Capitals sign Brendan Morrison
"ARLINGTON, VA. – The Washington Capitals have signed unrestricted free agent center Brendan Morrison to a one-year contract, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today. In keeping with club policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed."
over 2 years ago
David Getz
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The rest of the press release:
A 5’11", 181-pound native of Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, Morrison has had 50-plus points six times, including four 20-goal seasons. He has played 755 career games with four teams – Dallas, Anaheim, Vancouver and New Jersey – spanning 12 NHL seasons. Morrison has 175 goals and 330 assists (505 points) in his NHL career, with career highs in goals (25), assists (46) and points (71) coming in 2002-03 with the Canucks.
Morrison, who will turn 34 on Aug. 15, split last season between Anaheim and Dallas, posting 16 goals and 31 points in 81 games. He had 32 penalty minutes and a +3 rating. Morrison played 542 consecutive NHL games from 2000-07, but was hampered by injuries the past two seasons.
Morrison’s best seasons came as a member of the Canucks, where he amassed 393 points in 543 games from 2000-08 and was among the team’s top five scorers for six years in a row. He has consistently been a plus player, with a career rating of +55, and has 47 power-play goals, seven shorthanded goals and 38 game-winning goals to his credit.
A second-round draft choice of New Jersey in 1993, 39th overall, he earned AHL All-Rookie Team honors as a member of the Devils’ affiliate, the Albany River Rats, when he led them in scoring in 1997-98.
Morrison won the Hobey Baker Award as the nation’s top college player in 1997 (the same award McPhee won as a player at Bowling Green) and led Michigan to the national championship in 1996. He led the nation in scoring three times for the Wolverines, collecting 102 goals and 182 assists (284 points) in 155 games. Morrison was a teammate of recent Capitals signee Mike Knuble for two years at Michigan and again with Linkopings in Sweden in 2004-05.
One interesting name on that list is Morrison’s. Mo (can we call him that?) is coming off the worst season of his NHL career and is (and plays) small, but he’s going to be cheap, is finally healthy again, and was a teammate of Mike Knuble’s for two years at Michigan and then again during the lockout.
no, I really thought the caps were going to suck it up and play Sir Circles-A-Lot or Laich as second line center.
So did I.
Well, for $1.5 million, I guess they don’t have a lot to lose. All the same, I suspect this means one of 23 and 26 are gone. Of course, this isn’t exactly a surprise.
Hunh.
This seems like a McPhee signing – not much to lose if it goes wrong and could have some upside.
(Now to find out whether mobile commenting works.)
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Jul 10, 2009 5:11 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Yeah, while the signing may be really good, I don’t like them being up against the salary cap. Someone’s got to be on their way out of town, you’d think.
With 8 D, I’d guess it’ll be for picks and little else.
"Yes, It is a 'Beautiful Game.' It's because we see something meaningful that we hope to someday, somehow, see in ourselves."
by Bald Pollack on Jul 10, 2009 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions
This seems like a McPhee signing
There’s another reason to see McPhee’s signature all over this…
by Gould Old Days on Jul 10, 2009 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Tat too. The whole thing is totally McPhee’s style, and I have to admit that I like it. You can get a lot of stud deals out of the “I’ll give you a shot, show me what you’ve got” approach because the player will give it all they’ve got damn near every time.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
I was hoping so! This guy is old imo, and soft. I’m nervous after these two moves (Knuble as well, but not for being soft).
I’m all for veterans, but…I’m just nervous. I dunno.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
by Whiter Mage on Jul 10, 2009 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Thank goodness for Caps Mobile Alerts! What do you think this does to Nylanders confidence? First they say that its Laich’s (who isnt a natural center) job to lose. Than they sign someone else to take his place. If he plays 40 games next season I will be surprised. Great signing though, GMGM is the man
I don’t think they ever said the role was Laich’s to lose, just that they were comfortable using him in that role if they needed.
But I think the talk about Laich was (1) to downplay their interest in other centers to agents and potential trade partners (2) boost Laich’s confidence if he ended up having to play that role and (3) discourage Nylander so that he might more seriously consider Russia.
How about this thought – for $1.5M Brendan Morrison, if he’s healthy, is cheap enough to be a third or fourth liner and Laich could still be the second line pivot – it still begs the question – What the heck do you do with Nyls and his $5M salary and big cap hit?
