Brenden Morrow Traded to Pittsburgh Penguins; Stars Improve Defensive Depth

Brenden Morrow (HermanVonPetri/Flickr)
Brenden Morrow (HermanVonPetri/Flickr)

Drafted by the Dallas Stars in 1997 with the 25th overall pick, Brenden Morrow has never had another home in the NHL, spending his entire career in Dallas.

Today that changed with the 34-year-old winger being sent to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Joe Morrow.

Ascending to the captaincy prior to the 2006-2007 season, Morrow has always been a penultimate leader and warrior. His health has taken a beating thanks to his physical style of play and age simply catching up with him, but he has bounced back from a deplorable 2011-2012 campaign this season, benefiting from the extended work stoppage.

Morrow only has 6 goals and 11 points in 29 games played this season, but he’s undoubtedly been a better player and will benefit from playing on a Stanley Cup contender like the Penguins, especially if it means he can play on Evgeni Malkin’s left wing when Malkin returns from his injury.

Joe Morrow is an enormously talented 20 year old prospect selected 23rd overall in the 2011 NHL draft. Currently in his first season of professional hockey with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, Morrow has scored 4 goals and 15 points in 57 games. In his final junior season with the Portland Winterhawks he produced 17 goals and 64 points in 62 games.

With this trade, the Dallas Stars have loaded their defense with talented young blue liners with an eye to the future. In addition to Brenden Dillon and Jamie Oleksiak, the Dallas Stars’ defense now has enormous potential.

Brenden Morrow’s finest moment as a Dallas Star:

Brenden Morrow will always be remembered fondly in Dallas, one of the longest serving captains in franchise history and an ambassador for the sport off the ice. But with the offseason trades of Steve Ott and Mike Ribeiro, what was referred to as the “old guard” had been shipped out, and Morrow was the last major piece.

The new generation of Stars, led by the man most likely to be named the next captain, Jamie Benn, will be counted on to bring back the success that has been so desperately needed in Dallas for years.