Friday, July 17, 2009
Capitals Sign Forward Morrison to One-Year Deal
The Washington Capitals added some offensive depth to their roster last Friday by signing center Brendan Morrison to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million. Morrison appeared in 81 games last season with the Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars after being claimed off waivers by the Stars, scoring 16 goals and 15 assists for 31 points. In 755 career games with the Stars, Ducks, New Jersey Devils, and Vancouver Canucks, he has 175 goals and 330 assists for 505 points. This is an okay signing for the Capitals, as Morrison brings some much needed center ice depth to the team. Morrison brings plenty of skill to the team’s power play and is a great face-off man as well as playmaker. With Sergei Fedorov leaving to play in Russia next season and the Capitals looking to rid themselves of Michael Nylander, Morrison will likely be the second line center next season, but could drop to the third line if Nylander remains with the team. Morrison’s offensive production has been in decline for the past few seasons, but perhaps playing alongside the likes of Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Knuble, and Brooks Laich could give him a bit of a jumpstart offensively next season.
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While it's perfectly logical that Nylander should enjoy some sort of resurgence this year and reclaim te second line job, the local fanbase seems to agree Brooks Laich is Morrison's real competition for the spot.
Nylander was a healthy scratch down the stretch last year, and into the playoffs. Since Boudreau claims he doesn't believe in line-matching, we have to assume Nylander was scratched because Boyd Gordon and Dave Steckel outplayed him.
Still, I think Nyles has an outside shot, and the only reason for himnot to have been traded et is if he's trying to stage a comeback and either be a part of a successful Washington playoff run or at least raise his trade value to something respectable by the time his NMC expires next summer.
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