As for ShaMo vs Juice, vs anyone else why not keep both? Anyway who is to say what will happen in Jurcina’s Arbitration? The Caps made a qualifying offer to 26 and he didn’t file for arbitration right? So unless he gets an offer sheet from someone else isn’t he basically all but signed? I’m asking, I don’t know how that works…. Given Alzner and Carlson’s youth what’s wrong with having 8+ healthy d-men at the start of camp anyway….
by markbona-capsfan99 on Jul 10, 2009 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Mo (ShaMo… guess we’ll have to specify from now on, dang) could hold out for a better deal but his options in the NHL are limited. If nobody gives him an offer sheet he has until July 15th to accept his QO or until sometime in the fall to sign a new deal with the Caps. After that point, what, he has to wait a year before signing again? I don’t remember how it works at that point.
What the heck do you do with Nyls and his $5M salary and big cap hit?
suck on it and like it. unfortunately.
Russian Machine Never Breaks
by macvechkin on Jul 10, 2009 8:20 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
How about this thought – for $1.5M Brendan Morrison, if he’s healthy, is cheap enough to be a third or fourth liner and Laich could still be the second line pivot – it still begs the question – What the heck do you do with Nyls and his $5M salary and big cap hit?
His salary doesn’t have anything to do with where he plays or, if it does, the Capitals need a new coach.
I still think Laich on line three and on the wing is better. He can plays as the second line center but there a bit of square-peg-round-hole situation there and getting guys in roles they’re best suited too is a big part of being a successful team.
I know if Nylander was on Philly he would have been on LTIR for the last two years and upcoming two years to free up the cap space.
by CapsFanSince1979 on Jul 10, 2009 10:29 PM EDT up reply actions
that RAISES another question. should we play nylander and play him hard the first 2-3 months so he does end up on LTIR? i think i’m only half joking.
Russian Machine Never Breaks
More detail below, but I’d call it “center depth.” In other words, he’d be OK as 2C, and if someone else beats him out for the job, so much the better.
by Gould Old Days on Jul 10, 2009 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Very interesting. Hope we did not overspend but Nyls may as well have his own seat in the press box at this point
Because now I can justify browsing and commenting during the work day with the argument that I am promoting my business.
by Sombrero Guy on Jul 10, 2009 4:42 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
This means either 23 or 26 or both is hasta la vista.
Morrison hasn’t had a 60-point season since before the lockout.
I’m not sure he’s a top-six forward anymore. (And I’ve been unsure of that for a while.) Then again, 28 is the kind of player who can make a 2C-3C guy look like a good 2C, so at $1.5M what does WSH have to lose? (Except, well, see above.)
maybe
This will give Nylander the not so subtle hint that they don’t want him on the team and he’ll go sign with a team in the KHL. This doesn’t thrill me, but we’ll see how he works with his line mates.
I think McPhee’s insistence that Laich was their second line center if no moves were made would have convinced Nylander to move it were going to happen. I guess he could have thought McPhee was bluffing, but I doubt it.
In any event, I’m not sure what the team could do with the extra cap space at this point anyway.
The trade option is the thing that is appealing – if the Capitals were to go in to the next deadline with $5M+ in cap space, they’d have a lot of options.
Nyls’ NMC expires after this season. The Caps could conceivably dump him down in Hershey if they needed to get his cap number off the books, right? And Nyls would likely retire at that point?
Because now I can justify browsing and commenting during the work day with the argument that I am promoting my business.
by Sombrero Guy on Jul 10, 2009 7:11 PM EDT up reply actions
wouldn’t he have to go through waivers? It guess some team could decide to pick up a washed up figure skating star past his prime…
Doesn’t Nyl’ age mean if they move him to Hershey they still have his Cap Hit to deal with on their boos? As far as “what if he were claimed going through waivers?” wouldn’t that be like a godsend if you, like me, would just like to see him playing somewhere else at this point. The real question is still “What if Backstrom were to get hurt this coming season?”… Not to get everyone really wound up and worrying….but stranger things have happened – I like the Brendan Morrisson pickup and at $1.5M and 1 year GMGM isn’t risking much in terms of “optionality” to use an investors term…
by markbona-capsfan99 on Jul 10, 2009 7:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Nylander is not on an “over 35 contract” under the CBA, so the cap hit can come off the books if he’s demoted. Nylander’s birthday is October 3, 1972, and the key date for the contract is June 30, 2007 — a date on which he was still (just barely) 34.
by Gould Old Days on Jul 10, 2009 7:57 PM EDT up reply actions
I share my wedding date with Nylander’s birthday??? Oh, this is a bad omen.
Sorry, the waivers thing….must learn to complete my thoughts before hitting “post.” If Nylander were to be claimed off waivers, making the Caps liable for half of his salary, how does this affect that Caps’ cap hit?
So what do you prefer:
Europe vs. North America:
Ovechkin – Backstrom – Semin
Laich – Morrison – Knuble
or
Balanced lines
Ovechkin – Backstrom – Knuble
Fleischmann – Morrison – Semin
Balanced. Just say no to the care bear line.
by SethB on Jul 10, 2009 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
I’d prefer to split up the SOB line, give the Caps two true scoring lines rather than putting all of their eggs in one basket.
