they need Nash.

They most likely can’t get him, but no team in the league would turn him down if they could make it work.

That package would get laughed at. The Stars don’t have the pieces to make it reasonably happen. The first round pick should be untouchable.

by Josh Lile on Feb 14, 2012 9:43 AM CST up reply actions

I never mentioned 1st round pick anywhere in my post. And yes, I realize that that trade offer is laughable.

But…but… we’ll take Mason off their hands? Gotta be worth something! :-)

by iHorses on Feb 14, 2012 9:47 AM CST up reply actions

Didn't say you did mention it.

But without moving that I can’t imagine they have a prayer of making a move for him.

by Josh Lile on Feb 14, 2012 10:05 AM CST up reply actions

That Alice Cooper bobblehead is pure genius!

DIY: do it yourself hockey! - Razor

by diamondicegirl on Feb 14, 2012 9:07 AM CST reply actions

no, we don't have what it takes

we just barely started rebuilding our prospect pool, and that’s pretty much the end of that discussion. Unless you want to kill this team for the next 5 years, at least.

by PSyCo2012 on Feb 14, 2012 9:07 AM CST reply actions

ummm, didn't Carter own us by himself for a whole qtr

And that’s with the Stars trying pretty hard to stop him. He’s been injured, and plays on that team. Going from Philly to Columbus had to be devastating. Putting him on a line with 14&21 is drool worthy. I want that guys name on the back of a Stars jersey. Please

Its supranatural, you know, a higher level than supernatural

by Bayouboy99 on Feb 14, 2012 2:46 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions

If the contract would be five years, then perhaps...

But right now… Ouch.

Trevor Daley is my cup of tea.

by Henri Muroke on Feb 14, 2012 3:10 PM CST up reply actions

I'd take it as is.

He doesn’t have a NTC. If you need to get out of it eventually you can.

by Josh Lile on Feb 14, 2012 3:12 PM CST up reply actions

To tell the truth... He wouldn't cost too much, perhaps.

I wouldn’t mind it, but I think Joe would.

If I remember correct, he doesn’t like contracts that long.

What is it good for? Absolutely everything.

by Henri Muroke on Feb 14, 2012 3:15 PM CST up reply actions

I think Joe would too

But that’s why you do your due diligence. If you feel that Jeff Carter is exactly what you need in your forward corps, and you can afford the asking price via trade…do it.

He’s a 30+ goal scorer having a down season due to injuries and being a weird fit in Columbus.

2012
Benn Carter Morrow
Eriksson Ribeiro Ryder
Vincour Ott Dvorak
Nystrom Fiddler Sceviour

You kind of make that happen if you can.

by Josh Lile on Feb 14, 2012 3:38 PM CST up reply actions

I hope :-(

by Josh Lile on Feb 14, 2012 3:38 PM CST up reply actions

Or

Eriksson Benn Ryder
Carter Ribeiro Morrow

Just…yikes….

by Josh Lile on Feb 14, 2012 3:40 PM CST up reply actions

Don't give me that stuff. =)

Drool…

What is it good for? Absolutely everything.

by Henri Muroke on Feb 14, 2012 3:49 PM CST up reply actions

I'd rather

Carter play right wing. Who knows if Vincour can be good at left wing. Don’t think Morrow is going to be playing right wing. And not sure about Ott being a full-time center.

Eriksson-Benn-Ryder
Morrow(I have serious doubts he can return to top six form though)-Ribeiro-Carter
Ott-Fiddler(hopefully someone else in some sort of trade)-Vincour

by StarzenheimerSchmidt on Feb 14, 2012 3:50 PM CST up reply actions

You'd keep Ott/Fiddler apart to maximize face off wins

But yeah….make this happen if possible.

by Josh Lile on Feb 14, 2012 4:06 PM CST up reply actions

couple more things on Carter

He’d be the most dynamic scorer we’d have since young MO. His 5 mill per would be a steal for a 30+ goal guy in a couple years. He is in his prime, he has mad talent, and elite hands. Aging won’t hurt those hands.
Keep benn at C for his overall impact on the game and carter on his RW. 21-14-7 would put butts in the seats, because it would be buzz worthy. One of those what will they do tonight kinda lines. Columbus can’t be asking for a kings ransom for him. More like, we tried/it failed Were taking a mulligan. They’ll get that kings ransom from Nash.

Its supranatural, you know, a higher level than supernatural

by Bayouboy99 on Feb 14, 2012 5:47 PM CST via iPhone app up reply actions