Bleacher Report - Articles by Melissa Grissom

Brenden Morrow out for the Season after Tearing an ACL

Melissa Grissom — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:40:25 -0500

Well as if the Dallas Stars weren't struggling with adversity enough, it's even worse now as they lose their heart and soul of the team, Brenden Morrow.

He tore an ACL in his right knee during the Stars' humiliating loss against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night. He is going to have surgery on the knee and miss the rest of the regular season.

After finding out about the injury, Co-GM Les Jackson had this to say on the Dallas Stars' official website:

"We are obviously very disappointed to hear the news about Brenden’s knee. As our captain, he will obviously be missed, but we have every assurance that he can and will come back from this injury at 100 percent. There is a lot of hockey left to be played this season, and we are confident our team will rally together and keep pushing.” (1)

The Stars have recalled Right Wing Landon Wilson from the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins to replace Morrow. The Co-General Mangers, Brett Hull and Les Jackson are thinking of different ways of bringing different forwards from either a trade or signing any free agents.

Now the Dallas Stars are going to need to find a way to fight through this adversity. Or they will not make the playoffs.

1—http://stars.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=393678

Dallas Stars: Breakdown After Breakdown

Melissa Grissom — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:42:32 -0400

The mistakes are all around the ice. The turnovers are causing frustration and anger from the Dallas Stars. The lapses and odd man rushes in the defensive zone are causing goal after goal. The power plays that the Stars did so well at last year, are lackluster and not working to help them get the momentum in the game.

These simple tasks are even hard for the Stars to understand. Stop if you have heard any of these problems before with the Dallas Stars. If they do not fix these mistakes, this team will not make the playoffs and win that Stanley Cup that many people have been predicting this season.

Should they fire Dave Tippett this season? No, because he is not the cause of these breakdowns in the Stars system.

Should they find a respectable backup that can win games for Marty Turco when he is in a slump? Yes, because Tobias Stephan, the Stars rookie goalie is not getting it done. And a veteran backup behind Marty will push him to earn the No. 1 spot.

Should they force Brenden Morrow to give away the "C" on his jersey? No they should not, because he is the heart and soul of the team and the main reason why they got so far last season.

Many questions need to be answered before they spiral down to a new low. They should not wait for Sergei Zubov and Jere Lehtinen to help them break out of this slump, because last year they were able to do it without those two in the lineup.

I think Dave Tippett needs to talk to every player and break down every mistake they have made. I think Marty Turco needs to make key saves when the defense breaks down.

Last but not least, Brenden Morrow needs to stop taking dumb penalties and lead the team like he did last year, with amazing leadership and game momentum goals that change the game around.

These Dallas Stars need to overcome adversity in order to make the playoffs. Many fans believe that they can.

Melissa's Top 15 Fantasy Goalies in the NHL

Melissa Grissom — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:11:48 -0400

So who are the top 15 fantasy goalies?

Is it Martin Brodeur of the Devils or Roberto Luongo of the Canucks? Who is my number-one pick out of the top 15 goalies?

Well, here are my top 15 fantasy goalies:

1. Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils

2. Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks

3. Evgeni Nabokov of the San Jose Sharks

4. Miikka Kiprusoff of the Calgary Flames

5. Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers

6. Dan Ellis of the Nashville Predators

7. Marty Turco of the Dallas Stars

8. Marc Andre Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins

9. Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres

10. J.S. Giguere of the Anaheim Ducks

11. Cristobal Huet of the Chicago Blackhawks

12. Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens

13. Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes

14. Vesa Toskala of the Toronto Maple Leafs

15. Niklas Backstrom of the Minnesota Wild

So there you have it, everyone. These are my top 15 fantasy goalies.

Melissa's 2008-09 NHL Awards Prediction

Melissa Grissom — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:33:27 -0400

I know it is early in the season but I am going to make my predictions for the NHL awards:

Art Ross Trophy: Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins

Calder Trophy: Steve Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning

Jack Adams Trophy: Guy Carbonneau of the Montreal Canadiens

James Norris Trophy: Dion Phaneuf of the Calgary Flames

Maurice Richards Trophy: Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins

Williams Jennings Trophy: Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils

Vezina Trophy: Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils

Selke Trophy: Henrik Zetterberg of the Detroit Red Wings

Lady Byng Trophy: Brad Richards of the Dallas Stars

Stanley Cup: Dallas Stars over the Montreal Canadiens, four games to three

President's Trophy: Montreal Canadiens

So there are my predictions for the NHL awards and let the arguments begin.

