Dallas Stars: Brenden Morrow looking to prove to he can lead to a championship

by Melissa Grissom

Brenden Morrow is an amazing leader for the Dallas Stars and it’s no wonder that former GM, Doug Armstrong named Brenden Morrow captain of the Stars. He is consider a quality player that goes out every night as Armstrong once said, “he exemplifies what we want our opponents to view the Dallas to be.” He never quits and is the kind of leader that most players look up to and many teams that have a hard time finding a weakness in. He is the type of guy who brings heart and passion to the Stars that need it and the dedication to win a Stanley Cup. He refuses to give up and will play in pain in order to win championship over personal goals. He plays with his heart, leads by example and never quits when the challenges are hard.

Morrow, however, gives the Stars grit. He's 5-11, 205 pounds with average speed. Morrow rarely makes spectacular plays, but he brings substance and determination. He understands that he must sacrifice his body to get close enough to the net to score because he doesn't have the skills to make an end-to-end rush. Morrow, 29, is elevating his play. He has added scoring and passing to a game built around physical play and intensity – and he is turning heads across the league.

Morrow has always been an impressive player. He got the "C", and stepped up even more. He's gritty, not afraid to get a little dirty, and one of the most impressive leaders I can think of. He leads by example. I don't know what he says in the locker room, but he's a captain that will give 195% night after night, and expect his teammates to do the same. He's not a franchise player just because he's the captain - he's a franchise player because without his presence, the team would suffer.

Morrow is the one player that many young kids look up to and want to be. I mean look at him during the 2008 playoffs…he played better than Pronger in the first round against the Ducks, played better than Thornton in the second round against the Red Wings and played through pain of a bad groin and a partial tear in his left shoulder in the third round against the Red Wings. He has grown into a player that many us knew he was going to be. Personally, I believe he should be compared to Steve Yzerman, the former captain of the Detroit Red Wings.

The video below was during the magical run of the 2008 playoff run that eventually bowed out to the Detroit Red Wings. This video was the game that Brenden Morrow scored his game winning goal against the San Jose Sharks during game 6, that went into the 4th overtime.

Brenden Morrow’s Goal in 4th Overtime against the San Jose Sharks.

Remember that series against the Colorado Avalanche in the 2006 playoffs in the first round when he took a bad penalty and eventual lost against the Avalanche in 5 games. That series helped Morrow emerged into a leader as he did something that many players would not do. He demonstrated his leadership away from the ice as he took the heat. In a world where it seems easier to make the decision to run and hide when circumstances around us don't go our way, he held himself accountable by waiting for the media to come in the locker room. Fighting tears back that were nearly on their way to his cheeks, he answered tough question after tough question and continued to do it with class, integrity and conviction. Sure, fans and the coaching staff were upset by the penalty, but they should never be upset with how he handles himself following mistakes.

Or when the Stars played against the Vancouver Canucks in the 2007 playoffs in the first round, Morrow publicly challenged his teammates, saying too many of them refused to sacrifice their bodies and go to the tough areas of the ice to get the puck or score a goal. Then he scored a power play goal in overtime on a deflected shot to beat Vancouver, 1-0, and extend the series. The Stars lost the series in seven games, but Morrow proved he wasn't afraid to embrace the moment and handle the pressure that accompanies the playoffs. That is what type of player Morrow is and that’s why he is the captain of the Dallas Stars because not only does he want.

Brenden Morrow is an amazing leader with an amazing ability to lead and step up at the right time. He is the Dallas Stars’ heart and soul and he has been proving that he is a top quality player. One day he’ll lead his mighty Dallas Stars to the Stanley Cup.