Capitals Kremlin the second line center of the Caps blogosphere.
by CapitalsKremlin on Jul 10, 2009 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions
When I read your comment, I saw “putting all of their egos in one basket.”
Ya know, that could apply too….
Still, I think a balanced attack of 8-19-22 followed by 28-(9 is my guess for his number)-21
Let's go Caps!
by MikeL-Pivonka on Jul 10, 2009 6:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Knuble’s going to play with AO. And then Gabby’s going to mix his lines up so much it won’t really matter. :-P
In fact because of that, I think the more interesting question is what will the PP units look like.
I’d like to see more of that second D group next year. Fewer 2:00 PPs for 52 and 8.
by TylerG on Jul 10, 2009 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Gotta go balanced.
I have to agree with those who are looking for enough cap space to play at the deadline if needed.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Jul 10, 2009 5:22 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
We needed a Kozlov replacement and we got Knuble – a great signing
But everybody including mgt wants to stick Knuble in front of opposing goalies (what he does best) and make Ovi try and shoot around him. I think we’re going to discover the team overall will be better off with Knuble not facing down shots from Ovi but rather pumping up secondary scoring on other lines and wearing out the D.
We’ll see how it plays out. I just hope not to see Knuble wheeled off with a puck stuck between his eyes.
I think we’re going to discover the team overall will be better off with Knuble not facing down shots from Ovi but rather pumping up secondary scoring on other lines and wearing out the D.
The issue then is finding a winger for the first line. The only obvious option is Semin, but I have to believe the team generates more secondary scoring and imposes more hardship on their opposition by having Semin anchoring the secondary scoring line.
It would be interesting to see who we would get in exchange for Semin for line 1, then having Knuble on line 2.
(for however many/few years Knuble can play) and how the stats and salaries would work out
…including comparable discipline penalties taken and overall post-season success.
Wait, I’m a Semin fan right?
Neither ...
I like:
Ovechkin – Backstrom – Knuble
Semin – Laich – Fehr
Fleishmann – Morrison – Bourque
Gordon – Steckel – Bradley
by markbona-capsfan99 on Jul 10, 2009 7:45 PM EDT up reply actions
And before someone says it I know that Fehr won’t be back in time for the opener but I like these lines when he does get back …. Lots of options now but the only real number 1 center on the team – that fits the system – is Backstrom…..
by markbona-capsfan99 on Jul 10, 2009 7:47 PM EDT up reply actions
What about …
Ovi – Backstrom – Knuble
Flash (Laich) – BMo – Semin
Laich (Flash) – Steckel – Fehr (Bourque/Clark)
Bourque (Clark) – Gordo – Bradley
Defense is still too up in the air yet to call, I think.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
I would much rather see the lines that have the guys in parentheses. WIth B-Mor (I’m from Baltimore, so that will be his nickname for me) running the middle, and Semin “kabonging” (hopefully), I would much rather see someone that will throw his body around, and not have it be from another teams’ player. FMS line would be a baby-food type line just asking for B-Mor to get hurt again since the other two will be twirling around. Also with those parentheses lines, you allow Bourque to play with a better center that can help his confidence with scoring more.
by WolfPackof1 on Jul 10, 2009 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions
I think the third line’s a reach for Bradley especially with Clark, Bourque, Fehr, and Laich on the roster.
Agreed. Bradley only ends up on the 3rd line if Clark/Laich are bumped up due to injury or Flash sucking, and even then, Bourque (if he’s here) and Fehr (if he’s healthy) are better fits on the 3rd line, imo.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Yeah, I do too. What was outside parens was what I think will happen, the parens were other possibilities. Besides, Flash/(pivot)/Fehr was pretty good at times last year. And Bourque is hard-nosed enough to compensate for Flash if Fehr’s not playing.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
Europe vs North America. Ovechkin pounds in his own rebounds. Two looks = defenses are going to have to focus on one, and it’s just more options.
I'm so sick and tired of the refs explaining the calls like this is the NFL.
by Whiter Mage on Jul 10, 2009 10:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Brendan Morrison Stat Dump right this way…
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Updated salary cap ramifications
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
So if you go to behindthenet and run their on/off +/- stats for even strength time, and restrict the search to centers who played 70 or more games, Morrison is # 25 in on ice +/- per 60. That’s pretty good for a 30 team league if the Caps are asking him to center their second line. (Backstrom is # 10 on the list). But I’m not so sure Morrison is really an ideal 2nd line center.