Melissa's Top 10 NHL Rookies for 2008-09

Melissa Grissom — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 17:36:51 -0400

As for this article, I am giving you guys a list of the top 10 rookies in the NHL, from my own opinion. I have been watching the NHL and been seeing some amazing goals by these amazing rookies. So I have decided to make my own 10 rookies that I think will make the most impact on the ice this season.

1. Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning

2. Kyle Turris of the Phoenix Coyotes

3. Kyle Okposo of the New York Islanders

4. Ville Leino of the Detroit Red Wings

5. Fabian Brunnstrom of the Dallas Stars

6. Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings

7. Blake Wheeler of the Boston Bruins

8. Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers

9. Nikolai Kulemin of the Toronto Maple Leafs

T10: Derrek Brassard of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Shawn Mattias of the Florida Panthers

When the conclusion of the 2008-09 season ends, Steven Stamkos will walk away with the Calder Trophy as the top rookie of the NHL.

Let the arguments begin for the Rookie of the year.

Melissa's NHL 2008-09 Season Predictions

Melissa Grissom — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:21:15 -0400

Here are my own predictions for the outcome of the 2008-09 season.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Detroit Red Wings: No. 1 in the western conference, No. 1 in the Central Division

2. San Jose Sharks: No. 2 in the western conference, No. 1 in the Pacific Division

3. Calgary Flames: No. 3 in the western conference, No. 1 in the Northwest Division

4. Dallas Stars: No. 4 in the western conference, No. 2 in the Pacific Division

5. Anaheim Ducks: No. 5 in the western conference, No. 2 in the Northwest Division

6. Minnesota Wild: No. 6 in the western conference, No. 3 in the Pacific Division

7. Chicago Blackhawks: No. 7 in the western conference, No. 2 in the Central Division

8. Columbus Blue Jackets: No. 8 in the western conference, No. 3 in the Central Division

9. Nashville Predators: No. 9 in the western conference, No. 4 in the Central Division

10. Phoenix Coyotes: No. 10 place in the western conference, No. 4 in the Pacific Division

11. Vancouver Canucks No. 11 in the western conference, No. 3 in the Northwest Division

12. Edmonton Oilers No. 12 in the western conference, No. 4 place in the Northwest Division

13. Los Angeles Kings: No. 13 in the western conference, No. 5 in the Pacific Division

14. Colorado Avalanche: No. 14 in the western conference, No. 5 in the Northwest Division

15. St. Louis Blues: No. 15 in the western conference, No. 5 in the Central Division

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Montreal Canadiens: No. 1 in the eastern conference, No. 1 in the Northeast Division

2. Pittsburgh Penguins: No. 2 in the eastern conference, No. 1 in the Atlantic Division

3. Washington Capitals: No. 3 in the eastern conference, No. 1 in the Southeast Division

4. Ottawa Senators: No. 4 in the eastern conference, No. 2 in the Northeast Division

5. New York Rangers: No. 5 in the eastern conference, No. 2 in the Atlantic Division

6. Philadelphia Flyers: No. 6 in the eastern conference, No. 3 in the Atlantic Division

7.New Jersey Devils: No. 7 in the eastern conference, No. 4 in the Atlantic Division

8. Tampa Bay Lightning: No. 8 in the eastern conference, No. 2 in the Southeast Division

9. Buffalo Sabres: No. 9 in the eastern conference, No. 3 in the Northeast Division

10. Atlanta Thrashers: No. 10 the eastern conference, No. 3 in the Southeast Division

11. Boston Bruins: No. 11 in the eastern conference, No. 4 in the Northeast Division

12. Florida Panthers: No. 12 in the eastern conference, No. 4 in the Southeast Division

13. Toronto Maple Leafs: No. 13 in the eastern conference, No. 5 in the Northeast Division

14.Carolina Hurricanes: No. 14 in the eastern conference finals, No. 5 in the Southeast Division

15. NY Islanders: No. 15 in the eastern conference, No. 5 in the Atlantic Division

The Montreal Canadiens will win the president trophy over the Detroit Red Wings by three points. Now, that does not mean that I will think that the Detroit Red Wings will win the Stanley Cup.

