Daily Links: Brenden Morrow traded for Joe Morrow, Internet Reacts

All indications were that it was going to be a lazy Sunday afternoon for Stars fans. Fresh off the win against the Avalanche, everyone was going to have a chance to relax and prepare for Monday night's game against the Minnesota Wild.

And then the rumors started to swirl that Morrow was being asked to waive his no trade clause in order to be shipped off to Pittsburgh. The internet caught fire for several hours, as no one was sure what was really going on.

Eventually, the official announcement came out that Brenden Morrow was indeed traded for prospect Joe Morrow. And, in what seems to be tradition of the season, the Stars exchanged their third round pick in the process.

We'll have more reactions on the trade here at Defending Big D coming later today, as well as a closer look at what Joe Morrow means for the Stars organization.

In the mean time, we can take a look at the national reaction of what happened yesterday. Sometimes it's interesting to see who is judged to be the winner when the trade is immediately made. Getting a national view of the trade can also be useful in gathering more details about the players and their situations, as well as how they might work out on their new teams.

Of course, sometimes the media is right, and sometimes it's wrong. Remember when the Stars were fleeced by the very same Penguins when they traded Neal and Niskanen in exchange for Goligoski? The media was pretty close to accurate on that one in retrospect. How about when the Stars unfathomably gave up the next Sergei Zubov (Vishnevskiy) in exchange for a goaltender with chronic back problems who didn't take his physical training as seriously as he should have? The Stars wound up winning that trade so handily, the Atlanta Thrashers closed up shop and moved to Winnipeg. (I kid!)

Nevertheless, most reactions seem to think that this trade works out well enough for both teams. Here's a look at what's being said across the internet:

• Shawn Roark of NHL.com takes a look at the trade, and what kind of leadership Morrow brings to the Pens, as well as why the Stars targeted Jo'Mo. And, yes, I just coined that. [NHL]
• Puck Daddy thinks it was a good move for the Pens, but this may also drive up the asking price of future trades over the next week. Could the Stars reap the benefits? [Puck Daddy]
• Meanwhile, ESPN ponders what the asking price will be for Iginla, now that he is the last gritty veteran winger on the market. [ESPN]
• LeBrun talks about Morrow's unfortunate decline over the last couple of years, and why he was traded. [ESPN]
• Razor deals with the trade in the only way Razor can. [Dallas Stars]
• Our sister blog, Pensburgh, has their reaction on the trade as well. The comments section is a good place to get their fan reaction. [Pensburgh]
• Mike Heika thinks there are similarities to the trade for Cody Eakin, who was unproven when acquired. If that's the case, that's very good news. [Dallas News]
• Here's Heika's full thoughts on the trade as well. While prospects are never a guarantee, he thinks it was a good one. [Dallas News]

As for my two cents?

For the Pens, it's all about taking a shot at the cup this year. They face some stiff competition in the Eastern Conference, and needed some extra grit and leadership. In order to get it, they had to give up a first round pick that has plenty of potential. If the Penguins win the Cup this year, it will be easy for them to say that it was worth it.

The Stars, on the other hand, are in an entirely different boat. Brenden Morrow was down to his last 17 regular season games as a Dallas Star. Due to the depth coming up, and the shift in leadership roles, he was not going to be re-signed. (It's unfortunate when things like that happen, but it's part of the hockey business.) Gaining a player that is projected to be a #2 or #3 defenseman for years to come in exchange for those 17 games is well worth it. As a team right now, the Stars will not suffer terribly without him. The Stars offense will continue to produce, the grit can be supplemented with the play of Erik Cole, and the leadership by Jagr, Whitney, Robidas, and others can help to fill that gap.

Business aside, it is tough as a fan to see Morrow go. He was a babyfaced winger that married one of his teammate's daughter. He gave us the 2008 playoffs. He always left everything out on the ice, and will always be remembered around Dallas for being the leader that he was. And his final gift to Dallas was waiving his NTC, so that Dallas could build for the future. I think we all wish Morrow the best of luck in Pittsburgh. And if the Stars can't be in the Stanley Cup Finals, I have a pretty good idea of who they will be cheering for.

Maybe he can pull one of these for the Pens this year?