What’s interesting is that Morrison gets those favorable stats with a very low GAON/60, but without much of a contribution to GFON/60. In other words, last year he didn’t contribute all that much to the offense at even strength, but he was (or the lines he played on were) very responsible defensively. Only two of the guys above him on the list have a better GAON/60. In contrast, NONE of the players above him on that list had a worse GFON/60. What’s interesting is that he averaged more than 2 minutes of power play time, but only about 30 seconds of short handed time.
So is Brendan Morrison more of a defensive forward at this stage of his career? The comments about his injury history are well taken — it may just be that he was still getting over some issues and his offensive talents will come back. But if people are counting on Morrison to be the offensive playmaker to complement Alex Semin . . . well time may prove that Morrison is better off as a shutdown guy on the 3rd line than as the quarterback of the 2nd line. Given his low faceoff percentage the last two years, perhaps Morrison shouldn’t even be the 3rd line center. Laich-Steckel-Morrison could be a pretty tough line to play against.
by Gould Old Days on Jul 10, 2009 5:48 PM EDT reply actions 4 recs
That’s a FanPost brother.
"Yes, It is a 'Beautiful Game.' It's because we see something meaningful that we hope to someday, somehow, see in ourselves."
by Bald Pollack on Jul 10, 2009 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions
I kind of believe it makes sense not to split discussions of a single topic. I mean, I’m hardly a model of restraint — I once posted a fanpost about the proper nickname for Landon Ferraro, who the Caps didn’t even draft* — but it seems to me that this thread right here is the place to discuss the meaning of the Morrison signing, even if it takes more than 75 words. But I guess your mileage may differ.
I should add that I really like the signing. 1.5 Million is a deal for that guy. He’s a quality NHLer. The lines will shake themselves out over the course of the year. But McPhee talked about adding depth to the forward corps, and that’s exactly what he’s done with Knuble and Morrison. They strike me as the right signings for the right prices and the right term lengths.
* – I did it for the poll, which you can’t put on a fanshot…
by Gould Old Days on Jul 10, 2009 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Totally with you, I think it’s 2C insurance at worst, with an eye towards seeing what the org depth is like at camp this year. Anything above that is gravy.
"Yes, It is a 'Beautiful Game.' It's because we see something meaningful that we hope to someday, somehow, see in ourselves."
by Bald Pollack on Jul 10, 2009 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions
First off, last year’s stats don’t do much for me given his wrist injury. People in Anaheim seem to believe it never fully healed before last season began. Heck before he was traded he was one step away from being a scratch. I expect him to play better since he’s has since early April when the Stars season ended to let the thing heal. Given his history he probably tried to play through something he shouldn’t have. Wouldn’t be the 1st hockey player to make that mistake.
Also, he’s always been more of a defensive forward. The guy spent his formative years playing for the Devils and plays like he did.
Also, we don’t need another 30 goal scorer. We need some grit who will play good D up the middle like Feds did and has enough skill to keep the other team honest by chipping in enough goal wise. Even with probably his worst season as a pro last year he scored 16 goals and had 15 helpers.
One other item of note. In case people may have forgotten the guy was an ironman before the wrist injury.
He’s in a perfect situation for the Caps. He’s cheap, he’s on a 1 year deal that doesn’t have long term Cap implications, he’s playing for his next deal, good guy in the room, can contribute on special teams, and if worst comes to worse he can be moved down to 3rd or 4th lines given his style. I really don’t see a downside to the move.
Well, if I’m looking for a center for Flash and Semin, yeah I’m looking for defense :)
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
by gotsparkly on Jul 10, 2009 6:20 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
If I’m looking for a center for Flash I’m hoping I’m looking at a 3rd or 4th line center
:)
by Icebat on Jul 10, 2009 6:36 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
28-91-21 was probably one of the better two-way lines in the NHL before Semin’s injury.
by red army line on Jul 11, 2009 2:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Before Semin’s injury, 28 – stone – brick would have been one of the better lines in the NHL. That guy was on fire. I hope he can find a way to stay healthy for a fully year. He could do a lot of damage.
by Gould Old Days on Jul 11, 2009 2:48 AM EDT up reply actions
21 is Brooks Laich :) Laich’s MUCH better defensively than Flash is. Semin’s not bad, but Flash needs help in his own end still.
"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." - Delores Ibarruri
Just saying Semin can do a lot on his own.
by red army line on Jul 11, 2009 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Florida
|
55 | 27 | 17 | 11 | 65 |
|
Washington
|
55 | 28 | 22 | 5 | 61 |
|
Winnipeg
|
57 | 26 | 25 | 6 | 58 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
55 | 24 | 25 | 6 | 54 |
|
Carolina
|
56 | 20 | 25 | 11 | 51 |
(updated 2.12.2012 at 10:06 PM EST)
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