I am not going to say that your new 2008-09 Stanley Cup champions after 10 years of winning their first Stanley Cup is the Dallas Stars. So what makes the Dallas Stars different?

For starters, they have some of the top best forwards—Mike Ribeiro, Brenden Morrow, and Brad Richards—have just entered their primes and leading the way, making it easier to no longer relying on the likes of 38-year-olds Mike Modano and Sergei Zubov.

Yes, they play an important role, but this team can do great even when they are out of the line-up. They have the amazing leadership in Brenden Morrow and have some amazing youngsters like Matt Niskanen, Mark Fistric, Nicklas Grossman on defense with Robidas and Daley leading them while you have newcomer Fabian Brunnstrom and Loui Eriksson ready to take on bigger roles.

I believe that it is time for the Dallas Stars to shine in the NHL and prove that they can be a Stanley Cup Winner.

Marty Turco Soft in the Pipes for the Struggling Dallas Stars

Melissa Grissom — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:37:34 -0400

Is Marty Turco really soft in the pipes for the struggling Dallas Stars who can't find a way to win a game?

I don't believe that he is because he is not getting the support that he got last year when the Stars could find ways to score and play that tough defense that other teams hate to play against.

Where is that acrobatic goalie that we saw in the playoffs? Is Marty ever going to pull an a game performance? Or he is going to continue to play like he is now? I am hoping that Turco can prove to me that he can win some games and put out some key stops so that the Stars can start scoring more goals.

Brenden Morrow, his close friend and the team captain, needs to show Turco that they can win as a team and not put any pressure on Marty Turco. I want to see Turco prove to me that he is not soft in the pipes and prove to me that he is can win games for the Stars when they need them.

Dallas Stars' Poor Hockey Play: Where Is the Energy?

Melissa Grissom — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:19:19 -0400

Every critic and fan of the Dallas Stars is wondering where the energetic team that went to the Conference Finals last year went. Where is the energy and grit that they use to break other teams in part?

The Dallas Stars are not playing opponents that many people are expecting to win a Stanley Cup, and they are playing poorly, making mistakes that they never make. On the Dallas Stars' official website, their captain Brenden Morrow describe their play better than anyone else can right now.

"It feels like we are not trusting or supporting each other, and we are leaving holes," captain Brenden Morrow said. "It's not a lack of effort. I think we are too anxious to make plays. We know the expectations and after not getting the result we wanted yesterday, we were trying to do too much. It's only two games, but we certainly want to be playing better than this."

Every fan in Dallas wants to see these Stars play better, or everyone can say goodbye to a Stanley Cup championship. This team needs to learn to not push the panic button at the wrong time and start working together, so that they can win like many us believe that they can do. We can't blame any players, but we can blame the team for their lack of willing to win.

This team needs to start believing in themselves and put together an awesome season so that they can have a chance at winning the Stanley Cup. I believe that they are better than this and will have a great chance at winning the Cup.

Brenden Morrow: Looking to Prove to He Can Lead to a Championship

Melissa Grissom — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:57:05 -0400

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 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. 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. 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.

Alternatively, 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.

Mathieu Schneider Gone from the Anaheim Ducks?

Melissa Grissom — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:21:38 -0400

After the Anaheim Ducks sign free agent center Brendan Morrison to a one or two year deal, will it force GM Brian Burke to trade one of their three all-star defenseman in Mathieu Schneider?

I mean the Morrison signing is great for the Ducks, but right now Schneider's $5.75 million contract is the talk of the Ducks to get rid of some of the money to fit under the salary cap for the 2008-2009 season.

Several teams—including Vancouver and Ottawa—are interested in this puck moving quarterback for the powerplay. Ottawa expresses the most interest after losing Wade Redden to free agency after the defenseman signed with the New York Rangers.

Right now, Schneider is the man out in Anaheim and we'll see if Brian Burke will send the defenseman to another team.