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As
reported earlier today, and
now made official, the St. Louis Blues have signed veteran winger Brenden Morrow to a one-year, $1.5 million contact for the 2013-14 NHL season.
The 34 year old Carlyle, Saskatchewan native has spent most of his 13 year career in the Dallas Stars organization. He captained the club starting in 2006 through his trade to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline last season. In 850 games Morrow has 249 goals and 542 points.
Here are my thoughts in concise form for your busy Monday digestion and discussion…
The Log Jam Deepens
The addition of Morrow brings the Blues’ to a total of 14 forwards on one way contracts. Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko are still on their two-way ELC deals, but are already penciled in to specific spots in Ken Hitchcock’s lineup. With 16 potential options to take at most 14 spots, two have to go. Keith Aucoin has already been sent to Chicago so that leaves one more without a clear big league job.
Who is sent packing?
Adam Cracknell and Chris Porter are the two likely options as they serve similar roles. That some what speedy, somewhat plus sized depth winger that goes balls to the wall for the five to seven minutes a night they’re on the ice. One that seemingly belongs to Morrow now.
Will either clear waivers? They stand a better chance of doing so now then they do once the season gets going and teams battling early injury bugs look for (cheap) healthy plugs.
Where Will He Play?
The top three lines to begin the season are already set. They are:
Steen – Backes – Oshie
Schwartz – Roy – Stewart
Paajarvi – Berglund – Tarasenko
That leaves either five or six guys fighting for three spots. Personal preference would be:
Sobotka – Lapierre – Morrow
There is great flexibility to adapt to the flow of the game. Sobotka and Morrow could move up a line to shelter Roy, Schwartz, or Tarasenko from tougher late game assignments. Depending on the location of the draw either Sobotka or Lapierre can take it. There is defensive responsibility on the wing and more than enough blue collar grit to go around.
That said, according to Jeremy Rutherford, the lineup could look different. With Ryan Reaves replacing Lapierre while Sobotka moves to the middle and Morrow to left wing. Lots of grit and size.
In theory both could be productive in similar fashions. Flexibility then extends past just one line and one game, but to lineup construction on a night by night basis. Reaves dresses when his size is needed. Versus LA for example. When taking on smaller or less physical teams that don’t require a nuclear deterrent, a pesky little gnat line could be more impactful.
Has the CPR Line Gone Flatline?
Many Blues fans, myself included, were enamored with the Cracknell-Porter-Reaves line at the end of the season. It’s that whole love of the Midwestern work ethic that St. Louis locals have for their pro athletes. Doesn’t hurt that they were arguably the best line Hitch put over the boards in the first round series loss to the Kings.
The line isn’t dead, yet. Nor is it not trusted. It’s all a numbers game.
Without a collection of high end talent an excessive amount of depth in terms of role players can be used as a counter balance once injuries hit and shake up the lineup. Once that happens the CPR Line will be back in action.
A Response to the Lack of Response?
A few days ago Tampa Bay prospect Adam Erne put a pretty good lick on one of Morrow's likely linemates, Vladimir Sobotka. After the game and in the days following Hitch voiced his concern over the lack of response by the Blues on the ice and that it's been addressed.
Has Morrow been brought in to make sure he has someone besides Backes and Jackman with an experienced voice that can hold his teammates accountable in those situations? Probably won't know for sure, but it stands to reason.
Money, Meet Mouth
Spending dollars on payroll as they have, up to the upper limit of the cap, shows one thing above all others. Ownership is putting what money they have where their mouths are. Don’t expect Doug Armstrong to receive authorization to gut the prospect system of talent just to try to win now. They pay on the front end so they won’t have to react wildly on the back end.
The organization is unified at this point. All efforts are going towards building a team capable of hoisting the Stanley Cup.
Thanks for reading!
St Louis Blues Blogger • 
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